Moving to Hong Kong with a 2 year old and 2 small dogs

[BTMHK]

My company is moving me to Hong Kong, while the relocation package is prettyok for all the one-time things, but there will be no housing allowance. So Ihave pay the monthly rent out of my own pocket. My budget will be under 40K,and want to have a 3 bedrooms with decent size. I have been told by therelocation agent that best bet will be Discovery Bay or Park Island. I will beworking in Central, any other areas I can find pet friendly apartment with goodfacilities within my budget, and reasonable commute time?

I heard good things about Pokfulam, but wonder whether it is possible.

Any comments or suggestions are appreciated.

[Gruntfuttock]

How would you define "decent size"?

[penguinsix]

Are you here short term or for the long haul, i.e. what are you going to do about schools, local or international?

Most schools get going about age 4 in Hong Kong so you need to be thinking along those lines and how it relates to where you want to live / kids attends school / you commute to work.

[Watercooler]

Like what penguinsix said, schooling is a big issue. If OP is only staying for a year or two, then ok, he can go back home for the schooling of his kid. But if he is staying longer, then schooling is going to be a big issue for the OP to consider. He could try the local kindergardens (K1-3), but the big issue is the primary school. Does the OP want to go the ESF/International school or the local school route? Most expats would go the ESF/international school route, but spaces are tight and debenture for a place on international school can be in excess of HK$ 1 million. He could go local school routine, but that raises the question of how well his kid will adjust when he goes back to whenever his parents came from.

As for housing, since he want to keep pets, that will restrict the OP's choice.

[BTMHK]

Are you here short term or for the long haul, i.e. what are you going to do about schools, local or international?

Most schools get going about age 4 in Hong Kong so you need to be thinking along those lines and how it relates to where you want to live / kids attends school / you commute to work.

Thank you for your reply, very informative.

The current plan is only for few years. I told my company that I want to go back to US for elementary school. Even let's say I end up staying longer than few years, I want to send her to American school in HK.

Will be in HK for a week as my pre-assignment trip, certainly will ask about the school first. Hope I can find a place can work for my kid and two dogs.

[BTMHK]

Like what penguinsix said, schooling is a big issue. If OP is only staying for a year or two, then ok, he can go back home for the schooling of his kid. But if he is staying longer, then schooling is going to be a big issue for the OP to consider. He could try the local kindergardens (K1-3), but the big issue is the primary school. Does the OP want to go the ESF/International school or the local school route? Most expats would go the ESF/international school route, but spaces are tight and debenture for a place on international school can be in excess of HK$ 1 million. He could go local school routine, but that raises the question of how well his kid will adjust when he goes back to whenever his parents came from.

As for housing, since he want to keep pets, that will restrict the OP's choice.

Thanks! I will send her to the international school, preferable US school, since we will eventually move back to US. Not sure whether my company can help with the debenture, will certainly check.

So with the Pet and kid, which area will work for me?

[penguinsix]

The top American curriculum school is HKIS on the South Side. The kindergarten is currently in Repulse Bay but will move to Tai Tam starting next year while the Repulse Bay campus is rebuilt. As such, living in some areas further out would be a tremendous commute on your child (about 60% of HKIS kids live on the South Side of Hong Kong Island).

Hong Kong is FULL of people with a "three year assignment" that never really ended. It's almost a running joke amongst the expat community. I would make your arrangements accordingly keeping that in mind.

HKIS starts students at age 4 (4 years old by September of the entry year) so your two year old is probably ok for the next 18 months or so, but come Fall of 2014 you need to look at applying for a start date of the Fall of 2015. You don't necessarily have to start at age 4 (you can follow the US standard of age 5) but the number of open slots at age 5 are drastically fewer than at age 4, so you kind of have to "use it or lose it".

[Watercooler]

The top American curriculum school is HKIS on the South Side. The kindergarten is currently in Repulse Bay but will move to Tai Tam starting next year while the Repulse Bay campus is rebuilt. As such, living in some areas further out would be a tremendous commute on your child (about 60% of HKIS kids live on the South Side of Hong Kong Island).

Hong Kong is FULL of people with a "three year assignment" that never really ended. It's almost a running joke amongst the expat community. I would make your arrangements accordingly keeping that in mind.

HKIS starts students at age 4 (4 years old by September of the entry year) so your two year old is probably ok for the next 18 months or so, but come Fall of 2014 you need to look at applying for a start date of the Fall of 2015. You don't necessarily have to start at age 4 (you can follow the US standard of age 5) but the number of open slots at age 5 are drastically fewer than at age 4, so you kind of have to "use it or lose it".

I hope the OP's company will support his kid's schooling, especially if it is HKIS, the school fees at HKIS is most definitely NOT cheap. And that's assuming if the OP's kid can get a place there after beating the fierce competition for a spot at that school. If the OP wants to live closer to HKIS to cut down on the commute, sure, but rental price will again not be cheap, particularly if it is Repulse Bay or Tai Tam. OP, be prepared to use a significant chunk of your $40K to pay for the rent there.

[Mat]

I hope the OP's company will support his kid's schooling, especially if it is HKIS, the school fees at HKIS is most definitely NOT cheap. And that's assuming if the OP's kid can get a place there after beating the fierce competition for a spot at that school. If the OP wants to live closer to HKIS to cut down on the commute, sure, but rental price will again not be cheap, particularly if it is Repulse Bay or Tai Tam. OP, be prepared to use a significant chunk of your $40K to pay for the rent there.

Or rent in near by pokfulam or Aberdeen which are way cheaper.....you don't have to rent in repulse bay or tai tam..could also rent in Happy Valley etc etc....anyway most international schools have school buses that go all over HK to pick up kids. We have friends living in Kowloon tong and the kids go to school at Repulse bay...not 100 percent ideal for some but it works for them....different people...different strokes.....(before the usual suspects tell me....I would not subject my kids to 40mn commute yadayada)

OP, I think most important is you max out on your week trip to Hk...get as much info as possible, try to push for the highest package possible...visit as much places as you can etcetc