Hi, we have just found out we are moving to Shanghai in 6 weeks time. We want to live in jin qiao and would like our children (6 & 16) to go to Dulwich college. Where is the best place to live? We should be having a go see in 2 weeks time. We have emailed Dulwich about places for our kids but haven't had a response yet. Is this usually the case? Is it too late to try and get a place there if we want our kids to start in September? The company are paying all the costs (don't know if this makes a difference)?

Hope somebody can help with these questions. I am sure I will have many more!

Thanks

Dulwich is located smack bang in the middle of Jin Qiao's Green City which is where there are oodles of villas and apartments with loads of expat families living in them. Most of the kids can walk to school in the area and it is really extremely convenient for family life. There are villa compounds like Green Villas, Regency Park, Vizcaya, Shimao Lakeside, Greenhills and Willowbrook in the area and a few apartment complexes as well like Green Court, Dawn Garden and Shimao Lakeside Apts. Prices range from 16k rmb for 3 bed apt to 80k rmb for a large 5 bedroom villa.

If you search on this forum you will find plenty of advice on the housing there.

Also worthwhile to join up to groups like moms in pudong and shanghai mammas as there's tons of good advice on these forums as well and you can chum up with families in no time at all.

Another good site to check out (and place to visit whilst on your Look See) is the Shanghai Community Centre. Their Pudong branch is located in Greenhills Villa's clubhouse.

The schools are on summer holidays and it will take awhile for them to respond. It is such a pain this time of the year as this is when families are coming. I would put through a call and mail again to try to get some replies. Also, ask your agent to hassle them as well.

Have a look at our Advice on Leasing on our website for some real estate tips.

Happy Home Hunting.

Adrienne

The company are paying all the costs (don't know if this makes a difference)?

This makes ALL the difference! properties in this area are not cheap. Adrienne gives good advice and knows the market really well.
probably your company will have an appointed estate agent? or at least they should put you up in a hotel for the first month or so...

scamparella wrote:

The company are paying all the costs (don't know if this makes a difference)?

This makes ALL the difference! properties in this area are not cheap. Adrienne gives good advice and knows the market really well.
probably your company will have an appointed estate agent? or at least they should put you up in a hotel for the first month or so...

Scamparella, that is very kind of you indeed and thank you very much.

One thing I would like to say about the company paid housing scheme is that one needs to be really, really, really careful whilst researching online about costs of properties. Agencies are notorious for falsely misleading prices as there are no guidelines or regulations in this country. What agencies often advertise, especially in the villa market properties is the NETT rental and not the FINAL RENTAL. So, you may see a villa advertised for let's say 45k rmb. Then you think, ah that is asking price and our budget is 42k rmb. I think we could get it down to that no worries. BUT, the price advertised does not include the Gov't Tax Reciept, Management Fee or the Club Fee. These fees combined will bump the price up to 48-50k rmb. After some haggling (and depending on many other variables like when you will start, who you work for, what your nationality is, how many extras you want, how cashed up/desperate the owner is etc, etc, you may end up with a property at 44krmb which is 2k rmb more than your budget.

So, please be really wary about prices quoted online, even from the BIG AGENCIES. It is all to "lure" the poor un suspecting newbie to their agency.

Take care out there.

Adrienne

Hi Lizzie, regarding schools, it is probably worth contacting a few schools to see what availability is like, since you are enquiring quite late in the summer. There are several very decent British curriculum schools in Pudong. Most of their admissions offices should be open during the summer, as at this time many families are having the chance to visit the city for their look see trips. My two children go to BISS and have had very good experience over the last 3 years. Living in Jinqiao and taking the school bus to BISS is very doable and there are also several nice compounds around the area where the school is located in Kangqiao. Good luck with your look see trip and with the move to Shanghai!

scotgal wrote:Hi Lizzie, regarding schools, it is probably worth contacting a few schools to see what availability is like, since you are enquiring quite late in the summer. There are several very decent British curriculum schools in Pudong. Most of their admissions offices should be open during the summer, as at this time many families are having the chance to visit the city for their look see trips. My two children go to BISS and have had very good experience over the last 3 years. Living in Jinqiao and taking the school bus to BISS is very doable and there are also several nice compounds around the area where the school is located in Kangqiao. Good luck with your look see trip and with the move to Shanghai!

Lizzie, You should not wait another day to find out which schools have openings, most are closed for admission of new students.

I would enquire to all reasonable ones, and then pick from whichever have openings this year.
There is a separate, large thread on international schools. This is more urgent than your housing.
Good luck.

Thanks for the responses so far!!!! We have just found out our housing allowance is $5000 per month. Is it possible to get a 4 bed town house in Greenhills for that or do i need to start considering duplex/apartments in that area? We have heard that there may be a waiting list for our daughters age (she is 6). How long is the wait usually?

Thanks

lizzie4, $5000 might not enough to get you a big town house in Greenhills. The avarage rent will be about $7000 in that compound. Vizcaya Villa and Tomson golf could be also good options.
GOOD LUCK.
www.carrenting.cn

I can't seem to find the thread on international schools. My husband will be working in Huangpu. should we consider Pudong? SAS in Pudong has openings for 1st and 3rd grade which I need. Is that school too far from Huangpu?

Hey there,

If you only working in Huangpu, but living in Pudong, SAS is not so bad, but it is still 40-45 mins bus ride from Jinqiao. Not really good for younger children. Alternatively, SAS in Puxi is definitely too far from Huangpu, unless you decide to live out West of Hongqiao.
Kim