> Does it get cold in HK?
Ha! I'm not laughing at you, rather at us. We didn't think so once until we moved here - a village house in Sai Kung. It was BL**DY FREEZING last winter, we couldn't believe it! Ordered a nice warm fleece/throw from jd.com - we used to live in China so are used to ordering from that platform - and it saved us. How foolish we were to think it didn't get cold here :-)
Top-floor village house is best for absence of noise, no dogs tap-dancing on your ceiling say, but single glazing and wall design means you absolutely bake in summer and freeze in winter. Air con, I love you.
We check the make of aircon and that it functions. Panasonic aircon has been very reliable. Also as someone said the water heater. We're a new build so have a 3-phase supply, said our agent, capable of delivering high power to our water heater for the shower. It's superb.
We're always nice to our local neighbours, say hi or "Jo San" in the mornings, wave to the old folks etc.
Lastly, we checked door seals. Do internal doors have rubber seals? Our village house does so closing is super-quiet. Our last new-build apartment did not and was literal hell (psycho door slamming neighbour 24/7).
Lastly lastly ... :-) ... the lease. Ours was very western - building things like water pipes are landlord responsibility, not leaseholders. That's super important.
D.
(Oh and get good mosquito repellent, we opt for Picaridin over DEET now where possible.)