33Likes
I think you're wrong and right at the same time here...
First way of looking at it...money. If you earn less than 100k you'd be nuts to spend 30-40k on rent when you could spend under 15k for the same space further out...let's not forget that the commute time to Kowloon or wherever is not zero! We might be talking an extra 20 minutes to GC or TC or Tai Po or whatever. 40 minutes extra on the bus might be worth 25k to some, probably many people. If you're earning more than 100/150k or whatever, spending 40k+ on rent might not seem so bad...I wouldn't know!!
As for Kowloon being more desirable, I would say that is very subjective. Sure, more people live there and maybe it is more popular. All around the world you will meet people who will forgo a little convenience so that they can live closer to nature....It's apparent to me from your posts that you put a high value on restaurants, shopping and a short commute. Moving07 puts a higher value on outdoor pursuits, hiking, living on a boat and so on.
You are simply two different people!
I am different again....sometimes when I tell people where my centre is they'll say, "Waah! So far!".....I'll say, "Nope!, it's about 10 minutes away from my house!"...
I'm a long way from being able to afford it but if I lived on the island I would prefer to live on the south. I personally hate Kowloon, I value car ownership and hate public transport and crowds......
I now pay less than 10% of my income on rent but many of you wouldn't consider living in a place so small......As I've said before, 700sqf seems large to the other 4 people living with me!!
That said, I do have an eye to moving up in the next year or so......but not to Kowloon, lol.....maybe a villa, but it will be in Tuen Mun or on the Castle Peak corridor.....I also value a short commute!Plus, even if I was earning 150k I'd find it very difficult to part with 40k for rent.
Main point! You and Moving07 are arguing over nothing, you're two different people and both of you have valid opinions....You also both add a lot to the forum in terms of input and information and opinion...it's a shame that you argue about this really. It detracts from what could otherwise be a useful contrast of valid but different views.
-
12-10-2013, 07:26 PM #51
-
-
12-10-2013, 07:32 PM #52
If Movingin07 stops recommending Gold Coast to every single person who arrives on these boards looking for accommodation advice, I'll stop pointing out when her advice is disingenuous, badly thought out and one sided
Is her brain really incapable of understanding other people? I guess that attitude might explain a lot of her other wacky viewpoints.find it hard to imagine why anyone would spend a fortune to live somewhere like Kowloon Station
-
12-10-2013, 07:58 PM #53
If Movingin07 stops recommending Gold Coast to every single person who arrives on these boards looking for accommodation advice, I'll stop pointing out when her advice is disingenuous, badly thought out and one sided
Is her brain really incapable of understanding other people? I guess that attitude might explain a lot of her other wacky viewpoints.
I get it. Really I get what you're saying.....but I, and I'm sure Min07, are coming from a point of view of genuinely wanting the best outcome for people....I'm sure you feel the same TB...
I understand when someone comes on here they say, "I want to be near the 'action'.."..maybe GC isn't for them.....that said, I suspect many people aren't aware that places exist outside of Central! It's like when people talk about 'astronomical rents'....if you're from London, they're not that astronomical......if you lived in Maidenhead or any of the other dormitory towns around the M25 it would be a similar sort of commute into town except here it's cheaper and more reliable....
I think it's fine to give people the options....what we can agree on is not to exaggerate the benefits.....If I had an appointment in Central at 10:00 on a weekday I'd be leaving my house before 9:00...that sort of thing is fair....You know, not saying the bus takes 36.5 minutes or whatever....that's always got my goat anyway, everyone knows that.
-
12-10-2013, 08:12 PM #54
Agreed with TB
The one woman cheering squad of GC is somewhat tiresome.
It works for some but not others so I don't see how Moving sees it as one size fits all.
-
12-10-2013, 08:15 PM #55
That is my point. The OP specifically says she doesn't want to feel isolated.... where Gold Coast is completely isolated from Hong Kong. You need to get a bus to go anywhere, even Tuen Mun which is hardly the centre of expat life.
We took Movingin07's reasonable sounding advice, turned out it was completely disingenous - her stated commute times were a work of fiction and my wife felt very isolated in Gold Coast... so we speak from personal experience. Min07 has never lived anywhere in HK apart from her boat. She has not commuted with a toddler, she doesn't have any idea of the playgroups the OP asked about yet she still trots out the same recommendation regardless. To use a phrase of yours "does my head in"
-
12-10-2013, 08:20 PM #56
f.ck me, for once I agree w TB.
-
12-10-2013, 08:21 PM #57
I don't see it that way at all. Gold Coast is where she lives and she enjoys life there. She offers it as an option, nothing more, nothing less. Those of us that choose to live here and have stayed do really, really like it and it is the bit we've chosen!
I could equally say it's tiresome seeing people who have very low incomes only having inner city locations suggested to them along with a comment like, "or you could try somewhere out in the wild NTs if you don't mind living in the sticks", as though anywhere in HK is any further than the outer suburbs of any major city....!
Same as when people say, Happy Valley is great for families......maybe for your family....I would rather take the hit on the commute and let my kids experience nature every day....different strokes.
-
12-10-2013, 08:24 PM #58
-
12-10-2013, 08:26 PM #59
That screams Gold Coast/PI or DB to me...My husband will be working from home but also flying from HK to other countries in Asia 1 or 2 times a week so good links to Central aren't necessary but a reasonable journey to the Airport is. We are pushing for a budget for our apartment rental of 40,000hkd. We would like somewhere that is near to a park or outside space, there are some playgroups/toddler groups where we can socialise and close to local amenities. I want to be able to quickly throw myself and my son into expat life and not feel too isolated or homesick!!
Tung Chung and even South Lantau should be considered as well.
Considering her budget and the fact that she doesn't need to be near Central I completely agree with Moving's analysis that it would be insanity to live on the island...Last edited by INXS; 12-10-2013 at 08:31 PM.
-
12-10-2013, 09:28 PM #60
You're not a trailing spouse. The partner who works every day, who leaves the home and goes to interact with people at work 5 days a week rarely feels isolated to the same extent as a trailing spouse in an unfamiliar country. This is so obvious it hardly bears mentioning, but....
Firstly, Min07 didn't mention it would be insanity to live on the island. Secondly, not a single person on this thread has recommended living on HK Island as far as I recall. So I have no idea why you typed what you did?
Originally Posted by TheBrit:
Quote
in Personal Trainers: Fernando has 20 years of experience as a full-time, dedicated
in Local Movers & Removal Services: We provide personalized relocation services for individuals