Need advice on housing in Beijing
- Joined: Oct 16th, 2008
- Posts: 22
Hi,
We are going to move to BJ in a few months and planning to rent a house.
Could anyone recommend the areas where to start searching? Are there any possibility to find a house with backyard in BJ downtown? I have read about BJ hutong, would that be a good possibility for a young couple with a small child? Some renovated ones are extremely nice, at least from the pics.
So far I have been suggested these compounds:
Beijing Riviera
River Garden Villas
Lanebridge
Capital paradise
Euro Village
Yosemite
Please give me your opinions! Thanks!
groteteen
Re: Need advice on housing in Beijing
Don't live in the hutong, unless you like the bad sanitairy. I have lived in BJ up till the Olympics (Visa problems) At the moment there are a lot of agencies who can help you. It is the most safest way to work through them. It's also safer if you don't know anyone in BJ. But never pay someone in advance. My experience is once you have payed, the quality is hard to find...
Anyways good luck
fanlix
Re: Need advice on housing in Beijing
I'm one of the real estate agent,willing to help,giving you some advices for your relocation.
maybe we can chat on MSN:fanlix_lee@live.cn
svconsult
Why not living in a Hotel Style Apartment in downtown BJ?
I'm so agree with the first reply. Hutong is old, dirty and unconvenient for u and ur little baby. I suggest u and ur family live in a downtown hotel apartment which will be safe and convenient for u to enjoy the charming BJ:)
My hotle style apartment locates in downtown BJ named New Land Bravo Downtown Apartment with 1 Bedroom, 1 Sitting room + dining room, 1 Kitchen, 1 bathroom and 1 store-room.
1.Wonderful Views:
There are so many wonderful views out of the apartment windows, including the West Mountain, Tiananmen Square, Temple of Heaven, CCTV Tower and other traditional building of BJ
2.Central Location:
Core in Beijing;Walking to Tiananmen square and Temple of Heaven in 10 minutes!
Traffic: No.5 & 2 Subway and public traffic lines, easy to everywhere of BJ!
3.Convenient & Elegant Life at Downtown!
Entertainment: Starbucks, KFC, Pizza Hut, McDonald….
New Land Shopping Mall
Hotels: Marriott Courtyard, Novotel, etc.
Almost all banks around
Education: Junior and senior schools
Hospitals
4.Apartment Description:
24 hours professional property management, housekeeping and security services from New Land (HK) Group
Intelligent Building with security access, control television, monitoring intrusion and alarm system
Apartment Club: Private roof garden, tennis court, gym and indoor swimming pool and skating area……
Deluxe Decoration: Hotel type apartment
Furniture：All from IKEA, including double bed, Bed stand,6-drawer-cabinet, reclining chair, bookcase, Book cabinet, TV Stand, Lounge, Glass table, Chair, etc.
Electric Appliance：Air Conditioner, 25’ TV Set, Refrigerator, Micro-wave oven, Washing Machine, etc.
Hot water, heating system and cool & heat air conditioners
Kitchen： natural gas, cookers, whole kitchen cabinet, etc.
Bathroom：mirror, bath cabinet, bathtub, toilet bowl, etc.
International Cable TV System: CNN/HBO/Channel V/Phoenix TV/CCTV 12 channels/all the domestic cable TV channels
Telecom：IDD、DDD and ADSL (2MB)
5.About Lease：
Rental : 7,800 per month
Related Fee not inclusive：
Management Fee: RMB390.96/month, amount to unit price RMB4.3/square meter/month
Heating Fee: RMB2182.08/winter season, amount to unit price RMB24/square meter/winter season
Cable TV: RMB600/year
Cold/hot water, gas, electricity, telephone and ADSL and related service fee
Payment: one installment every 6 months and advance deposit 3 months
Only the residential property leasing purposes (but not co-tenant, or re-rent)
Mr. Richard/Mobile:133 0103 9700/Email: zhengjie@vip.sohu.net/MSN:richard_kingdee@msn.com
Together We Share:)
klaabu
Re: Need advice on housing in Beijing
thanks for all comments!
I would love the idea of living in an apartment in downtown if it only were just me and my husband. but our kid is only 1 year old and therefore I would prefer our own house. it still happens that he cries at night and makes big noise also during the daytime. just thinking about the neighbors. also, it might be that we will get some terrible neighbors, you never know.. I want to avoid all these troubles.
what about the houses downtown? are there any or is it just blocks of flats? the reason I am asking about downtown is that it is so convenient to get around and see BJ. outside in expats areas you don't see much of the BJ and must have a car with the driver if you want to go anywhere with a small child.
but besides downtown, which would be the good areas to live?
Nidaye
Re: Need advice on housing in Beijing
Wow, a villa "downtown" (what's that, within 2nd, 3rd ring road?) is going to be 1) hard to find and 2) expensive. Though I'm somewhat curious to know myself so anyone has any suggestions, lets hear them.
klaabu
Re: Need advice on housing in Beijing
when I was talking about hutong, I meant something like that http://beijing.craigslist.com.cn/apa/869561893.html
this seems nice to me!
okyjace
Re: Why not living in a Hotel Style Apartment in downtown BJ?
Who are you kidding???? Hahahahahahahaha...
ahimza
Re: Need advice on housing in Beijing
That craiglist ´villa´ is in our neighbourhood (Pudusi). Lived there for two and a half years now. Great for kids but it depends on where you´ll work. If you work downtown you´ll be alright but outside of 4th ringroad´ll take you an eternity. Bit of an odd neighbourhood due to it being right where all the tourists pass but there is a very strong community of local Chinese (mainly pensioners on the street). Pretty much all the locals know our daughter by name and keep an eye out for her. The ´hutong is unhygienic´ comment is nonsense. Popular myth goes that the air is cleaner in SunYi but it may just be the lack of commoners that´s meant by that.
Good kindergardens nearbye (as of 2,5yr.) Number of foreign families with kids living here.. Italian girl with newborn soon moving back, Nordic family with 5 and 2 year old, us with 3year old and some others. Mainly Chinese. The place on craig is just by the Pudu tempel where the locals hang out and let their kids rollerblade etc. SunYatSen park a wee walk down the road.
Perfect for my wife and daughter but tho its 10min from HouHai etc (by bike) the neighbourhood itself can be a bit boring if your a stay-at-home mum or dad as was the case for me. Don´t worry about the neighbours to much (extremely tolerant of childeren and the houses are relatively well-built) but do take care with the landlord and agent etc.
Feel free to PM if you want to drop by and good luck with the move!
Michael Salberg
http://www.gokunming.com/en/blog/item/1168/inside_kunmings_dwarf_empire
chenemily.chen
Professional Free Realaste Consultancy - From Local Beijinger
Hi there,
im an self-employed Realaste Consultant, assisting foreigners to help them to find accommmodation in Beijing.I can give you some good suggestions on choosing the location, how to work with agent people, etc. Actually, except downtown, you can also consider the 3 ring road, haidian district, chaoyang district etc. And i can send you some pictures of the apartment for you to choose. Please note that there is no service charge, you dont have to pay any service fee to me or to the agent. My email is chenemily.chen@gmail.com You can send me an email
klaabu
Re: Need advice on housing in Beijing
thanks for the encouraging answer, Michael! More and more I like the idea living close to the center of the town. I was checking out some terraced houses near Chaoyang Park; I guess this is good area?
My husband will work near the 5th ringroad in southeast of BJ. How long does it take to get there by car from Chaoyang or the center?
admin
Re: Need advice on housing in Beijing
Yizhuang? Once you get on the highway, about 15 mins. The problem is getting through the downtown traffic to get on the onramp can be hell, anywhere from 10mins to an hour depending on where you live.
Chaoyang Park area could be good as you have quick access to the 4th ring and then right on to the highway that takes you to yizhuang.
Follow thebeijinger on weibo! http://weibo.com/tbjmagazine
blucat
Re: Need advice on housing in Beijing
I live in ShunYi-Capital Paradise which was on your original list.
Fantastic for families, but a long way from the city.
We finally moved out here after 8 years around Chao Yang park. We realised living in the city was a complete waste of time as we could never go out and enjoy what it had to offer anyway (we have young children too)
Never regretted moving out here, but then again I had done my time in the city.
alithomson
Re: Need advice on housing in Beijing
Have a look at Greenland Garden just outside the 4th ring road. We have been here a year and it is a great compound. We have a house (3 stories) with a lovely garden. Compound is old however so some units have heating issues. Location is great as I can walk with my 2 year old to Si Di Park, Beijing United Hospital, lots of restaurants, post office etc etc. One of the few housing options outside of Shunyi and worth I look. Hope that helps!
klaabu
Re: Need advice on housing in Beijing
why is ShunYi great for families? I checked one of those compounds on google maps and it seemed me that it was just an area filled with similar houses with very small backyards. no parks around, too far to go anywhere on foot. maybe this Greenland Garden is different, I will check it.
jiuyuejiu
Re: Need advice on housing in Beijing
I saw all the replys. Different people have different idea. Maybe because i lived near Chaoyang Park and before i intruduced ayi and driver to foreigner friends there so i like here and there are many foreigners and it is convenient to go anywhere. There are many bus and it is not far away from subway station. From some aparments you can see the Chaoyang Park. The air condition is very good for your baby. So may be you can check some information about the apartment near Chaoyang Park.
Hotelboy030
Need advice on housing in Beijing
i wand to studi in china wats the best way to get a appartmend there i wand to share an appartmend
help pleaseee:-D
huigugenyuan
Re: Need advice on housing in Beijing
did you check with WANGJING area,wonderful traffic.
china753ralf
Re: Need advice on housing in Beijing
Hey no problem,
I just moved to Shunyi district and I had a superbe agent. She showed me around in many houses. She is very professional and speaks English very well. Just send her a mail, she will provide you with professional offers.
elika@joannarealestate.com.cn
You can give her my regards
Good luck
Ralf