Shanghai Apartment Hunting Advice (short term rental)

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  • #4993
    Anonymous
    Guest

    Hi,

    I am moving to Shanghai for 4 months starting December and I have been researching on rental options. I’ve checked out ads on craigslist, some places seem nice but most seem like they are using fake photos. Also it seems most want 1 yr tenants while i can only commit to 4 months. Because of this I am a littler worried about settling on a place before seeing it in person. I’m planning on arriving a week early and spend that time tracking a down a nicely furnished one bed room/ studio in Jing’an. Right now i’m thinking just finding agents who has an office in areas that i might want to live in.

    What recommendations do you guys have? does it typically take longer than a week to find a place? Any sites/ resources I should check? My office is near yan’an ave. E and henan ave.

    Thanks in advance

    #4562
    Anonymous
    Guest

    Hi,

    I am moving to Shanghai for 4 months starting December and I have been researching on rental options. I’ve checked out ads on craigslist, some places seem nice but most seem like they are using fake photos. Also it seems most want 1 yr tenants while i can only commit to 4 months. Because of this I am a littler worried about settling on a place before seeing it in person. I’m planning on arriving a week early and spend that time tracking a down a nicely furnished one bed room/ studio in Jing’an. Right now i’m thinking just finding agents who has an office in areas that i might want to live in.

    What recommendations do you guys have? does it typically take longer than a week to find a place? Any sites/ resources I should check? My office is near yan’an ave. E and henan ave.

    Thanks in advance

    #4994
    Anonymous
    Guest

    The perfect apartment takes time to find. I recommend you staying in a cheap motel at around 200-300 rmb a day for a week or two until you find what you want. All photos 99% of the time are fake, and when seeking an Agent always ask for a discount ahead of time — some might give in especially if you can speak Chinese. Don’t let them know you’re from Toronto.

    Honestly you will have a hard time finding short term 1br studios. I recommend you find some roommates via Smart Shanghai and just hunt down a master bedroom with your own bathroom. All the conveniences of living alone at a fraction of the price. Install a lock on the door if there isn’t one already. Room-shares are usually negotiable for short term stays.

    #4995
    Anonymous
    Guest

    Agents are short term specific, they are real estate agents. they will search for what you are looking for, price point, location, contract duration etc. you need to get a Chinese speaker to help you if you can’t speak Chinese. they will also help you find a proper place. but, you will have to sublet the last two months of a minimum 6 month contract to someone else, and subleting is often not allowed or complicated with the tennent, especially if you don’t know them and are not around to enforce your agreement should they decide to flake.

    4 months can only be found with room mates. you can find these on 1. english expat website classifieds (shanghai expat, enjoyshanghai.com, smartshanghai.com, cityweekend.com.cn, chinacities.com (has good classifieds).

    you might also want to find a Chinese person to help you search the Chinese classifieds for Chinese people looking for room mates.

    expats looking for roommates are going to charge you higher rent for three reasons, 1. they probably are paying an inflated rent because they are expats, 2. they will want you to pay more so they can cover part of their own rent & 3. 4 months is an extremely inconvenient period of time to ask a landlord for accommodation.

    There are other options that you can use to get “free housing.” there is a cool new nightlife venue called “the Mansion” that has a hostel attached. you can stay there for free as long as you help them with parties on the weekends. if you are interested, let me know I can get you in contact with the right person.

    #4996
    Anonymous
    Guest

    You can definitely find short term rentals in Shanghai.. don’t listen to the other BS.

    You have several options

    1. Look under expat sites looking for roomates, such as Craig’s List for Shanghai. You might even be able to line up something through couchsurfing or look into staying at a Hostel like the International Youth Hostel

    2. You can stay in a serviced apartment, which are hotel style rooms and some have a kitchenette so you can also cook at home.

    * I know plenty of people that have found short term rentals in Shanghai or rented out someone’s extra bedroom for several months. I’m also going to be looking into these options as I will be back in Shanghai for the summer. Do NOT go to an agent, they will only try to get you into a 1 year deal, get a big deposit, and rip you off. Any agent who says after a few months they can then rent it out to someone else and return the rest of your money is just blowing smoke up your ass. They get no benefit from this and frankly will say anything just to get you to rent the place and pull in their commission. Just get busy and scan through all the China specific classified ads. It’s not easy, but you’ll find what you are looking for.

    All about money issue :

    The agent is fine ,at least they could do something for you,that`why they need to charge you fee.they put these fake pics online just want to attract your eyes ,you need to go and check personally .

    But the key point is you need to tell them your requirements such as short term rental ,then they can search it according to your needs .because the landlord they need to pay the agency fee ,too, for them if they just rent out for short time means they have to pay the fee again after 4 month(no one want to spend the same money just for short term you know) .but you can ask the agency for help you to rent the house out again after 4 month just need you to pay them the fee again.

    you can also search online like smartsh and craigslit, most house there are big and well-decorated but also expensive ,so if you think it`s worthwhile ,that`s will be good ,but there are also many agencies who post the house there (if you don`t like agency,be attention)

    all in all,Looking for a house is not that easy ,I am now also working on it ,but wish you good luck!

    #5836
    Anonymous
    Guest

    Hi, my new girlfriend insists that I get tested for STDs. Fine, no problem. However, I don’t want this going on my medical record – God knows what kind of problems it could cause in the future. I’ve had terrible experiences with both Chinese and foreign clinics in the past – incompetent doctors, nosy nurses, etc. Any sort of clinic in Shanghai that does a full battery of tests, competently administered, no questions asked?

    #5837
    Anonymous
    Guest

    ^ Isn’t that the idea… i.e. “how many people have you slept with”, “do you engage in anal”, “do you wear protection”, “what type of symptoms are you having / had”…. sexual history, etc. ?

    How else are the docs going to assess the situation ? They don’t even have that in the U.S., let alone here in ‘nosey’ China (where everybody wants to know your business). Didn’t you go to get the ‘annual health exam’ here, where 50 docs & nurses poke and prod you all day and then spend another 4 hours chopping little pieces of paper and writing down little comments on their logs and charts and clipboards ???

    TIC – get used to it.

    #5838
    Anonymous
    Guest

    I’ve heard this before about people getting kicked out for positive STD tests, but does anyone have any genuine evidence of this?

    I mean, I can understand this for HIV for example, but what about treatable diseases? I knew someone who contracted gonorrhoea once (at least I think that’s what it was, I’m no doctor…), and I can’t imagine the PSB was informed.

    To work on a Z visa, from what I remember you need a negative HIV test, and also something like no hepatitis I think.

    I’d have thought that as long as the OP reckons he’s unlikely to be HIV-positive, it shouldn’t be that much of a risk getting tested. Though I imagine the swabbing will be fun…

    #5839
    Anonymous
    Guest

    Well, this is a real life story. I took my little cousin to a clinic in Xian (we ended up there on a tour with family and the concierge at the Shangrila sent us to the main Military Hospital downtown) and he had an issue ‘down there’ after sleeping with some questionable girls (Windows lah;)) So.

    The docs took one look at him, laughed and gave us some pills, I assumed it was what you refer to as ‘the clap’ but, never having had one myself, not gonna go out on a limb on this one.

    No escort to the nearest airport, no get out quick thing…Just a polite nod, a humbling experience and well, a great story for me to tell people!

    Besides, I sat there the whole time ragging him saying; Look jackass, the first thing I showed you was where to buy condoms…What are ya, an Idiot?!? He got the picture I think…

    Anyways, I did know someone that supposedly knew someone that was kicked out for having aids, but that was years ago and before China officially ‘had’ aids so…Today? Who knows…

    But, best bet? Get a card from Huashan Hospital and then go get the test. Better safe then sorry…I mean, if you are that promiscuous and lose your caballito and your two bandaleros to syphillis, wouldn’t you rather have known about it before hand?

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