Help! Apartment Hunting...

by **chanwy3** » Sun Aug 17, 2008 9:28 am

Hi,

I am a 27 yrs old male just arrived Shanghai yesterday. I am starting my work in Shanghai next week. It was a bit of a cultural shock in terms of everything. My company is paying my motel stay for a week in a room with leakage on the wall...

But fortunately, I can go online...

As such, I need to find a place to live asap and I might need some expert advice from you all in terms of my apartment hunting if you don't mind.

I told my estate agent that my budget is under RMB 3000, and they show me a local apartment on 4th floor with no elevator yesterday. After seeing that, I am a bit worried that I might not be able to find something decent with my budget.

Ideally, I want a modern furnished apartment with one bedroom, where should I look? I was trying to look at the apartment posting on shanghaiexpat.com, but most of those seems like fake ads to me...

My office is Yanan West Road and JiangXu Road, close to the JiangXu station on subway line 2. I don't mind living further away, as long as it is along the subway line or some places that I can get to work easily...

I am a bit lost now and don't know what I can do except counting on my estate agent who I don't really trust...

by **alphabet** » Sun Aug 17, 2008 9:49 am

I would suggest (1) search this site for comments and discussions on rental rates and apartment choices in various parts of town, and (2) get a map and then head up and down the Metro lines and go to the local agents near the stops along the way - local apartments tend to only be listed with nearby agents and so an agent near the Jiangsu Road stop is not likely to have details of listings three or four stops away. Besides, going to take a look will also give you and idea of the neighbourhood. Lastly, use more than one agent so that you have a comparison; and if the agent knows there is competition, they work harder to give you more realistice prices.

Good luck in your search!

by **kikibroom** » Sun Aug 17, 2008 10:14 am

A RMB 3000 flat will probably meet your expectation, but you need some time searching. I have PM you.

by **Michael** » Sun Aug 17, 2008 11:41 am

You may consider sharing a place.. there are people looking to rent rooms. it might be cheaper and you get an overall better quality apt.
I looked on http://cityspace.shanghaiexpat.com and did a search for apt for rent under 5000 and found a lot of listing ( many were sublets ).. but that is a place to start.

by **jackieelastras** » Sun Aug 17, 2008 3:31 pm

hey there,

ive just arrived to shanghai as well, Ive been 10 days now. im living in a flat an irish mate suggested, havent been looking for anything else as this seems quite central and actually is between jian an temple and jiang su Rd stations (line 2 )

The flat is very good i would say, comparing to those i saw on the internet, there is a kitchen, living room n dining room quite together, 3 bedrooms, one of them is more expensive as it has its own bathroom and the other two are standard rooms, we are two in the flat, the australian is in the big room and myself in the standard one sharing the bathoom with anyone at the minute. we have TV, laundry, microwave, balcony, etc, we r in the 18th floor so it has a nice view.

the rent is per person per room, you dont have to worry about getting flatmates to reduce the rent fee, the room is charged per day (i think its a 100RMB bills included), per week (800RMB bills included), per month (standard room 2,500RMB +bills), we have a maid who comes twice a week.

We have a swimming pool, gym, tennis court but thats is pay separatly, but its cheap.

You seem quite worry about and i did my best at the beginning for not feeling that way, and here i am.

feel free to conact me to my email jackielastras@yahoo.com.mx if u were interested in seeing the room.

by **Yeticrap** » Tue Aug 19, 2008 9:50 pm

One of my roommate is moving out by the end of this month. I believe she would let you move in before her lease due because she lives with her boyfriend now.

This is a nice apartment. Her room+a private bathroom is $1999/momth. There is free wifi, free satellite tv, and free ayi coming once a week. It is one minute walk to subway line 8 (Laoximen station)

Well, if you need more information, you can contact the landlord at 13918122233 (Frank). I guess he might raise the rent a little bit becasue everything is getting more expensive these days.

You can also find apartment on http://shanghai.craigslist.com.cn/

Good luck~!

by **monalisalee** » Tue Aug 19, 2008 11:17 pm

Yeticrap, you mention 1999 DOLLARS/ month. Shouldn't that be RMB?, coz it's way outside the OP,s budget.
Yes everybody wants a new furnished place, with all the amenities, but on an unrealistic budget. The cheapest place I could find was Tong Ji garden apartments on KangDing Lu. Stayed there a year. Near new, walking distance to JingAn Temple, and 2 metro, but the cheapest there is about RMB 3,400. p.m. me if you need an honest reliable agent. She may be able to get a decent 1 bedroom place inside your budget, but it will not be easy.
John.

by **Wasabichez** » Tue Aug 19, 2008 11:42 pm

Modern furnished 1 bedroom? Eh....my experience from surfing the net is if you are going for maybe a loft that is 50m2+appx15-25m2 on top, if you haggle you can get it for 5000RMB. The opening might be 10K RMB ripoff price, but reasonable opening would be 7.5K RMB. So if you use 5K to 7.5RMB for a small apt ranging from 80-120m2 and you spend some time looking, you might find something. I dunno if you can get anything bigger/better but if so...cools!

by **monalisalee** » Wed Aug 20, 2008 1:06 am

Joined: July 31, 2008
Posts: 1

Status: Offline Posted: Aug 16, 2008 - 01:28 PM
Post subject: Help! Apartment Hunting...

Hi,

I am a 27 yrs old male just arrived Shanghai yesterday. I am starting my work in Shanghai next week. It was a bit of a cultural shock in terms of everything. My company is paying my motel stay for a week in a room with leakage on the wall...

But fortunately, I can go online...

As such, I need to find a place to live asap and I might need some expert advice from you all in terms of my apartment hunting if you don't mind.

I told my estate agent that my budget is under RMB 3000, and they show me a local apartment on 4th floor with no elevator yesterday. After seeing that, I am a bit worried that I might not be able to find something decent with my budget.

Ideally, I want a modern furnished apartment with one bedroom, where should I look? I was trying to look at the apartment posting on shanghaiexpat.com, but most of those seems like fake ads to me...

My office is Yanan West Road and JiangXu Road, close to the JiangXu station on subway line 2. I don't mind living further away, as long as it is along the subway line or some places that I can get to work easily...

I am a bit lost now and don't know what I can do except counting on my estate agent who I don't really trust...

Further thoughts: I have worked in real estate here, and rented a number of places. Seems to me your Company is not looking after you very well. (put you in a dump of a motel, for a week, and expecting you to get a place on a very limited budget in a week.) Not possible. Seems like you came here without much research. Culture shock, yes indeed!. Suggest you get a temporary place, on a daily basis. It may be a bit nasty, but within your budget, then take your time to find a place, for more permanent. You may have to go a bit further out of town, for the better deals, like Shanghai Stadium area, next to metro 2. The money you can save on rental, will pay for a heap of metro rides!.
Can you post, (or p.m.) the agency "you dont trust". I might know them.
Cheers.
John.

by **gw4khq** » Wed Aug 20, 2008 1:23 am

^ John I think maybe you mean Shanghai Stadium next to Line 4.

by **monalisalee** » Wed Aug 20, 2008 2:04 am

Yep. sorry, It's late. You are right. Then transfer to metro 2 at Zhongshan Park.
Tanks.

by **barrel** » Sun Aug 31, 2008 6:22 pm

For 3k you can find somewhere decent but you have to put in the work. Visit several agents, be very specific about your requirements and budget and then be prepared for days and days of viewings. When I was looking I saw alot of utter hellholes as well as overpriced rubbish, but finally after about 2 weeks I found the perfect match! You have to have stamina and be strict with the agents but you will find something suitable in the end.

Also helps if you take a Chinese speaker with you.

by **lababillarde** » Sun Aug 31, 2008 7:38 pm

With 3K, you can find a decent place.

For those local apartment blocks of about 6 levels high without an elevator, you can get a pretty good one below 1K, however you might need to do some renovation work and surrounded by locals.

Get a local real estate agent, and they can find something nice for you under 3K

Good luck

by **honest_brutally** » Sun Aug 31, 2008 8:45 pm

Honestly those real estate agents are just completely ripping you off. In that area for 3000 RMB/month should be more than enough to have a 1/1/1 modern pad. I'm constantly surprised at the rates expats pay per month for these apartments when you can find exactly the same place in the same area for almost half of the price they are paying. If you can, I would find a local to help find a place for you, less likely to get ripped off then.

by **RussianBear** » Sun Aug 31, 2008 9:07 pm

Zhongshan Park - great location - look for old appartments - i quess you can get one for 2500. Just come there and ask every agency and explain that your maximal budget is (2500), be friendly , but solid in your price, and they will service you well. Sign contract only f2f with owner of property. Good luck !

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