Young couple moving to HK in June, few questions.

[emx]

Illegal, high rents, no visa means you can't rent a flat. Just serviced apartments. $$$$$

Anyone can rent an apartment here, you certainly don't require a visa to do so.

[MandM!]

Most landlords, if not every one I met, require HK ID card, in which you need a valid visa, not tourists.

[Satay Sue]

Most landlords, if not every one I met, require HK ID card, in which you need a valid visa, not tourists.

But it's not a legal requirement though, is it?

[MandM!]

SS, you are right.

Would you recommend someone to come here and try to rent a flat on a tourist visa? Not come here and check out the place, but simply pack up, move here, in hopes of finding accommodation with limited hopes for getting a sponsored visa due to lack of education.

[Fiona in HKG]

..OP please remember that if you do rent an apartment on a standard tenancy, you have to cough up three months' rent up front (and a half-month agent fee if you go down that route).

I had a friend who rented short-term recently (two months) and he still had to come up with a two-month deposit.

[Satay Sue]

SS, you are right.

Would you recommend someone to come here and try to rent a flat on a tourist visa? Not come here and check out the place, but simply pack up, move here, in hopes of finding accommodation with limited hopes for getting a sponsored visa due to lack of education.

No. And if I was a landlord, unless the person stumped up the rent in advance, I wouldn't rent to a tourist. Sorry was I just being pedantic.
I agree with most of the people here, the OP and her partner do not seem to have done their homework though at least OP has asked advice on here which is a start.

[MandM!]

I bet they booked their tickets already.

[huja]

Just isn't the same around here without a certain someone who's life's work was badgering new posters about his/her visa status. That said, pretty impressive group effort of administering tough love by the GeoExpat denizen.

[emx]

Just isn't the same around here without a certain someone who's life's work was badgering new posters about his/her visa status.

He is busy walking around the hills in an Amber rainstorm for fun.

[roflrachele]

I appreciate all of your advice greatly. I AM aware it's not easy to rent nor find a job without a degree/visa. We have both researched, read many books, and talked to people who have lived in HK. We have NOT booked our tickets but plan to shortly. My boyfriend has a degree in business management as well as experience at an investment firm here in San Diego. He has been applying for jobs in HK for awhile now and I foresee him honing in on one soon. So hopefully he will have a visa and can work and rent easily/legally in HK and I will just go along. I was simply curious how it works if that was not the case. I also know that the jobs that I am applying for are only English centers or playgroups and they can rarely sponsor a visa without a degree. I'd be interested to hear if there are any positive views on the situation? Not that any and all advice isn't appreciated.