Hi everybody,

I wish you all a Happy new Year 2005.
I really need some advice and would like to apologize for the lengthy post:

I will be relocating to Shanghai with my family in Feb/march 05.
2 non negociable constraints: My children will go to the French/German school in Pu Xi. The school is currently located close to the Hongqiao Airport and will move further away to Xujing Town, Qingpu district (3 miles/5 km west from Hongqiao airport)
I will be working in ZhangJiang Hi Tech Park in Pudong (last subway stop on line 2).

I need to find a place that will preserve a good quality of life to my wife and children and if possible to me as well
Looking at a Shanghai Map, I thought initially to look for a villa or a flat close Zhong Shan Park. So I would go to work by subway (30 mins approx?) and my children will go to school by car. But I don't have any clue how long it takes to go from Zhong Shan Park to the future location of the French/German school in QingPu District on the Huqing Ping Highway at rush hours (to and back to school).

Another strategy would be to find a place farther away on the line 2 extension. Does anyone knows whane the new extensionl of line 2 will open?

Ideally:
I'm looking for a nice area to live in, with shops near by (not a dead place), and absolutely no airplane noise and less than 30 minutes away from the Bund by car. I have no clue which area are impacted by aircraft fly-overs.

A lot of constraints...
Do you have any advice based on those constraints on where a good place to live in could be? Do you have any name of areas, villas or appartments, compounds to provide?

Thank you in advance for your help,

Jean

Hi Jean, I've sent you a PM

Happy New Year Jean!

I have read your message and understand your concerns. I believe the best option for your family is to live in the Hongqiao area for several reasons, as follows:

- Hongqiao offers a wide pool of villas, which provides a nice living environment for your family. These compounds are mainly composed of expatriates, which gives it an international feeling and very interesting environment for children to grow up in. Moreover, French and German families make up a big part of some of these compounds.

- Hongqiao is a developed area in Shanghai, and offers supermarkets, such as Carrefour, restaurants and many other retail facilities.

- Even though the airport is located quit close to these villas, you will not be bothered by the airport's busteling noice since it is not oriented in the villa's direction (planes do not fly by Honqiao).

- The villas in Hongqiao are located about 30 minutes away from the Bund by car.

I am French myself and work for Joanna Real Estate, a residential relocation company offering the following services to expatriates:

-airport pick-up
-orientation
-house search
-Assistance in obtaining the necessary papers to work and live in Shanghai
-After-sales service

All the above services are free (excluding the rent & the fees related to the obtention of the necessary papers to work and live in Shanghai).

If you would like to benefit from our services or require further info, please contact me at cyril@joannarealestate.com.cn

Thanks and hope to hear from you soon.

Best regards,

Cyril James Nahon
Business Development Manager
Joanna Real Estate Consulting Co., Ltd.
Mobile: 13061757231
Tel: 021-51099888 Ext.855
Fax: 021-52286608
E-mail:cyril@joannarealestate.com.cn
www.joannarealestate.com.cn

I lived in Hongqiao Changning area for about a month. I blogged about it extensively. See: http://shanghai-stay-and-visit.ning.com

Regards


Steve