There are certain things you need to live in Shanghai. The first and foremost is of course a place to live. Some companies send their employees and spouses out on a preliminary trip to scout things out. This would help you to get a leg up so to speak but it is not necessary if you are willing to live in a hotel for a while.
The good news is that the “while” is a great deal shorter than it used to be. Several years ago the housing situation for foreigners in Shanghai was a seller’s market in every sense of the word and the prices reflected that – sky high! In 1996-97 thousands of new houses and apartment blocks were completed and this radically changed the picture, much to the relief of Shanghai’s expatriate community.
As of this writing real estate prices are still dropping band the range of offerings is expanding exponentially. Where previously there was only one villa complex considered to be up to Western standards now there are scores. New apartment complexes abound and with every new building that comes on line a new real estate company appears on the scene to flog it. There are now hundreds of real estate offices and agencies, ranging from some pretty dodgy ones to the well-known international companies.
Many joint ventures have already purchased or leased property for their expat employees, who can move right in when they arrive. This certainly simplifies things but of course their choice may not necessarily be what you would have chosen.
A quick run-down of the choices:
New full-service villas. These are fully furnished, right down to linens and dinnerware, and provide all services, including housecleaning, gardening and maintenance. There are always sports facilities and a fitness center, a club house, a restaurant, shuttle buses into town, in short everything your need to live a life of ease and (hopefully) elegance. This cosseting is a fairly new concept on the Shanghai scene and is very popular. It is also very pricey.
New villas. These you rent just as you would a house back in your native country. Here you supply your own ayi (domestic helper), you are sometimes responsible for the upkeep and although there is usually a shuttle bus service it is often not frequent and sometimes unreliable. There are probably sports facilities and clubhouses, the range of offerings varying greatly. These villa complexes abound in Shanghai’s suburbs and smaller ones are beginning to appear in the more sought-after locations in town such as Shanghai’s old French Concession. The good news is that rental prices have recently dropped below ten thousand (yes, that’s U.S.dollars) a month. The bad news is that the new buildings are almost invariably sheathed in lavatories tiling, not the most attractive of exterior finishes to say the least. If it’s real class you are after then you will want to go for:
The older villas. Much sought after, they are generally located nearer the center of the city and were generally built in the 1920′s-1940′s. They can be charming and often have a garden and a garage. They can also be fraught with problems, everything from creeping ground damp and mildew to lack of enough electrical current to run all the appliances. (Do you really want to turn off your air conditioner in order to toast your bread?) Everything depends on the quality of the renovation. The better ones have taken all these problems into account but rental prices reflect the expenses involved. For many (including the author), however, this is the only way to go.
The lane housing. Lanes shoot off in every direction from the major thoroughfares in Shanghai and once you get away from the busy streets you are in an entirely different world, one of calm and quiet. (Granted, the latter depends somewhat on the nature of the lane and the sophistication of its inhabitants.) Villas or duplexes line both sides of the lane and sometimes there are small apartment houses tucked away at the far end. In the lanes you will sacrifice a bit of privacy, as your comings and goings will always be noted with interest, but grannies and their changes; everyone else is at work. Here you have a real sense of community and you are truly living in China.
One of the nice things about life in the lanes is its numerous peddlers, each with his particular call or identifying sound. The scissors grinder strikes on metal, the ice cream seller claps on wood, and the rag picker rings a bell. The tofu seller unfortunately has gone high tech and uses a loud speaker.
Lane dwellings are the preferred housing of the more enthusiastic Shanghailanders, especially the younger set who are willing to give up a certain amount of convenience for the privilege of living there. The housing ranges from the shabby to the stunning, with the latter much in demand and the prices reflecting this. For the more modest and somewhat renovated dwellings the prices can be quite reasonable – by Shanghai standards anyway – meaning between US$2,000 – 3,000 per month.
Luxury apartment blocks. There are many top-of-the-line apartment buildings in the city, erected by foreign or joint-venture companies. They meet the foreigners’ expectations and are usually filled with foreigners. They feature fitness centers, sports facilities, in-house shops and services, everything you have back in your own country. The waiting lists that formerly plagued these choice buildings have now evaporated due to increased competition, although the prices have held firm at the top of the range. (It will be interesting to see if, after so many years in a seller’s market, these too are now forced to come down a bit.)
Standard apartment dwellings. New apartment blocks are springing up like weeds (and are just as attractive), to the point where there is now a real glut in the market and one can be extremely selective. You pay for what you get so scout around and be sure that the bargain you are getting is really a bargain. Litigation between tenants and landlords is beginning to emerge as one of the offshoots of “misunderstandings”(if not downright misrepresentation). The facilities and services may be somewhat sketchy and the workmanship not all that you desire, as these buildings are being thrown up with alarming speed and shortcuts, but the range of choice is enormous.
If you can find an expat tenant in the building of your choiceto talk to privately you may be able to get the real dope on what the building’s problems are;; otherwise you will simply have to guess; and hope for the best.
Living with or among the Chinese. Here you are truly mixing with the masses and this my be an option you wish to exercise only later, after you have perfected your Chinese language capability and have got a feel for what is involved in living a semi-Chinese lifestyle. As with many things Chinese this route is not for the faint of heart and a certain amount of hardihood is required.
Now that you know your options how do you find these places? If money is no object and/or your employer is footing the bill then your problems are merely those of choosing among many offerings. Here you will want to use one of the ubiquitous relocation companies to make your job easier and to give you the most options.
