View previous topic :: View next topic |
Author |
Message |
Songbird
Joined: 09 Jan 2005 Posts: 630 Location: State of Chaos, Panic & Disorder...
|
Posted: Thu May 26, 2011 2:26 pm Post subject: Moving to Shenzhen (similar to the Shanghai topic!) |
|
|
I will be moving to Shenzhen pretty soon (5 weeks) but still have numerous questions.
1. Apartment isn't provided by the school, I have to find my own. Any recommendations or where and/or reputable real estate agencies to deal with? Obviously being 'just' an EFL teacher, my budget is limited- to 3-3,500RMB/ month!
2. If I do go through an agency, I've heard the commission to pay is half a month's salary. Is this a one-off payment when you sign the contract? Hope it's not every month!
3. Anyone have any idea when in the process of getting paperwork lined up when the school actually needs the LOR from the previous employer? I have heard from a fellow FT that they wouldn't need it until getting the residence permit. I am having issues trying to get my LOR from my current school, who have so kindly (not) given me a visa this year that expires almost immediately after the contract, so I will need to rush home. I was hoping to arrange the new visa before going home for the holiday in July, guess it won't be happening now! |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
waxwing
Joined: 29 Jun 2003 Posts: 719 Location: China
|
Posted: Mon May 30, 2011 1:59 pm Post subject: Re: Moving to Shenzhen (similar to the Shanghai topic!) |
|
|
Tell us the district. It's important.
The commission in my case (and others that I've heard) can be 1 months' rent. Your salary is none of their business. 1 commission + 1 deposit + 1 in advance = 3 months rent up front. You might get a better deal, but that's what I had to pay the last two times I moved into a new apartment in Shenzhen.
I am now paying 5K for 108 square metres, but it's a very nice place. In Futian, where I live, rent is going up fast. 3K doesn't buy as much as it used to. But like I say, you need to give district if you want good information.
Songbird wrote: |
I will be moving to Shenzhen pretty soon (5 weeks) but still have numerous questions.
1. Apartment isn't provided by the school, I have to find my own. Any recommendations or where and/or reputable real estate agencies to deal with? Obviously being 'just' an EFL teacher, my budget is limited- to 3-3,500RMB/ month!
2. If I do go through an agency, I've heard the commission to pay is half a month's salary. Is this a one-off payment when you sign the contract? Hope it's not every month!
3. Anyone have any idea when in the process of getting paperwork lined up when the school actually needs the LOR from the previous employer? I have heard from a fellow FT that they wouldn't need it until getting the residence permit. I am having issues trying to get my LOR from my current school, who have so kindly (not) given me a visa this year that expires almost immediately after the contract, so I will need to rush home. I was hoping to arrange the new visa before going home for the holiday in July, guess it won't be happening now! |
|
|
Back to top |
|
 |
xjgirl
Joined: 02 Feb 2010 Posts: 242
|
Posted: Mon May 30, 2011 2:26 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Why would u need to waste money on paying commission?
just go around to numerous residential complexes close to your job and check the notice board for any apartments to let
if u can't read chinese, well, learn, it's not that hard
square metres, no. of bedrooms etc most of it will be numbers anyway |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
7969

Joined: 26 Mar 2003 Posts: 5782 Location: Coastal Guangdong
|
Posted: Mon May 30, 2011 3:03 pm Post subject: |
|
|
xjgirl wrote: |
Why would u need to waste money on paying commission? |
Because it's easier? Saves a lot of time? It's not a waste if you get what you want. I used an agent to find a flat for me once back home and I speak the language and had a car. Just wanted to save a lot of hassle and time. Agencies make sense for some people. |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
time to teach
Joined: 03 Feb 2011 Posts: 73 Location: Bangkok
|
Posted: Mon May 30, 2011 10:08 pm Post subject: |
|
|
xjgirl wrote: |
just go around to numerous residential complexes close to your job and check the notice board for any apartments to let |
You might get lucky doing it this way, but not many residential complexes have notice boards listing apartment rentals.
I've lived in Shenzhen for 4+ years, and I've never seen a notice board with apartment listings by owners in the gardens I've lived in or visited.
More common is for rental agents to post signs of apartments for rent in outdoor common areas or the main lobby/mail rooms of gardens.
Best way is to look on www.shenzhenparty.com for apartments being offered by the owners without agent fees.
Garden is the local name for a residential complex, in case the OP doesn't know. |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
Songbird
Joined: 09 Jan 2005 Posts: 630 Location: State of Chaos, Panic & Disorder...
|
Posted: Tue May 31, 2011 5:41 am Post subject: |
|
|
Thanks for the advice, folks.
The bad thing is I can't even give a district, as I will be a 'floating teacher' travelling to various parts of Shenzhen! For this reason, ideally I think Futian would be best being most central, but yeah, from what I've seen prices are pretty exxy. Luohu would be my next choice, I've seen a number of places available in City Square (assuming it's close by the metro) that could be okay. Nanshan would be 3rd choice.
Regarding the commissions, if I DO go through an agency, is this 2-4 weeks'rent commission a once off payment, or every month on top of the rent? It's not really clear to me. |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
waxwing
Joined: 29 Jun 2003 Posts: 719 Location: China
|
Posted: Tue May 31, 2011 9:55 am Post subject: |
|
|
Songbird wrote: |
Thanks for the advice, folks.
The bad thing is I can't even give a district, as I will be a 'floating teacher' travelling to various parts of Shenzhen! For this reason, ideally I think Futian would be best being most central, but yeah, from what I've seen prices are pretty exxy. Luohu would be my next choice, I've seen a number of places available in City Square (assuming it's close by the metro) that could be okay. Nanshan would be 3rd choice.
Regarding the commissions, if I DO go through an agency, is this 2-4 weeks'rent commission a once off payment, or every month on top of the rent? It's not really clear to me. |
One off. |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
waxwing
Joined: 29 Jun 2003 Posts: 719 Location: China
|
Posted: Tue May 31, 2011 9:58 am Post subject: |
|
|
time to teach wrote: |
xjgirl wrote: |
just go around to numerous residential complexes close to your job and check the notice board for any apartments to let |
You might get lucky doing it this way, but not many residential complexes have notice boards listing apartment rentals.
|
It's also possible to ask the security guard at the gate. Not easy doing it this way though. |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
Salvatore
Joined: 22 May 2011 Posts: 119
|
Posted: Tue May 31, 2011 10:50 am Post subject: |
|
|
Dr. Seuss,
In your home country did your employer arrange housing? Why should things be any different here?
Granted, the custom in China is for a traditional school to provide housing. It's not that way in the USA. Perhaps it is wherever you're from.
The message above reeks. |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
7969

Joined: 26 Mar 2003 Posts: 5782 Location: Coastal Guangdong
|
Posted: Tue May 31, 2011 11:17 am Post subject: |
|
|
it sure does  |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
xjgirl
Joined: 02 Feb 2010 Posts: 242
|
Posted: Wed Jun 01, 2011 1:57 am Post subject: |
|
|
the problem with going through an agency is that after commission you'll
still be overpaying for your apartment monthly, because anyone rich and lazy enough to go through an agency won't mind getting ripped off, at least in the agents eyes,especially a foreigner, especially a foreigner in shenzhen |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
time to teach
Joined: 03 Feb 2011 Posts: 73 Location: Bangkok
|
Posted: Sat Jun 11, 2011 2:37 am Post subject: |
|
|
Ha ha, really funny xjgirl, just the sort of snide comment this cafe needs to help people make good decisions about their lives here.
To the OP, my wife and I pay 3,000 a month for our apartment, a one bedroom, 45 m2, about 10 minute brisk walk to Coco Park in Futian.
A good friend of ours who speaks Chinese walked around the residential areas near Coco Park with us and we talked to many guards, some could tell us the price of apartments but NONE could tell us about any available apartments.
While walking around we found some rental agencies and started looking for apartments and looked at many before we found one we liked for the right price. The owners wanted 3200K monthly, and we offered 3K.
We were looking for an apartment right before Chinese New year this past February, and we only had a few days to find a place to live before everything shut down for the holiday.
We looked at a few apartments on Shenzhen Party being offered by the owners without agency fees, but they were overpriced studios. Rent in Shenzhen have gone up an average of 500 monthly since 2007.
To xjgirl, you should evaluate and judge the decisions people make about renting apartments in China based on their individual stories and situations, NOT on your silly, grudging opinions.
Last edited by time to teach on Sat Jun 25, 2011 1:07 am; edited 1 time in total |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
Songbird
Joined: 09 Jan 2005 Posts: 630 Location: State of Chaos, Panic & Disorder...
|
Posted: Sat Jun 11, 2011 3:10 am Post subject: |
|
|
TtoT, thanks for the reply. I've now sent a couple of emails to some agencies, yet to hear back from them. I'm going for the weekend in a couple of weeks for about 3 days to go hunt and secure an apartment, hopefully I will get something. Bit anxious doing this all myself!
Xjgirl, I've heard a lot of bad stories in China about going direct to landlords. If real estate agencies are going to provide me with security and an English contract, I'm happy to pay the once-off commission. At home-99% of rentals are through real estate agencies, this is not an unusual situation ! |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
The Great Wall of Whiner

Joined: 29 Jan 2003 Posts: 4946 Location: Blabbing
|
Posted: Sat Jun 11, 2011 11:51 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Salvatore wrote: |
Dr. Seuss,
In your home country did your employer arrange housing? Why should things be any different here? |
Any school that hires foreigners must by LAW provide accomodation. This is the law, check it out.
I'll never work in Shanghai for this reason.
Besides, 99% of schools in China follow this law so... why is Shanghai somehow exempt from the law?
Shanghai schools break the law. |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
Salvatore
Joined: 22 May 2011 Posts: 119
|
Posted: Sun Jun 12, 2011 12:59 am Post subject: |
|
|
Perhaps my eyes are deceiving me, but, I think Songbird said they were moving to Shenzhen.
Either way, does the law specifically say "provide housing" or "provide a housing allowance".
I guess it depends on how the government interprets the law - provide an actual apartment or money to rent a place.
My money is on the latter. |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
|