[adam65]

Hi

Due to work commitments I can't fly over to HK to apt search before I move in 5 weeks (i get a serviced apt and Santa Fe does all the leg-work in regards to finding a place)

My worry is that I don't know whether to bring my furniture or not. Happy to have a fully furnished place (i'd prefer it actually) but i'm not finding anywhere that meets my criteria.

I hear that rentals are usualy negotiable (would be min 6 month letting, a year for the right place) is this true?

Criteria:

- Mid Levels / Sheung Wan / Causeway Bay /Near SOHO
- less than $21k
- Min 500 sq feet
- Modern (e.g don't want an old apartment)
- 20min to CBD max

Serviced apt's I've looked at are overpriced and don't like them. Only one I would consider is Abeo, but its in Aberdeen and I don't want a long commute (office in 2FC in the CBD)

Are there any areas that perhaps I'm overlooking? I'm young and as most ppl probably say want a good social scene with entertainment and nightlife not far away.

If I ship the furniture i'm stuffed if I get a furnished place, if I don't I'll have to re-buy and that seems a waste (as well as the fact I'm stumping up 3 x rent for the apartment in the first place.

Furnished all I find are 3 bed places (understand why) which aren't fit for purpose really.

THoughts welcomed - sounds like serviced apartment fits my criteria best?

[carang]

1) i wouldn't bring your furniture. places in HK are VERY small. your furniture may not fit. you can always kit it out with ikea at a relatively low cost. then you don't have to worry about size of furniture vs space. also, if you are paying for the furniture shipping yourself, then you'd probably pay as much if not more than if you bought new/second hand here.

2) what do you consider a long commute? it is quite normal in HK for someone to commute 45 minutes - 1 hour. traffic here can be TERRIBLE! especially during rush hours. so you could live close by work, but still get caught in traffic and still take 30 minutes.
3) sheung wan/causeway bay will probably have older apartments. if you want to be near the "lifestyle" then i think that mid-levels (including Soho) are better for you. however, you are going to PAY for the convenience & night life.

if you are going to be in a serviced apartment for a while, then don't rush and REALLY get to know the areas that you are interested in. then decide on the are. then on the apartment.

PS. it isn't CBD in hk it's just called Central.

[adam65]

Thks for the helpful feedback Carang.

1 - not paying for shipping myself, but quite agree I can go to Ikea relatively cheaply, I get a relocation allowance anyway.

2 - i work 12hr days for an investment bank and commute 2 hours each way to work - i dont mind the occasional traffic jam, but dont want to be more than 20min from Central (previously CBD )

3 - thks for that. Mid-Levels it is, i'll investigate into the roads near to the SOHO area.

IN a serviced apartment for a month only. I'm definately taking my bed, orthopedic matress cost me a fortune and at double size it shouldn't be larger than HK standards. Also planning to take my sofabed, bookcases and wardrobes - all Ikea and I'd imagine all HK standard sizes. Think I'll most likely go for an unfurnished place in that case, don't want to pay storage but no point in re-buying furniture I already have (pretty much all Ikea anyway so no size issue there)

Even if I found the perfect place, sure I can wrangle a deal to reduce the rental and make it part / not furnished - especially dangling a yearly lease :P

Thks again

[freeier]

1 year lease is very common. doubt its that much of a carrot to the landlord.

i think standard queen size in hk is smaller than anywhere else in the world.

[PDLM]

Furnished apartments are really quite rare in Hong Kong. Most will come with some kitchen appliances (nearly always the hob and fridge; normally a washing machine; ovens are rare except at the high end). Many places may have the odd bit of furniture left there by a previous tenant, but rarely even close to "fully furnished" unless a serviced apartment.

For Two IFC (not 2FC) the most convenient location would be very close to the mid-levels escalator. This would give you an absolutely reliable commute on foot of about 12 minutes maximum. The only downside is that it is not airconned (it is covered), so depending on your tolerance to "hot & humid" that may be an issue for the summer months.

$21K should get you a reasonable place in that area, although in the newest developments it might be a stretch, and you probably won't get a view.

You might just get one of the smaller (1000 sq.ft gross) low floor units in The Grand Panorama (10 Robinson Road) as an example. The problem you will probably have is that I guess you'll only want one (or at most two) bedrooms. Finding good properties of a reasonable size with one or two bedrooms is VERY hard in this town. So you end up with 3 bedrooms, two of which are essentially walk in wardrobes.

Use http://www.gohome.com.hk/english/home.asp? to search further.

[carang]

dangling a year's lease is nothing here.

the normal standard lease is 12 + 12. that is, 12 months locked-in (both you and landlord) and 12 months that you can give notice but the landlord can't kick you out. the standard notice here is 2 months (at least it has been on the 7 leases that i have signed in the last 10 years)...

[freeier]

unless you have sticked to the same landlord, these days alot of the 12+12 lease are on mutual termination clause for the 2nd 12 month i think. that's what i was led to believe at least and the template of tenant contract is written that wAY!

[adam65]

Thanks to all for the great advice, very much appreciated.

Keen on two properties: would welcome any opinions

favourite so far

http://www.hongkonghomes.com//proper...e=1&max_page=0

2nd choice

http://www.hongkonghomes.com//proper...e=1&max_page=0

[carang]

it may have changed then... what i wrote was my understanding of it.

[larac]

Queens Terrace is not a bad location and if you can get a place on a high floor you will get a bit of a view because many of the buildings around it are low-rise however I don't think it has any facilities. Personally I would not choose a place without a pool. From May to October the heat is stifling and in my opinion a pool is essential for retaining your sanity.

You have a month in a serviced apartment paid for and you could extend it week by week and pay for it yourself if you don't find somewhere in that time.

There are literally hundreds of empty apartments in HK at any time so visit a couple of agents in the neighbourhoods you want look at and they will be able to show you 4-6 places in an afternoon and very quickly you will get a feel for what you want. Looking online doesn't really help much because there is no guarantee that place will still be available and they look really different in the pictures anyway.

Every house or apartment I've ever moved into I've known was right after just a couple of minutes and has stayed in my mind. In Hk I was starting to lose hope the first time before finding the perfect place.

Also don't rule out a place on the basis of it being 3 bedrooms. No apartment I looked at offered storage of any kind so twice we have taken a 3 bed place with 1 room as a walk in wardrobe and 1 as a study and literally just the bed in the bedroom.

Measure the rooms then take a trip to Pricerite or Ikea to buy your furniture and have it all delivered the day you move in and make sure you take the option where they put it all together for you - Pricerite will do this for free if you spend a certain amount.

I now live off the island and we negotiated a 1 year leased but can give 2 months notice at 6months. Our complex is huge with lots of empty apartments and the real estate business in the village is hugely comptetitive. I don't think anywhere on HK Island would let you do this.