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Moving family to HK from UK - any info gratefully received

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  1. #11

    Join Date
    Apr 2005
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    db DOES have locals, i know. i lived there for over 6 years (and i'm married to a local). yes, there is a large percentage (compared to the rest of hk) that are expats, but that doesn't mean all from the uk. while in db, i met and was friends with people from over 40-50 different countries. there is no MTR station in Db, dbers don't want one (not that it'll ever happen as the population is only about 15-20,000. there IS an MTR line accessible from DB via Tung CHung or Sunny Bay (both of which have buses direct to/from DB).

    I have good friends in db who have just moved into a new ground floor flat in a low-rise. they have a large-ish garden, by hk standards, 3 bedrooms, helper's room, new kitchen & bathrooms. they pay $40k/month. granted, it isn't a huge place, but it is lovely and comfortable for a family with a 3 & 5 yr old.

    on the other hand, i live in sai kung country park. have a MUCH larger place: 5 bed, 4 bath, larger garden, 2 car parks.... we pay less than $17k/month. the trade-off is that we are in the "boonies" with very limited public transport and without the same community feel that we had in DB.

    to be honest, if i could afford to have the space that i have now, in db, i'd move back in a heartbeat. that ain't gonna happen, so i'm happy where we are.

    it really is about choices. you don't HAVE to spend $60k/month on housing if you don't want to. you CAN get a lovely place for 1/2 that and still have $ left over to buy a second-hand car to get you where you need to be. the choice is yours. none of us can decide for you what your top priorities are.


  2. #12

    Join Date
    Mar 2007
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    Our solution to the space/cost dilemma was to buy a boat. We have the space of a 4-bed detached house for the cost of a studio on HK island. The previous owner was a brit with 3 kids. Many of the berth-holders here have large young families. You could make the same trade-off in a village house but may then, as Carang notes, need a car.
    On your salary you will have many, but not unlimited, options.
    Don't worry about needing to be next to a metro - that's a misunderstanding of the excellent ferry/bus system here. We have no metro (gold coast), no car and no problems.
    Posted via Mobile Device


  3. #13

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    Original Post Deleted
    I guess all the mothers with young children I see happily using the Gold Coast resident's bus must all be very miserable. Funny, they seem very happy chatting to each other on the bus. I have a friend that I play squash with who has two young children here and no car - she manages perfectly fine! Your generalisations are somewhat sweeping and while they may apply to a village house in the boonies, are not necessarily true of all NT acccomodations. Indeed, getting a toddler and chair on the DB ferry is likely to be at least as hard ....and there are NO cars in DB for the journey to the ferry so that has to be by bus... yet surprisingly the place is full of young families. Care to explain?

  4. #14

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    Original Post Deleted
    So - no answer to fact that DB (with no cars or metro) is full of young families then.

  5. #15

    Join Date
    Aug 2010
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    @MovingIn07

    sorry for my silly useless question..from one who knows nothing about boats!
    but what happens when hk is hit by typhons, black rain and so on...
    I think it is terrible.. maybe dangerous, scary for kids (for me sure!), isn't it?


  6. #16

    Join Date
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    Quote Originally Posted by majiajia:
    @MovingIn07

    sorry for my silly useless question..from one who knows nothing about boats!
    but what happens when hk is hit by typhons, black rain and so on...
    I think it is terrible.. maybe dangerous, scary for kids (for me sure!), isn't it?
    Not really. Black rain - completely irrelevant - (boats are pretty good at dealing with water!). Typhoons - direct hit by a T10 is a worry, but then, that's quite a worry for anyone in HK. Anything less is not an issue (direct hit, T9 last year no problem; multiple T8's and T9 the year before no problem). You tie the boat up and you rock a little for a few hours. No big deal.

    The only time I have actually been scared was when that huge storm that killed all those people in the PHilippines and Taiwan was looking like it might hit us a few weeks ago, but they are 1 in 20 year events and it didn't hit.
    majiajia likes this.

  7. #17

    [QUOTE=ab9tgb;1321977]Thank you to those that have replied already. I have looked at discovery bay, the only question I have from reading other websites is that it is a little like toy-town and purely expats - is this true? Also, are you limited to ferries and buses for transport, or is there metro?

    QUOTE]

    The opinions on DB are divided. The only way you can truly find out for yourself is by having a visit.
    Have you been to HK before? Asia at all? It's difficult to picture what it's like to live here without seeing it with your own eyes. As it's an internal transfer could you work from HK for a few weeks and combine this with checking out HK to see if it would be feasible for your family to live here?

    For many single people / younger couples with no kids DB would be a nightmare living there as you are completely out of touch with 'real' HK and DB certainly lacks the urban vibe you are used to in Shoreditch! There is no equivalent of charming and historical London parks that is for sure, but there certainly is some great walking/hiking. The key is to adapt and never expect it to be anything like London or 'back home' in general wherever that may be.

    DB reminds me of a gated community in the US or Dubai or Thailand. The demographic profile in short is rich white folks with kids. For a family on a temporary posting it may be ideal. The wife and the kids may love it during the day, you may find it boring - depends on your personality and the personality of your family overall. It's a tough play trying to find the perfect place to live in HK for the whole family, you may have to compromise.


  8. #18

    Join Date
    Aug 2010
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    Quote Originally Posted by MovingIn07:
    (boats are pretty good at dealing with water!).
    ihihih. thanks for reminding me that!

    and thanks for your examples... if I need some help to persuade my husband (who has just said never ever because I don't want to feel sick all the time!) I call you.. I mean I send you a PM, ok?



    bye

  9. #19

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    Quote Originally Posted by majiajia:
    if I need some help to persuade my husband (who has just said never ever because I don't want to feel sick all the time!)
    That's another misconception. My Mum was really worried because she gets sea-sick on just about any form of boat - she had no problems. OTHER than during typhoons, it does not move. Nada. I have balanced bottles of shampoo upside down in the shower for days (while trying to get the last drop out) - never fall over. No movement.

  10. #20

    Join Date
    Aug 2010
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    mmmmm....

    ok, let's write down "boat" on our HK best home location hot list!

    who knows....