Job Discussion Forums

miratingbird · Joined: 05 Sep 2004 Posts: 9 Location: Kowloon

I just started an apartment-less job in Kowloon and am looking for decent estate agents in the area, particularly in TST. Most of the agents on the net sem to be based on the island. Does anyone know any good ones over this side?

ChrisRose · Joined: 19 Apr 2003 Posts: 427 Location: Hong Kong

A good estate agent? That is an oxymoron.

dandan · Joined: 25 Jun 2003 Posts: 183 Location: Hong Kong

Just walk down the street in the area you're interested in and have a chat with a few, choose two or three that seem alright and get them to show you lots of properties. It ain't rocket science Smile

Don't expect to find much of any use on the web regarding properties, get out into the street!

miratingbird · Joined: 05 Sep 2004 Posts: 9 Location: Kowloon

Yeah I've been doing the walking around thing, was just wondering if anyone had had a particularly good one to recommend

jenny-pnet · Joined: 16 Apr 2003 Posts: 59

I went to an estate agent that had been recommended to me by a few different people and found her to be pretty appalling. She was ok to begin with but didn't like it too much when she had to show me too many places before I found one that I was actually happy with. So she fobbed me off to her colleague, who I eventually ended up doing the deal with.

Just be careful that if you go to more than one agent, you don't get shown the same apartment twice. If that happens and you decide to take the apartment, you will have to pay both agents commission, which could be a hefty sum of money (half a month's rent each.)

dandan · Joined: 25 Jun 2003 Posts: 183 Location: Hong Kong

jenny-pnet · Joined: 16 Apr 2003 Posts: 59

Perhaps you're right, dandan, but it's something that has caused some expats grief in the past, (probably a result of misunderstanding through communication difficulties) therefore warrants a warning - don't mistakenly let a second agent show the same apartment.

dandan · Joined: 25 Jun 2003 Posts: 183 Location: Hong Kong

Alright then. I don't suppose there's any chance you could PM me the phone no.s of the expats concerned? It's just that I'm organising a poker game Friday and we're a couple of players short, thought they might like to come along......... Laughing

once again · Joined: 27 Jan 2003 Posts: 815

Dan Dan wrote:

ChrisRose · Joined: 19 Apr 2003 Posts: 427 Location: Hong Kong

The law is:

If yu have signed a contract with the first agent, an introduction fee (finders fee), you are obligated to pay them if you or your relatives, friends etc. choose to rent that apratment within 12 or 14 months.

The signing with the first agent in effect invalidates the second agents contract, since they did not in fact introduce you to the apartment / leaser.

My advice on using estate agents:

1) Don't give them your phone number.
Since they will not get any commission unless you take from them, they will lie, cheat, etc. e.g. They have nopthing that meets your criteria, so thy know you are iewing with other agents. They will call at ALL hours of the day / night and claim to have n appoinment for the ideal apatment. You turn up, and of course it is we shall look at 2 or 3 others on the way. However the partment you were suposed to see, that one which is exactly what you want has gone.

Agents will waste your time. You are nothing more than a commission.

2) As soon as an agent has ehausted his/her supply of possibly suitable apartments, MOVE ON to the next.

3) Always meet the owner. Avoid renting from absentee landlords. When somthign goes wrong, it is difficult to get repairs. I once had an apartment in Causeway Bay, newly decorated. About 6 weeks after I moved in, th ceiling collapsed. Yes, this can happen.

4) There is a racist saying, NEVER RENT FOM AN INDIAN. I know why they say that. Up to you if you wish to take head or not.

Best of luck with your flat hunting.

monty97 · Joined: 12 May 2003 Posts: 24 Location: Hong Kong

Errm, Chris - think you meant 'take heed'.

Ludwig · Posted: Sun Sep 12, 2004 6:39 am Post subject:

Is that perhaps a Freudian Slip, 'Chris'?

lagerlout2006 · Joined: 17 Sep 2003 Posts: 985

Sorry to butt in here and you use guys as Lonely Planet but...life is hard sometimes. To cut to the quick where is Bruce Lees old house Heard it was a cathouse these days. Anyone have the address. ?

And where is Elvis Preseys coat? Wink

Mark-O · Posted: Mon Sep 13, 2004 11:56 am Post subject:

The cat house is a myth. All cats in Hong Kong quite rightly live in palaces, or at least, mansion-sized villas. The Hong Kong government is in fact run by cats, namely Mrs Puddy Wong and Mr Tiggy Fat; they do a grand job.

Bruce Lee lived in a 'junk' docked in the harbour of Peng Chau, where, it is said, he spent most of his time taking part in illicit activities such as catnapping and cat smuggling from the mainland to the outlying islands. The martial arts was merely a facade for much more heinous deployments of 'talent'.

I'm afraid that I can't help you with your enquiry about Elvis's coat.

Ludwig · Posted: Mon Sep 13, 2004 12:46 pm Post subject:

Hope this helps, 'Lagerlout2006'.

"[...] the Romance Hotel, on Cumberland Road in Hong Kong's Kowloon Tong district, is not a tourist-friendly destination. To get past the Sikh doorman, you will need to be sober, over 18, fluent in Cantonese, and accompanied by a member of the opposite sex. This two-storey villa was once the home of kung-fu superstar Bruce Lee, but exactly 30 years after his death, you could hardly describe it as a shrine."

http://film.guardian.co.uk/features/featurepages/0,4120,995383,00.html