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Work in Central IFC, where to live? recent expat from Philly USA. Budget 15K-35K

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  1. #21

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    Yes true, but usually people move to Kennedy Town because they want cheaper rent. I wouldn't spend 20k in Kennedy Town but that's me. Plus it's going to be 30-40 minutes to work door to door.


  2. #22

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    Quote Originally Posted by MandM!:
    You will get something closer to 450'. On HK side closer to 300'.
    This is exactly what I mean with the exaggarations on HK Island Mid-Levels prices.

    You get almost 400' Net with rooftop close to escalator for 20k a month:
    Mid-Levels West Apartments / Flats / Units to Rent - 33 Robinson Road - Ref # 21467502 - Squarefoot

    Or 450' Net also close to escalator very close to Soho for 24k a month:
    Mid-Levels Central Apartments / Flats / Units to Rent - The Elgin - Ref # 21021180 - Squarefoot

    This is pre-negotations on rents, I'm sure I would be able to find something that is 500'+ Net after negotiations for 25k.

  3. #23

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    Quote Originally Posted by MandM!:
    Yes true, but usually people move to Kennedy Town because they want cheaper rent. I wouldn't spend 20k in Kennedy Town but that's me. Plus it's going to be 30-40 minutes to work door to door.
    Have you been to Kennedy Town lately? It's a pretty popular place for young professionals now. And some of the newer buildings are designed for single finance types - smaller modern flats with great facilities.

  4. #24

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    Quote Originally Posted by MandM!:
    Yes true, but usually people move to Kennedy Town because they want cheaper rent. I wouldn't spend 20k in Kennedy Town but that's me. Plus it's going to be 30-40 minutes to work door to door.
    Kennedy town 40m to IFC? What have you been smoking?

    The Merton is 5mn away from the MTR then it is 15mn in the MTR.
    Now you try to do that from Olympic or wherever where you need to walk a LOT more to get to the MTR.

    Yes mid levels is overpriced but saying you can't find 600 sqf for ~ 25K on HK island within 20 mn from IFC is just not true.

    It is totally doable (and mind you The Merton is a reasonably new building i.e. below 15 years)
    I could find you many more flats for a lot cheaper in KT for similar size in older building but renovated.

    Plenty of our staffs junior staff live in KT/Sheung Wan. All have anywhere between 400 to 600 sqf for 15-25K.

    Anyway we all have different preferences and that is fine but sometimes it's better to check the listing first to make sure our own prejudice do not impair our answers.

  5. #25

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    Quote Originally Posted by merchantms:
    Have you been to Kennedy Town lately? It's a pretty popular place for young professionals now. And some of the newer buildings are designed for single finance types - smaller modern flats with great facilities.
    and lots of new resto: Comptoir (great place), some nice suhi joint, picknic etc etc
    merchantms likes this.

  6. #26

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    I have some pretty extreme examples as well for cheap flats in Central. The most extreme one would be, a local girl managed to find in a old walk up building just below Wyndham Street and 350 sq feet net flat, with an equal size rooftop above for 8k per month, this was 3 years ago. Sure the building was crappy as hell, but it looked OK indoors and she had a 5 min walk to IFC.


  7. #27

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    Quote Originally Posted by Mat:
    and lots of new resto: Comptoir (great place), some nice suhi joint, picknic etc etc
    I know a trader at a private fund and all of his juniors (who make good money) live in Sai Ying Pun or KT. Office is in Wan Chai. Don't think it takes 40 minutes.
    Mat likes this.

  8. #28

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    Once you arrive to Central you have to walk up. It isn't as simple as "it's just 15 minutes away". There is walking time to/from MTR, office, and home. Central MTR to IFC office is a good 10 minutes walking too, not to mention the swarms of people pushing and bumping, not exactly my scene but we are all different. I would rather live in Kowloon station, walk down 10 minutes + 5 minutes MTR + 5 minutes to IFC office (so 20-25 minutes give or take). Kennedy Town to IFC is definitely longer.

    I've been to Kennedy Town lately, it's up and coming, but I wouldn't recommend newbies to HK to venture off the beaten path. Let them live in the heart and have the conveniences, then for their second year if they really want to live in Kennedy Town, go for it.


  9. #29

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    Quote Originally Posted by MandM!:
    Once you arrive to Central you have to walk up. It isn't as simple as "it's just 15 minutes away". There is walking time to/from MTR, office, and home. Central MTR to IFC office is a good 10 minutes walking too, not to mention the swarms of people pushing and bumping, not exactly my scene but we are all different. I would rather live in Kowloon station, walk down 10 minutes + 5 minutes MTR + 5 minutes to IFC office (so 20-25 minutes give or take). Kennedy Town to IFC is definitely longer.

    I've been to Kennedy Town lately, it's up and coming, but I wouldn't recommend newbies to HK to venture off the beaten path. Let them live in the heart and have the conveniences, then for their second year if they really want to live in Kennedy Town, go for it.
    KT off the beaten path???
    Kowloon station? Prices? Pretty sure on par with KT give or take (i.e. transport cost..).

    As for KT longer....yeah maybe (not even sure as the MTR is less regular on Kowloon Station so you may end up waiting quite a bit) and .....whenever you need to cab (which is often in HK)....much cheaper...even the MTR is cheaper...the bus too etc etc..in short except Kowloon Station (which isn't cheap by any standard) no where on Kowloon you will be within 20 mn of IFC...so back to square one and finding some affordable place on HK island close enough to IFC.

    I took KT as an example...we could take Wan Chai or Sheung Wan (Closer) and still plenty of 500+sqf flat for 20/25k.

    Anyway,

  10. #30

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    Quote Originally Posted by Mat:
    no where on Kowloon you will be within 20 mn of IFC...so back to square one and finding some affordable place on HK island close enough to IFC.
    I agree with you in general, but perhaps Florient Rise in Olympic might be an exception. It's right next to the MTR station (directly connected via covered walkway) and I've walked from my friends apartment there to the station platform in around 6-7 minutes so you should be able to get to IFC within 20 mins. The OP could check it out if they don't find anything suitable island-side.
    Mat likes this.