[timklip]

look here to calculate train commute times and your work is right outside Sheung Wan station Exit E2 (Tung Chung to Sheung Wan 43 mins)

MTR

[Ponge]

The worst bit about that website is the almost complete lack of interior photographs to go with the properties! It really makes you fear the worst when you can't see what they look like on the inside!

[timklip]

they rolled out a new layout a few months back, and totally screwed it up...used to be many more floor plans at least...now its mostly text description and price at best....

also check out www.ypmap.com and www.centamap.com to get a handle on whereabouts in HK

[BlueValentine]

You can easily get a nice and big 2 BR apartment in Tung Chung for between 8-10K HK$. The journey time will be max 45 minutes. Check these sites and you can even bypass the agents and their fees by dealing directly with the landlords.

http://http://hongkong.gumtree.com.hk/f-Flat-House-Real-Estate-houses-flats-for-rent-W0QQCatIdZ11

http://http://hongkong.craigslist.org/apa/

Good luck

[via]

Been there - Cosco Tower is around 5 mins walk to/from the Sheung Wan MTR station (Exit E1, then cross the road).

Like others suggested, you can consider living anywhere along the MTR Island line. However for HKD8.5K I don't think Wan Chai, Causeway Bay, Taikoo is a good idea - space may be small!

You best bet will be:

North Point (but the buildings there are old, some of them more than 30 yrs),

Tin Hau (also very old buildings, although again most with renovated interiors),

Quarry Bay (similar old buildings but a good mix of new/trendy and old local feel).

I think that timklip's pointer of Heng Fa Chuen is one of the best option for you (5 mins waiting time on platform, 25 mins on-train time, and another 5 mins walk to office?).

Hope it helps

[jgl]

I'm not quite sure why most people are suggesting places that are relatively far from Sheung Wan, when you can live nearby for that budget. Kennedy Town and Sai Ying Pun next door to Sheung Wan are fairly inexpensive, as there is no MTR line there yet. It'd be about a 12 minute tram ride to Cosco Tower.

Options such as DB, Tung Chung and Park Island are pleasant, but you have to factor in up to another 1k a month or so in transport costs, so the savings there are not as much as they first appear.

[Crocodile]

Welcome to the real world - it is full of compromises. If you want to live close to work, you will have an older building and a smaller apartment. If you want a newer apartment and more space, you will have to move out a little - for the same price. I know plenty of people living between Kennedy Town and Happy Valley on less than your budget. The apartments are not easy to find and you will have to do some legwork to find an apartment you like, but it is possible.

Although, it might be a problem, finding an apartment at the end of July, wanting to start the rend and move in at the end of August. That may restrict the field a little - if the apartment is vacant, they will want someone in straight away - not starting to pay in 4 weeks.

Good Luck.

[jgl]

Croc has a good point. When you get here, just hit the local/smaller estate agents. Tell them your budget, and tell them that you are looking for older buildings, possibly ones without elevators. Avoid the larger chains and the agents that obviously specialise in a small number of new apartment blocks.

An 8.5k budget is fine. You'll find something.

[aquarella]

Originally Posted by Ponge

The worst bit about that website is the almost complete lack of interior photographs to go with the properties! It really makes you fear the worst when you can't see what they look like on the inside!

Exactly how i felt - until i got here and decided to take a look at flats. GoHome gives you baseline prices, but it can't show you proportion, how old the bathroom tiles are, whether the water is strong, etc.

YpMap.com was helpful in giving me a context of the different neighborhoods. Don't let the maps fool you that things are far. The scale is really generous - things are much closer than they seem on these maps.

I was keen on living on HK island until I realized it's also easy to live on the Kowloon side and get a bigger apartment...and not add more than maybe 15-20 mins and 5-6HKD to my commute each way. I'm keeping that in mind for next year.

Relax - don't stress it by just looking at GoHome. Wait till you get here - and focus on what you want when you hire the agent. It's a mix of common sense and gut feel. And make sure you like your landlord - cause you have to bargain for repairs or things that break down, etc.

I also used to look at Hongkonghomes, PropGo, and Squarefoot, incidentally - just to see what's out there. Look at Asiaxpat for more listings as well.

[blueagles]

And if you don't mind sharing a flat while waiting for your girlfriend, you can check out the posts here:
Hong Kong Apartments To Share - Classifieds