Shanghai's Property Market:
renting a villa or apartment
When expats arrive in Shanghai, either on a pre-view visit or on your permanent assignment, they can be sure that there is a new home out there that will come close to fulfilling all their criteria, whatever they may be, in regards to decoration, location, size, amenities and budget, such is the array of properties now available for expatriates. However it should also be noted that prior to the late 1980’s there were no homes, apartments or villas, available for leasing to expatriates …. because it was forbidden at that time !
This means that the better developments are those built (or renovated) for expats within the last 5 years, these offer a higher standard of fit-out, better on-site facilities and more modern, and acceptable to foreigners, designs.
Full descriptions of the main residential localities, and the properties themselves, where expatriates tend to reside can be viewed in the property search section, however in general we find that expatriates singles and couples or young families, tend to live in the downtown areas for the ease of access to nightlife including the plethora of very affordable restaurants of all types, clubs and bars to suit every taste. Daytime means exploring hidden alleys and street markets for antiques, clothing and electrical goods, or just hanging out in coffee & tea shops.
Expatriate families largely reside closer to kindergartens and the international schools (most of which are located in Western Shanghai, past the domestic airport in Hong Qiao) or over the river in the newly developed, and booming, area of Shanghai called Pudong, in particular Jin Qiao, Kang Qiao or Lujiazui. These offer established communities, large and plentiful supermarkets (stocking imported ‘Western’ food stuffs) and sports facilities in addition to convenient access to the schools.
