Question, anyone here living in a 'Lane House' or 'Old Apartment' and ecstatic about the experience ?

Went to view a couple of these places today, two in Xuhui and another near JingAn Temple... wow, what shitholes - what amazed me was the persistence of the 'agent' (some douche bag from MLP) relentlessly pushing the places on me. After about an hour of his rhetoric and my directives of what I'm truly interested in, I just tuned him out.

The places he showed me amounted to nothing more than 'slightly renovated' broken down old Chinese homes / flats. What was even funnier about the situation was that although these places were, "HOT", not a single one had a dishwasher, refrigerator or washer / dryer. Some didn't even have dining rooms.

Bare electrical wiring showing as we walked up the stairs (one place didn't even have an elevator), peeling paint, bubbled and warped floors, windows with panes missing, rusted iron gating, stains in the bathrooms / showers and tubs.... [this list could go on for days, you get the point].

Maybe my standards are a little high, but hell when the 'bag of bones' old woman stepped out of the elevator on our way down stares at us like we've got to be friggin' nuts to live here - that tells me something. I asked the agent how much she pays to live here and of course he had no idea.... but the shitholes he was showing me were DEFINITELY in my budget... 'almost' - whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat ?

I'm curious if anyone here is living in a place like this and is happy with it ? I don't think I'm mis-placed here as I've been here a little while and know what property should run - those dumps might be worth expat rent levels to the landlords or owners, but not to me - and if I'm any indication of 'normal' expat expectations, I'd say those places are sitting empty right now for a reason, ya think ?

i was always under the impression those that live in those types of units spend tons of money renovating them, rather than moving into them "as is."

honestly sounds more like you have a bad agent trying to milk you while not showing you what you really want to see. i know several couples and individuals that have done their stint in a lanehouse and most grow out of it. But a few really just like that feel, BUT those that do are also living in ones that are HIGHLY renovated so you forget you are in an old run down dilapidated brick house. Inside at least a couple of them, were fairly new solid wood floors, doors that were hand made, wooden handrails and banisters... and looked the price. And oh yeah, real kitchen and bathrooms, and double windows throughout.

Without those amenities , I'd pass. (hell make sure you get modified electrical too, otherwise if the AC and fridge kick on at once...POOF!

Maybe you should be looking out in Jinqiao?

Live on the dark side currently, trying to replicate [or better] my situation to somewhere inside the #4 line on the Puxi side and a couple blocks from any stop on the #1 or #2... living in 'Little America' or the other Expat bubbles has been great, but I'm looking to get a little closer to the 'action' if you know what I mean.


Edit: Jinqiao is probably one or two years out when I tire of the hustle and bustle bs.

Desert - It sounds as if you may not be the type who is going to like lane living. I'll tell you why some folks like this style of housing so much:

- No waiting for elevators
- fewer neighbors
- Less "institutional" feeling corridors and common spaces
- Usually located in VERY nice parts of the city
- Access to transit
- Homey feeling
- Hight ceilings
- Possibley has historical significance
- Comraderie of lane life
- knowing your neighbors as opposed to being complete strangers
- May not have people above or below you
- Ground access/easy bike storage
- Easy to get in and out - running small errands etc...
- Vintage fixtures, quality fittings may be old but better than modern rubbish.

I could go on.. but you get the point.
Having said that there are definitely some down sides.

- closer to the ground means you need to be more vigilant about pests
- harder to control climate
- Can be noiser if your neighborhood is active
- local characters/ loss of some anonymity

As mentioned... Almost all expats renovate their pad the way they want it. I've seen some gorgeus renos. Although I also know some folks who just live in them for budgetary reasons.

To sum it up... If you're the type of expat who gets annoyed every time you hear hawking and spitting then you're better off searching for an anonymous box in Jin Qiao. Or pay the sky high prices to live in a "Western" apartment in the French Concession.