Chinese websites for apartment rentals and relocation allowance question

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  1. #1

    Chinese websites for apartment rentals and relocation allowance question

    Hello all,

    I've been offered a job in HK and am currently negotiating the relocation allowance/salary. I've been reading this forum for a few days and found it extremely useful.

    I know it's useful to have some background about my situaton to be in a better position to answer any questions - so here goes!

    I've been offered a job in Sales & Marketing it's a Junior/mid-level position I guess and I will only be managing one member of staff. I've about 6 years experience and fluent Mandarin. If I accept the position I will be relocating from the UK with my Chinese fiance (Mandarin - not Cantonese speaking). There's the life story!

    I wonder if anyone can kindly help with these three questions:

    1. Relocation allowance - I've been offered $3000 HKD. I feel this is quite low as I will probably spend about half that just for the plane tickets from the UK-HK for my fiance and I! (especially as Oasis went out of business a few years ago

    What kind of relocation allowances have you guys/girls received? does this seem low? I know I'm not working for a big investment bank or anything and it's only a mid-level role but I think at least a few more $1000 HKD would make the move easier. Am I asking for too much? Any thoughts?

    2. Which websites do Chinese people use to find apartments/houses to rent in HK?

    3. Can anyone kindly recommend some areas within 1 hour of Times Square where mainly locals live but there are good transport links and most importantly it is relatively peaceful, stress free and as much fresh air as possible if that's feasible in HK!

    I think we would like to live in an area with all local people and very few if any westerners (no offence all the people on here!). I'm 100% British born and bred if you wondered! I've lived in mainland China for a few years and my fiance is Chinese so I really enjoy " going local " as it were.

    The office is based at Shell Tower, Times Square, Causeway Bay.

    On another thread I heard - on shan, shatin, tai po, yuen long mentioned as being areas where mainly locals live.

    I would prefer a commute of under an hour, 30-45 mins maximum in an ideal world but would be flexible for a nice area.

    By the way our accommodation budget is quite modest - about $7-9 HKD per month and we're looking for a 2 bed apt. or small house.

    Thanks very much in advance for your help!


  2. #2

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    1) $3000HKD? are you joking? that won't even cover one airfare! maybe you are missing a "0"? even so, many people don't get anything.

    2) chinese people don't use websites to flat-hunt. they pound the pavement. besides, you would be completely and utterly insane to even contemplate renting a place without visiting it first.

    3) with the exception of discovery bay, ALL areas are "mainly local". locals make up 95% of the population. if you are looking for a 1 hour commute, then that puts much of hk into the "possibility" list.

    i think that with your allowance and commute preferences i would look at TSEUNG KWAN O/HANG HAU.

    again, i'm assuming that you mean your budget is $7-9000 hkd, not $7-9hkd.


  3. #3

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    no chance to commute within 45 mins from nt to causeway bay, consider living near lam tin, kwun tong or tsueng kwan o area for quicker and easier commuting to causeway bay ( around 30mins)

    Ma on shan, tai po, yuen long will take at least 1 hour or 1 hour and bit commuting on rush hour by train/underground or bus to get to times square.

    it maybe possible commute from shatin to causeway bay in around or less than a hour.

    however, during non rush hours ie. after 9pm , you can catch a red minibus from wan chai's lockhart rd to tai po, takes around 35-45 mins


  4. #4

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    chinese people don't use websites to flat-hunt. they pound the pavement. besides, you would be completely and utterly insane to even contemplate renting a place without visiting it first.

    [/QUOTE]

    most local do use the chinese online property agent sites such as centaline (中原地產/ http://hk.centanet.com/), midland realty (美聯物業/ [url=http://www.midland.com.hk/chi/]


  5. #5

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    For $7-9K per month, you won't get a house. Perhaps one floor (2-bed) in a village house.

    Definitely seek a bit more for relocation expenses. Are you shipping some items out here?

    BTW, are you getting married before you move? Does your fiancee hold a Chinese passport? Does she has residency in another country?


  6. #6

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    they may use the sites to "get an idea" of what is possible, but NOT to actually rent a flat. i have NEVER met ANYONE who has ONLY used the internet to look for flats. the websites are notoriously misleading in most cases.


  7. #7

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    Quote Originally Posted by Claire ex-ax:
    BTW, are you getting married before you move? Does your fiancee hold a Chinese passport? Does she has residency in another country?
    These are important questions. She ain't moving here with you unless you answer yes to the first or the third, and even with the third she'll need some sort of visa in her own right.

  8. #8

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    3,000 HKD is not a huge hill of beans. Remember you'll need to pay upfront for:-

    1. Flat deposit and agents' fees (2-3 months rent)
    2. Flights
    3. Furniture (unlike the UK most flats for rent are unfurnished)
    4. Moving your stuff

    From the UK you may also be breaking some contracts for your mobile, rent, etc.

    It may be worth asking for the company to provide some temporary housing whilst you find a place. Remember its a taxable benefit.

    Junior / mid-level positions are not always that well paid. So I'm not sure what you'll get.


  9. #9

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    flat deposit is usually 3 months PLUS 1/2 month for agent's fees.


  10. #10

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    By the way, you do understand that many of the locals here don't speak Mandarin? In the absence of Cantonese you'll be using English at least as much as Mandarin.

    And are you confident that you will get an Employment Visa for a junior/mid- level sales & marketing position? Do you have some special skill that could not be found from local residents?

    And you obviously have no clue what air tickets cost - even Oasis would have charged you $1500+ each for a one-way ticket. Cathay will charge you $3000+ each.

    Last edited by PDLM; 27-07-2010 at 01:17 PM.

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