People on Z visas must live in their property. You cannot rent it out. So, investment property seems not to be allowed.

Do not know about the tax issue, but a realtor would.

You still cannot rent out the other property, so how can it be other than a negative investment?

Yes. It is per person.

All the law forums still state that property is only for "self-use." I have not found anything to the contrary on any legal sites, though I did see one vague reference to a loosening of the rules in response to governement expectations of a 20% fall in property values in the coming year.

Regardless, OP does not plan to rent.

Obviously, OP is better off getting advice from a real estate lawyer in Beijing than getting it on here.

From the China Daily News...

"China had in July 2006 launched a policy restricting property purchases by foreigners. As per the rules, only expatriates who have studied or lived in China for more than one year can buy property, with the purchase capped at one apartment for self-use.

The municipal government did away with the restriction temporarily last year as property prices in Beijing fell sharply during the global financial crisis.

The resumption of the curbs has had an obvious impact on the luxury residential segment. According to the research department of Centaline China, from Jan 1 to Jan 20, sales of apartments valued at over 3 million yuan ($439,438.11) in Beijing dropped 40.3 percent over the same period last year, the first drop since the second half of 2009...

"One of the major barriers is the currency. For those who don't work in China, they are allowed to exchange only a maximum of $50,000, which is not even enough to pay the down payment."

Note: You can use your foreign funds for purchasing a home in China, but the true cost is then whatever it ends up being given the bank fees and exchange rate at time of purchase.

Actually, enforcement in China occurs when you want to sell and repatriate the money to your home country. That is when everything is checked.

I do not know "what kind of moron" might write the laws in China as I have not met him.

I only know what I learned in investigating investment property there. And, what I learned suggested it was not favorable for foreigners who do not intend to spend their life living in the property (unless we are willing to put it into our Chinese wife's name).

And the "leave empty" part is why there was debate on extra taxing for empty properties there. Perhaps you do not read so much on real estate there.

I admit, it all seems a bit fuzzy, like everything in China, but I do believe that the situation is very unstable as to a person on a Z visa being able to rent or not. Did you actually look at any of the links? It appears to change with the property market as the government seeks to push it forward or tries to hold it back.

Anyway, my last post on the topic as it is getting boring to me.

And you have posted how many links on current law? Blowing smoke out your ass is easy, getting anyone to believe you is a bit harder.

Do not buy a property/flat/house in China.

This is China. Private property is not respected the same as in a western country. It is harder to keep private property than in a western country.

Let me guess ... you are retarded, right?

I pity anyone who knows you gdbill.

Good idea, can I practice on you? I will get my magnifying glass and sterlize the tweezers.

Geez, some people have self-yanking chains...