Dear all,

My apologies in advance if this topic has been covered before. I'm new here and wanted to get some advice from people already living in Shanghai.

A friend of mine recommended these forums, and, after having taken a look, I thought I should ask the people here since there are many knowlegeable people here.

To help you help me, I'll give you the lowdown on me and what I need help with.

I'm a 30 year old businessman relocating to Shanghai with my younger brother. We are interested in living in Puxi, and not the suburbs and not Pudong.

My brother has already secured a job for himself, so his company is going to take care of his visa, but I will be going there with a visitor visa (F visa), since I am merely checking out some business opportunities in Shanghai and have business back home to take care of. Therefore, I will be traveling back and forth.

Anyway, we are rather peculiar in that we are NOT interested in the expat housing, not interested in living in the French quarter, nor interested in living in Gubei, etc.

In fact, we want to live like LOCALS live. Yes, you read correctly...we are not interested in the shiny new expat apartments. We are interested in what a local guy, earning a local salary, would be living in.

I have been told that Putuo might satisfy what we are looking for, but wanted to check here with you guys first.

We are looking for an apartment that has 2 bedrooms, and at least 80 square meters. Not a big place, but not small either. Just a decent size for two people.

What could we expect to pay for an apartment of that size, in a building thats is not too old (I'll take a "Fight Club" looking place provided it is not in a condemned building and the shower works), and in a decent area of Puxi?

Since I travel a lot, I'll basically need a place with a bed, Internet access, an air conditioning unit, and that's pretty much it.

By the way, I speak, read, and write Chinese (not fluently, but better than most foreigners there, I would wager), so going to a local agent would be no problem for me.

Thanks very much indeed for any advice/help/suggestions you could give me.

Best wishes,

Han

Hi Han, Maybe I am a bit like you. I am expat from N.Z. been here 4 1/2 years, and much prefer to live as far away as I can from other expats. You mentioned Putuo District, and that is where we bought into. (Langao Lu area). Sure, it is an older Chinese area, and I am the only expat in our 20 floor apartment building, but we love it here. Have made nice Chinese friends, and very happy. If we need to get downtown, can do so in bus from our door, in 20 mns, at the 'huge' cost of rmb 2. Rentals, and purchase here are relativaly cheap. If you need a good honest agent, p.m. me. Beware Craig's List.
John.

If the locals wanted to live where the expats live, then you would be stuck in a logical paradox.

Cheers for that John, just sent you a PM

There are plenty of 'local' places within the downtown area, Luwan, Changning or Huangpu would be my choices. If your Chinese is as good as you say you will have no problem communicating with the local estate agents, but they will undoubtedly still be trying to take you for a bit of ride. Be insistent with what you want and take your time to find the right place, best to take a serviced apartment or something similar for your first few weeks so you can do it properly.

Yes, But the opposite does not need to apply.

Lordlunchalot wrote:There are plenty of 'local' places within the downtown area, Luwan, Changning or Huangpu would be my choices. If your Chinese is as good as you say you will have no problem communicating with the local estate agents, but they will undoubtedly still be trying to take you for a bit of ride. Be insistent with what you want and take your time to find the right place, best to take a serviced apartment or something similar for your first few weeks so you can do it properly.

Dear Lordlunchalot,

Good idea there...think I'll stay in a serviced apartment for a month until we find a suitable place. I imagine one month would be sufficient time.

And you are right - the agents will no doubt still try to take me for a ride. That's OK, since that's what makes life interesting. But I hope they enjoy going on rides too

Han

Han,

I've been here a couple of years, spent first 2 in a shiny expat building and yes it was comfortable etc but souless.
Now live in a more local place but probably still 20% foreigners. I took over a month to find it, there are a lot of great local places but you really need to think about how local you are prepared to deal with. There is the romantic notion of living like a local and then there is the reality of cold showers, dodgey electricity, crap heating / cooling blah blah blah. You need to find the mid point that works for you.
I dealt with a lot of local agents and they all show you the same places and often at very different prices, bargain them off against each other, I got a fifth of the price knocked off my monthly rental and my Chinese is extremely ordinary, I'm sure you could do better.

LL

Lordlunchalot wrote:Han,

I've been here a couple of years, spent first 2 in a shiny expat building and yes it was comfortable etc but souless.
Now live in a more local place but probably still 20% foreigners. I took over a month to find it, there are a lot of great local places but you really need to think about how local you are prepared to deal with. There is the romantic notion of living like a local and then there is the reality of cold showers, dodgey electricity, crap heating / cooling blah blah blah. You need to find the mid point that works for you.
LL

Hi LL,

Good point there - I'm prepared to deal with some minor inconveniences, but not things like regular visits by cockroaches or a condemned building.

There is a mid point that works for everyone - and I'm willing to pay more for a nice place - but not willing to get ripped off, as it's a matter of principle for me, and not that I can't afford to pay more.

Have lived in Asia before (Japan and Taiwan) so I know what to expect.

Before I get the "Oh but that was JAPAN", let me say that I have seen some truly shocking housing in Japan.

I read an earlier post by someone who said he considered 80 square meters to be small...and I nearly fell off my chair.

In Tokyo, 80 square meters is rather large. So I suppose everything is relative

Han

I was very impressed with how they use space in Japan, a tiny place can still be very comfortable if it is designed well. Yet to see that kind of design here.

PS I live in a fairly decent place but still have a couple of rather large cockroaches that make appearances from time to time, getting quite close to giving them names in fact

make sure they pay their share of the rent...