Where to live in HK with 11mth baby?

beautifulday · 18-09-2007, 08:26 AM

Hi,
My husband works in Shenzen and we're looking for a place to live in Hk. Ideally we're looking for a place where i can meet other expats with kids and a community that has local supermarket, doc, pharmacy, shopping, swimming ,playgroups, pram friendly, fresh air and so on. Does anyone recommend Mid levels? Ive heard the south is good but its so far for my husband to travel to shenzhen. Please help, no idea where to live. We live in Paddington Brisbane and things are so different here..

jaykay · 18-09-2007, 08:36 AM

Problem with Mid-Levels is it will take your husband around an hour and a half to get to the border, and Shenzhen is a big city so he could have that much to travel the other side also, not to mention collecting 4 stamps a time in his passport after going through 2 sets of immigration each way.

Best places if you he is regularly travelling to SZ would be along the KCR East rail line. Areas such as Kowloon Tong and Tai Wai (33 mins and 29 mins from border) have good concentrations of expats and families and travel from these areas for you is very easy.

One word of warning, traveling to SZ everyday is an extremely tiring experience and your husband will soon get sick of the border crossing, not to mention having to change his passport every few months.

hello_there · 18-09-2007, 09:39 AM

Originally Posted by beautifulday:

Hi,
My husband works in Shenzen and we're looking for a place to live in Hk. Ideally we're looking for a place where i can meet other expats with kids and a community that has local supermarket, doc, pharmacy, shopping, swimming ,playgroups, pram friendly, fresh air and so on. Does anyone recommend Mid levels? Ive heard the south is good but its so far for my husband to travel to shenzhen. Please help, no idea where to live. We live in Paddington Brisbane and things are so different here..

Mid levels are not pram friendly and the air quality isn't very good due to the congestion. Also very inconvenient commute into Shenzen. The commute from the South side of HK island would be misery. Not sure if the commute from Sai Kung or Clearwater Bay is better, but there are a lot of expats out that way, its child friendly and lots more space if thats what you're after. Your husband will likely save some time commuting if you can find a nice place in Kowloon or the New Terratories.

You will be able to find the basics (local supermarket, doc, pharmacy, shopping, swimming ,playgroups) in just any area in HK.

Lammarite · 18-09-2007, 10:08 AM

I reckon Kowloon Tong is what you're after. Sai Kung would be a pain as well. I think it may also depend on which border crossing (which in turn depends on where in Shenzen the office is) as I think quite a few people live in Tai Po and commute.

ontheroad · 18-09-2007, 10:17 AM

What about Shenzhen itself? There's an expat community with an international school and you'll probably get a cheaper place than on the HK side. And you can come into HK whenever you feel like it...

Have you been on http://shenzhen.geoexpat.com/index.php ?

Skyhook · 18-09-2007, 11:00 AM

G'day everybody...

I think beautifulday has had a gutful of Shenzhen life. We lived in Nanshan district, close to C Mall. Although that was an improvement over the rest of that shithole, we couldnt wait to get out of the place. Hated every second that we lived there, can stick that "cultural" experience where the sun dont shine.

Now, back to finding a positive sollution ..

Hong Kongs "Gold Coast" http://www.goldcoast.com.hk is the most location logical, especially now that the Lok Ma Chau Shenzhen route is active, you also have a very close mini bus commute to Shenzhen Bay from this part of HK.

Why on earth someone would nominate Kowloon Tong, obviously A/ doesnt have children, and B/ hasnt a clue, when the OP made it clear that they lived in paddington Queensland "Australia " previously. She'd rather drill a hole in her head than live in another built up crowded concrete jungle, after her SZ experience... Also, why on earth does it matter if she is close to any international schools, when she has an 11 month old child ? Hello ! I think we need cuban strength double shot espresso's this morning lol

Gold Coast has excellent pre school related facilities, where you'll find a mothers group, it also has a western supermarket and roughly about a 40% expat population, 20% mainland Chinese second home population ( not always here only for holidays ), and the balance is local HK people, which explains why its so quiet here ... I wasnt being sarcastic then, its true....

Gold Coast, Tuen Mun, Siu Lam, So Kwun Wat, are all handy to speedy access accross the border, and rents are going to be likely, 2 to 3 times what you would have paid for the same sized flat in Nanshan district SZ...

$7000HKD per month is going to be the min for a good sized 2 bedroom, and anywhere from that and $15,000 will get you something spacious, 3 bedrooms and a maids nook, with excellent club facilities, pools, a beach, marina, good restaurants, a pharmacy, western supermarket and enough outdoor el fresco cafe/eateries, to put a smile back on your face.

As to pollution, its not really any better here, than Shenzhen of late, it used to be better 3 years ago, but seems about as bad now.

Factoring all of your requirments, Gold Coast, not just their complex as GC is the name of a particular complex, but locals know the area if you mention it.

We live next door to the Gold Coast complex, and absolutely love our particular residential spot, it's the Stanley of the New Territories in my opinion .

Lammarite · 18-09-2007, 11:05 AM

A) Most of us don't have a clue where paddington Queensland "Australia " is and care even less.
B) The OP initially mentioned Mid-Levels so maybe isn't bothered about a built up area
C) 11 month old babies grow up and go to school
D) Gold Coast is a backwater
E) Except Stanley has character, shops, facilities, clean water, views and desirability.
F)

ontheroad · 18-09-2007, 11:20 AM

Originally Posted by Lammarite:

A) Most of us don't have a clue where paddington Queensland "Australia " is and care even less.
B) The OP initially mentioned Mid-Levels so maybe isn't bothered about a built up area
C) 11 month old babies grow up and go to school
D) Gold Coast is a backwater
E) Except Stanley has character, shops, facilities, clean water, views and desirability.
F)

Totally agree, hum, someone needs to go easy on the cuban expresso doubleshot.

Skyhook · 18-09-2007, 11:31 AM

Ha ha settle down lammarite, you live in Sai Kung , another little "break water" as you so pretentiously put it.

Say Hi to Chris at Steamers for me

Lammarite · 18-09-2007, 11:38 AM

I'm not so sure prestentiously means and I said backwater, not breakwater, very different things.
I think there are very big differences between Sai Kung and Gold Coast with property values being a pretty key reflector of that- in one place they go up, in the other they do nothing but stagnate, just like the empty tower blocks in Gold Coast.
Never been to Steamers but if I do I'll say Hi to Chris!