What is the best value location in HK for 30-40k p.m?

[Nomads]

Hi everyone ,

My wife and 2 children (18months and newborn) are moving to HK in the next 2-3 months from Australia. We are seeking rental accommodation for 2-3 years.

What are the most 'value for money' places to live in HK?? Sai Kung etc....We need 4 bedrooms, back yard if possible and a renovated/new townhouse/villa rather than an apartment (min 1500sqft). Ideally, close to shops, parks and the beach, and also other expats.....

I work in central, so transport is important, but im happy to travel 20-40mins

Less pollution the better!! and near childcare facilities

Our budget is 30-40k p/m excl

What do u think?? any ideas or insights would be most appreciated, and any specific websites for rentals would be great
Thanks
Patrick

[Skyhook]

G'day Patrick,

Costa Bello ( Villa's ) in Sai Kung will be exactly what you want, the ground floor of those is 1200 ft2, 3 bedrooms and a maids room, including a private court yard that faces right onto the bay, including a decked patio. They also have a sunken lounge and are pretty new. you can literally fish off your deck. Its also a 5 minute walk from the shops and the bus terminus.

Rents are around the 38,000 per month mark.

1500ft2 might be a bit difficult though as its an odd size, they are usually in 700ft floors, and you'll soon see when you get here that no two buildings will share the same internal floor space even when they state the same floor area. Lots of unregulated property dealing here lol.

Take look around first and see what size suits you best when you get here. Having a back yard is also uncommon in Hong kong, but you'll have open space that surrounds your home in most cases in Sai Kung.

Another villa complex worth looking at is Jade villa's.

If you dont mind going a bit further out, there are some brand new 2100ft2 tri level inc balconey and roof top terrace village houses about 3km along Yan Yee road, tai Mong Tsai, on your right hand side owned by Mr Wang ( Wong ), the agents in the Sai Kung area will all know which ones they are. They are about as nice as I have seen on an interior design point of view. The wangs spend a lot of time in Australia, and it definitely shows in how they did the downstairs family room and open plan kitchen. Timber venetian blinds were used throughout the entire home, including the first intance that I have seen timber window surrounds, in Hong Kong. Job well done. .

They'll set you back about mid 40's though.

[PDLM]

Can you really reliably in the rush hour get from there to Central in 40 minutes?

[Skyhook]

It can be a bit hit and miss PDLM, from the Gold Coast self driving, and providing there are no truck/bus accidents on the Siu lam ~ Sham Tseng section of the Tuen mun highway, enroute to the Western Tunnel, yes quiet reliable.

in regard to Sai Kung, providing there isnt any road works being performed on Hirams Highway, and if one uses the Eastern Tunnel or Western Tunnel instead of the Cross harbour tunnel, generally 40 minutes is all it took during peak times. Off peak times used to take me 25 minutes on a good run, usually Sunday mornings around 8 o'clock when traffic is light and most of Hong kong is asleep still.

However, if an accident occurs or there is major road work being conducted, which creates bottle necks, you can expect to add another 10 - 20 minutes to your journey. I always leave 25 minutes earlier, just in case that happens, so it never phased me.

[PDLM]

OK - but my reading of the OP ("transport is important") suggested public transport to me.

If driving then the OP also needs to be aware of the cost of car-parking spaces in Central ($3-4,000+ per month) if his employer doesn't provide one.

[Skyhook]

True PDLM, but if his job role is how I interpret it, he will be provided parking via the company at the terminal, via the FBO's parking permit, and won't be going to Central unless its for the rare occasion its required. So it shouldnt be an issue.

OP's main issue is to get across the border to expidite his job function at SZ airport, and the occasions they'll be working from Chek lap Kok. In both cases, commute times are reliable and within very reasonable/easy time frames.

The admin central based Admin location would rarely be commuted to.

Ofcourse i am largely speculating the OP's job function, but its a pretty good hunch i think .

[PDLM]

Now I'm really confused. Are you sure you're not mixing up two threads?

[Sleuth]

Glad I am not the only one (confused). And there is a thread out there about a guy with a job at/near SZ airport.

Is there any place in HK near shops/parks/beach/public transportation?? Guess it really depends on the definition of all those terms. Sai Kung would sem to fit most of it, except the commute time part.
What about DB?
And are there any child care facilities for a newborn in HK?

[Skyhook]

Oops yeah sorry about that I had two geo pages opened at the same time, had a phone call inbetween posts. And didnt realise i was on the other TAB.

If Kia could delete my last post, that would be appreciated. .

Sleuths got a good suggestion, Discovery bay is another location worth considering. the commute time from there to Central is only 25 or so minutes ferry time.

Most people who live in Sai Kung don't seem to mind the commute, because of the enhanced lifestyle that the area provides when they are " not working ".

It depends if you are are an existing suburbanite, or a city living person, regarding commute centric tolerance.

I often ask people where they lived before HKG, when they say: "oh my you live so far away from central ", and sure enough they lived in the heart of the city before in their previous country.

OP is from Australia, so there is a 98% chance he's previously lived in a proper suburb away from the confines of the non back yarded CBD. The CBD is the least popular area to live if you are an Aussie family. Its mainly single unattached people who love city living and who generally don't have kids.

Commute time isnt an issue for most of us Aussies, as a normal commute driving to work is about 40 minutes in Australia. Adding another 20 minutes isnt going to phase many using a combination of public mini bus to Choi Hung or hang Hau MTR and then a quick train ride into Central.

Providing the living environment is pleasant during family weekends, and the family, ie wife and kids are settled, OP will be a lot more stress free, than living in a location that is greatly deteriated the closer one gets to central. If your family is comfortable, it makes work life just that much easier to perform.

it depends on what your family likes, and how active they are regarding sports and their interest in the out doors.

[Nomads]

Hey Skyhook.....Gday to you as well!! and thanks for your suggestions



You are right...i live in the suburb of Artarmon in Sydney, about 15mins to the CBD, but still suburbia,and i love having a backyard!!

The commute sounds an issue if no Door to Door public transport....and anything more than 40mins, starts becoming an issue - Is there a train from Sai Kung? We dont get any parking from the company...so public transport is key. What time do i leave home to miss most of the traffic??

Sleuths idea of Disco Bay sounds good, as is only 25mins, but i had read that its an expensive place to eat etc, not near the beach, and lacking facilities....is this right??

Cheers
Patrick