QUESTION FOR ALL EXPATS

oshk · 13-03-2009, 03:15 AM

Hello All,

I just wanted to ask expats who have now settled in HK, how long it took them on average to find a place. Was it everything you wanted or there had to be a compromise? Example, budger, location, space etc.

This will be our second expat assignment, and the first one in europe, took us 3 mos(!) to find an apt! I guess coming from the US we went from Supersize to Super Small

fm7 · 13-03-2009, 07:45 AM

It would have taken less time if we followed our own nose. We wasted weeks by using a big name international property agent.

As for compromise, well everything is a compromise here. Perhaps the biggest surprise was the low quality of finish and fitting, even in places well above our budget. A lot of apartments are fitted out like theatre sets, rather than homes.

Space gave me too headaches, furniture and storage. As a consequence, by library, furniture, music collection and most of my studio are in storage. Day to day that's fine, but longer term it stings.

This is my third move as an expat and in a way (once we ditched the original agent), it was easier to find a place than London or Delhi. But, we never saw anything we "loved," which is a big difference indeed. I get the feeling that is not uncommon for other expats who have made a number of moves.

MovingIn07 · 13-03-2009, 08:46 AM

It took me 2 x 2 days. (2 two-day trips before we moved). I was lucky - I looked at heaps of flats and hated every one of them, then picked up a brochure for junks in DB (was looking at flats there), went to see one and went "wow - this finally looks like a home". That was the first trip. Second trip I viewed every available boat in HK, chose one and off we went. It helps that there are less than 10 boats available at any one point in time....!

The boat had all of the "finish" noted as lacking by fm7 above; plus heaps of space; plus hugely cheaper than a flat (there are a few downsides but they were compromises re location that I'm happy to make).

Yes. Compromise is the name of the day. Listen to everyone's advice and ignore it all - it gives you ideas but we all only see the things we like about our own place/locale; only you can know what you like!

There are unusual choices all over the place - my boss found his in Jordan in a most unlikely looking building - you just have to pound around with an agent until something turns up!

steviem71 · 13-03-2009, 08:51 AM

we looked at 30 or so places. We had a few must haves one of which was outdoor space big enough for a table to eat on with friends but most of the time the agents took us to places which once had balconies but were now closed in for the extra space. Once we got firm on this the process went much quicker.

UK/HKboy · 13-03-2009, 10:13 AM

i agree with MovingIn07 that it is all about compromise!

if u are super-rich and super powerful then u can probaly afford to buy anywhere in the world, and raze down whatever is there, and build your perfect house... but most ppl wont be able to find perfection

it is ok to have higher expectations, but also be realistic and recognise what is important to you.

i hav been renting for nearly 2 years, and about to buy a flat, and i hav been looking for the last 5 months for one which is convenient, good size, good age, good height, good views, good area, good layout, good building, good price, etc etc... but how many of those r around with my budget?! so its about prioritising and the one i am liking has some good aspects which are important to me, and some average aspects which do not bother me so much...

hullexile · 13-03-2009, 10:51 AM

I was lucky. Wanted somewhere near work (walking distance). Hated the first flat, loved the second. Saw a few others but not as good as the second. We have since moved but only down a floor. Agree though with previous posters, for the money the general quality of the fittings in the flats is not good. After 3 plus years the flat was getting very run down and apart from needing somewhere bigger that was the main reason we moved.

Sleuth · 13-03-2009, 01:05 PM

Add another vote for "compromise" and "lack of quality in fittings". It took us two trips, maybe 2 weeks (total) to find a place. We looked a bunch of places and in the end decided what was important and what wasn't. Things like size, location, club house, outdoor space, price, view, etc....

MovingIn07 · 13-03-2009, 02:00 PM

I think it really does help to have a list of "must have" and "must not haves" to tell to the agent, and agree with above - be firm on this (I just walked straight out of a few that didn't have my requirements, refused to even look at them, he stopped taking me to them pretty quickly after that!). So consider carefully which are in the "absolutely must have", look at those and then compromise on the other features.

venustar · 13-03-2009, 08:43 PM

hello all,
i have a question to all the employers out there.i'm working for a family for almost 4 years and unfortunately i got pregnant.my employers didn't like it.now some changes happen on how they treat me.before that,some theft broke to my bf house,they took everything we have and sir offer me help.now he wanted hes money back its quite big amount.i took care of their 3 children since the eldest is 8mos old.now he's four.can you give me some advise.

PDLM · 13-03-2009, 08:51 PM

Was it clear when he gave you the money whether it was a gift or a loan?

The people at HDH should be able to offer some useful advice if it is a serious problem.