Finally There!

So you have made it to China. Now what? For me this question involves many other questions and uncertainties. The biggest of which is WHERE WILL I LIVE? If your workplace does not offer accomodations, you will in all liklihood be put up in a hotel for the first few days of your stay until suitable accomodations are found for you. Here are some things you need to consider when house hunting in China:

1. Most landlords require the full year's rent up front. If your workplace has not paid you the money, you should negotiate with them so that they pay the up-front cost and you pay them back over the course of a few months. This usually won't be a problem.

2. Rent is rather high in China at the moment. As of the time of this blog, Shanghai property values are as expensive per square meter as downtown Manhattan and the sizes of the apartments are just as small.

3. Expect to pay more than your stipend. The skyrocketing rental rates in China mean that most employment stipends are not keeping pace with the property costs. Expect to pay anywhere from 500 yuan to 1000 yuan more for a 1 bedroom flat than your stipend allows.

4. If you do not mind living with roommates, it is actually cheaper to rent a villa with 4 or 5 bedrooms at 4500-6000 yuan per month than it is to rent a 1 bedroom apartment at 2000+ yuan per month.

5. Most apartments will come with at least some furniture.  This usually means a bed, maybe a sofa or couch, a table, and possibly a TV (but not always).

6. Cooking facilities vary greatly from one area to another. Every apartment will have at least a hot plate (or space for one) and sink, however this may not be enough for you so keep that in mind. Cookers in China are typically gas fed and come in 2 and 4 burner varieties. The gas may be a tank or piped in directly.  Tanks must be rented.

7. Ovens are not common in China. I have yet to hear of an apartment in Wenzhou that has an oven built in (although it is becoming the new fad to install "western" kitchens with full size ranges and ovens in other parts of China). They are available in both counter-top and built-in models, but will have to be purchased separately. A decent counter top model will run you about 250-400 yuan online depending on size.

8. Microwaves are some times included and sometimes not.

9. Refrigerators will usually be included, but they may not work quite right so make sure you check that the freezer compartment freezes properly and that the refigeration section maintains temperature appropriately.

10. TV and internet are not usually included and must be purchased separately.

11. You most likely WILL find cockroaches and/or mice in your apartment if you live in a warmer region. Be prepared with cans of bug spray and mouse traps.

12. Pet policies vary greatly from one landlord to the next so if you have a pet, ask the landlord if it is OK before signing any agreement.

13. Don't be surprised if you find left over food in your kitchen from the previous tennant. For some reason it is considered good form to leave rotten food in some parts of China. Don't ask me why.

14. Your first purchases for your apartment should be cleaning supplies. Bleach or ammonia and some surface cleaners for floors and kitchens will be well-used. You should also purchase dish soap and hand soap. Apartment cleaning is at the discression of the previous tennant rather than of the landlord in most parts of China so be prepared to do some cleaning.

15. If anything needs immediate fixing, you should negotiate that before signing any agreement. If things break after, most landlords will offer to fix it if you give them the money. DO NOT DO THAT. Instead, go out and get a quote and show that to the landlord and negotiate with them to cover all or part of the repairs.

Hopefully this helps you find a comfortable place in China. Good luck with your house hunting.