Job Discussion Forums

chryanvii · Joined: 19 Jul 2009 Posts: 125

I might be taking a job as a designer. But..I need to make sure of the cost of a typical single apartment in Shanghai. Just a studio with hot water and a sofa is all I need.

Also...where and how would I start looking for one of these? Must I go through an agent?

Thanks!

The Noodles · Joined: 24 Aug 2005 Posts: 202 Location: China, Chengdu

You should be able to find a studio in the French concession for around 3k per month. Maybe a little moreor less depending on how hard you push. You could go trough an agent or you could look through some classified adds. Depends on how easy you want to make it and if you're willing to pay a one off agent fee of about 35% of rent when you move in.

French concession is cool but their are much cheaper areas. Depends on what you want.

Most add on the net are for fat pat apartments. I don't find searching on their particularly useful as i'm only really willing to spend between 5-7K per month. If your company is any good, you can collect a housing receipt every month, usually 5% of the rent a d submit it to your HR department who will then do some magic which means you pay less tax.

The Great Wall of Whiner · Joined: 29 Jan 2003 Posts: 4946 Location: Blabbing

3k is a lot. I remember when people complained at 2k!

The Noodles · Joined: 24 Aug 2005 Posts: 202 Location: China, Chengdu

Really, even in the French Concession... Impressive.

dmanuk · Joined: 02 Dec 2007 Posts: 33

Been looking at lots of apartmets online recently.

Stay away from the expat-based sites. They generally only offer apartments towards the higher-end of the market (with a few exceptions). Try ganji.com or search in Chinese. You can get a much better idea of the local market.

Bisis · Joined: 13 Jun 2011 Posts: 9 Location: Shanghai

I live in Xuhui in a simple 1 bedroom, about 60 sq. meters for 3600/month. Not amazing location but close to lines 1,9,7,3 & 4. Didn't look at any studios.

My friends that speak Chinese do pretty well finding their own apartments but for the rest of us, I think a realtor is the way to go. I've got a good guy, you can PM me if you want his number.

Shimokitazawa · Joined: 16 Aug 2009 Posts: 458 Location: Saigon, Vietnam

bryanjspen · Joined: 09 May 2011 Posts: 30 Location: Suzhou, China

I used Soufun personal listings (listings not by an agent) to get my place in Suzhou ... Also keep in mind when looking on line that 90% of the time the pictures of an apartment are fake

funkybear

is it possible to get an okish apartment or decent place for 1500 or 2000rmb??? or is that impossible?

eurobound · Joined: 04 Apr 2011 Posts: 155

Cairnsman · Joined: 22 Jun 2009 Posts: 203

http://translate.google.com/translate?js=n&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&layout=2&eotf=1&sl=zh-CN&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fshanghai.jinti.com%2Ffangchan

Click on 'Metro Housing'.

Apartments from RMB700 per month.

An example:-

http://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?hl=en&ie=UTF8&prev=_t&rurl=translate.google.com&sl=zh-CN&tl=en&u=http://shanghai.jinti.com/zufang/62010-3318949.htm&usg=ALkJrhghAcV1z-PR7-cUWsS47an70nzaeA

GuestBob · Joined: 18 Jun 2011 Posts: 270

Lobster · Posted: Mon Aug 15, 2011 8:48 am Post subject:

10 square meters! That's a closet! 30 m2 is quite small.

RED

Cairnsman · Joined: 22 Jun 2009 Posts: 203

Yeah, but, it�s a fully furnished closet and it�s cheap for Shanghai!

Notwithstanding, there are some good deals on that website. For example, a fully furnished, 40 square meter apartment in Zhabei for RMB1,800 per month. The apartment building looks semi-decrepit on the outside but the photos of the apartment�s interior look good.

Anyway, I think that it�s a good website and it covers a couple of hundred cities. Very Happy