living area if work is in central/ shared flats recommended?

[HKLiz]

Hi!

Through reading the forum I got to know some of you as HK-experts. I will move to HK for 1-2 years in January 2008. May I kindly bother you with two questions?

Firstly - living area:
I work in Central, don´t want to spend more than 15 minutes to get to work. Would also love to be close to a upcoming area half european/half chinese, but safe and clean and not too much traffic. Any hints for recommendable areas?

I read Lan Kwai Fong, Wan Chai,Soho-Toho,
Central are good. Kennedy Town is single expat friendly?


Secondly - living status:
I would like to move in with another person, simply because I don´t want to be alone in HK:
Possiblities I could think of:
a) expat from UK (native english, because I am not an english native)
b) have a room in a house at a family? (to get into HK life)
c) can think of living with an older lady/man, who has no family anymore? (to share advantages: I bring youth and she/he experience in HK)

Any advices or any contacts who think about the same? My profile: central european, single, female, have lived with UK-citizens in Spain and lived in Paris in shared flats.

Thank you very much in advance! I really would appreciate your help and thoughts about this.
Liz

[Alby]

You may like to consider where in Central your office is located ... is it Exchange Square/ IFC area or is it closer to Admiralty area - Bank of America Tower, Lippo Centre or is it in another part as it can make a difference if you want only a 15 minute commute either by foot or bus.

a) expat from UK (native english, because I am not an english native) Liz

So I suppose that rules out the other English-speaking countries such as Ireland, Scotland, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, United States or Hong Kong Native English-speakers

[Crocodile]

Liz

You can live anywhere -for a price. How much is your budget (HK$14k per month or HK$40k)? We all want the best apartment in the best building in the best area, but unfortunately price has a big part to play.

Have you been to Hong Kong? I suspect not, since you are asking using a phrase like "safe and clean and not much traffic". Hong Kong is very safe is almost all areas. Traffic, though, is another problem - if you want to live near central, there will be traffic, it is inevitable. Unless you have been to Hong Kong and been the the areas you are talking about, it is hard to appreciate what it is like.

There are really no houses in Hong Kong - all are apartments. In a two bedroom apartment, it is not uncommon for the 2nd bedroom to be tiny (and I mean, just-fit-a-single-bed-in tiny), so sharing a 2brm flat is as popular as in western countries.

One thing I will say, you will never be alone in Hong Kong. The expat community in HK is alive and well and it is very easy to meet friends and have a very full social life. It really is a great place to live!

Keep on reading these forums and searching through old forums. You will get a clearer idea of different areas. Also, load googlemaps on your computer and you get to see where different areas are and how far things are apart (although it doesn't help you appreciate the height of all the buildings).

Good luck!

[HKLiz]

You may like to consider where in Central your office is located ... is it Exchange Square/ IFC area or is it closer to Admiralty area - Bank of America Tower, Lippo Centre or is it in another part as it can make a difference if you want only a 15 minute commute either by foot or bus.


Thanks for getting back to me. The office is very close to the HSBC building. I´ve check it on Google Earth and it is almost next to the church and close to the harbour.


So I suppose that rules out the other English-speaking countries such as Ireland, Scotland, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, United States or Hong Kong Native English-speakers

No it doesn´t.
Actually even if he/she is not English-speaking, but good to party and share my flat with, it´s fine of course. I just don´t want to live by myself.

To live with a native English-speaker in the same flat would definitly help my work and also my English. I´ve lived in France and Spain with local people and it really does make a difference. Chinese, I suppose, is to difficult to learn in a year, so I prefer to ameliorate my English ;-)

[Alby]

HKLiz,

Crocodile's advice is wise.

1. Know your month rental and utility budget
2. Stay glued to geoexpat... there is a wealth of information here regarding HK and there is always gatherings of some type...Happy Hours, Ladies Night's...and sheer madness and chaos all in good fun!
3. I also recommend that if you can have your company put you up in a hotel/service apartment when you initially arrive this is good as it will allow you to become familiar with your new surroundings and you are less likely to get yourself into a bad flat share situation.
4. Check out geoexpat as well as http://hongkong.craigslist.org/ for some flat share options.

Welcome to HK and hope to see you at a Geo event.

[HKLiz]

Hi Alby,
Hi Crocodile!

Thanks for all your hints. No I haven´t been to HK yet, but life seems to be really fun from what you tell me and from what I read in the forum.

My budget for a flat: I´ve a housing allowance of HKD 12.000. I´d love to stay within this budget if possible. Depending on the flat I am willing to pay more.

WHAT IS YOUR RENT/UTILITY PRICE RATIO?
Which percentage of a monthly ren do I have to calculate for utilities? The HKD 12.000 should cover both ;-)

Thanky you for the googlemaps advice and the link. On Google Earth I flew around HK, Kowloon, aso...

Bye and have a nice evening/ or better to say have a good night, as you are 6+ hrs ahead!!!

[Alby]

My budget for a flat: I´ve a housing allowance of HKD 12.000. I´d love to stay within this budget if possible. Depending on the flat I am willing to pay more.

HK12,000 is decent although, there is a variety of sizes in the areas that you listed as possible living locations. You also have to recognize that HK flats have space issues. Thus, you should really look around and consider what amount of living space you need. Example is a two bedroom with 1 bath, and kitchen and living room is considered a "good size" at 620sqft.

Look at adds and get pictures from the advertisers...then go see it before you make a decision.

As you plan on sharing a flat utilities is based on the agreement you have with your flat mate(s). I know sometimes the rent is inclusive of utilities and others where it is not.

[HKLiz]

HK12,000 is decent although, there is a variety of sizes in the areas that you listed as possible living locations. You also have to recognize that HK flats have space issues. Thus, you should really look around and consider what amount of living space you need. Example is a two bedroom with 1 bath, and kitchen and living room is considered a "good size" at 620sqft.

Look at adds and get pictures from the advertisers...then go see it before you make a decision.

As you plan on sharing a flat utilities is based on the agreement you have with your flat mate(s). I know sometimes the rent is inclusive of utilities and others where it is not.

Thank you so much for your reply. So your example "a two bedroom with 1 bath, and kitchen and living room is considered a "good size" at 620sqft" should be in my budget? That sounds great. So maybe I don´t share a flat then ;-) No, I´d like to share a flat anyway rather than to live by myself, even if HK should be great to go out and party. Have a nice weekend!

[Alby]

HK$12,000 is good but more for flat share.

I have heard of people living alone in SOHO in 150sqft flat for HK$6000.

So keep in mind price is determined by a number of things one being location.

[Dimitri86]

Hi Liz,

My name is Dimitri I'm 18 years old and I will come in Hong Kong from May 7th to July 4th 2008 .

I understood in your message you're searching about somebody to share a flat ??
Did I understand well? If I did please contact me to say me if you are still searching about a roomate !!

I hope to hearing from you soon.

Bye

Dimitri