Advice requested on searching for a rental property

[ct1]

My husband and I have just moved to HK and are about to start the dauting task of searching for an apartment. Ugh!

Can anyone give us some advice on the following:

1. Any good agents

2. What to tell agents in terms of the budget we have? i.e. if we have a $15k allowance but are willing to go higher then what shall we be telling agents?

3. Negotiating rental prices down i.e. is there a rule of thumb percentage that you can usually negotiate agents down?

4. What will $15k - to $20k get us in terms of size/location i.e. we are keen on a view of either hills or harbour/water. At least 2 bedrooms. Unfurnished. At least 800 sq ft but ideally bigger. Close to an MTR on Hong Kong Island side. Also interested in Happy Valley/Mid-levels area. We are also considering Tsim Sha Tsui. A balcony/terrace would be nice but not essential. So would a gym/pool but not essential? Are we expecting too much?

5. Does anyone know of anything fitting the above description?

6. Do you have to pay agents to search for you? How does it work? Do they drive you around to different properties?

7. Is aircon/heating standard? Is it needed?

8. Any views on living in Quarry Bay/Taikoo/North Point. This is near my husbands work but I am more keen to live nr Central/Causeway Bay/Mid-Levels area.

Appreciate any advice.

Thank you!!!!

[jimbo]

Can't answer all your points but heres a few pointers.

Air Con is needed in the summer months and all the rooms barring the bathroom and kitchen will have one. Central Heating is pretty much non existent in HK and in the cold spell such as we are having now, A small room heater should be suffiecient if its a new apartment.

Theres always room for negotiation but if you're looking at say a $15k monthly rental then I doubt they'd drop it below $13k for example, but hey if you don't ask you'll never know.

The agents will charge you, Its usually 50% of the months rent as there fee and the landlord pays the other 50%. Agents will drive you around and inititally will take you to a few apartments which may not be directly what you're looking for just to gauge your actual needs.

Your agent will show you places in the upper end of your budget anyway as obviously that will mean more commission for him/her, Mention 15k at first and see what there is, You could always say you might be able to stretch it to slightly more if theres nothing suitable.

[ct1]

Thanks Jimbo...can't say I am looking forward to the experience...

[jimbo]

Went through it myself a couple of months ago so its still pretty fresh, If you need any more advice etc feel free to ask.

[cerberus]

there's no central heat, but ac's standard everywhere in your budget. how about tin hau and fortress hill? they're a little less hectic than north point/quarry bay, although those buildings next to taikoo shing are quite appealing from outside.

kowloon-side there's plaza hollywood in diamond hill, one of the few "estates" i like in HK, and also Kowloon Tong with its spree of newer towers. both locations have cool contrasting views of the mountains (ok, hills), an MTR station and lots of convenient shopping.
there's another building that was just finished in jordan, pretty much corner of jordan and nathan (a bit to the east of that). it's one of those thin and tall thingies, you can call mgt at 23663011.

[jimbo]

plaza hollywood in diamond hill, I know very well and the apartments there are tiny if you're looking at any of the new ones.

[ct1]

Thanks for your help guys! Appreciate it.

[Valencia1]

Kowloon Tong and Mid-Levels are the priciest of all places. Any apartment in older buildings in Kowloon Tong for 1000 ft costs $20000/month+. HungHom has lots of nice buildings, old and new, with seaviews and gyms, should be within your budget, and is near the Cross Harbour Tunnel and railway station. Keep in mind you're negotiating the rent with the landlords, who have their bottom lines, not with the agents. You can negotiate with the terms of deposit, however.