Finding a good place to live in Hong Kong is like in any big cities around
the world, it is not easy and quite stressful. It is
important to define your needs in advance before you start looking for somewhere
to live, that way you reduce the possibilities but you do not want waste your
time as well by visiting too small or too expensive places.
When you look for a place be aware of the location and take into consideration
public transport or buying a car (not the best thing to do in Hong Kong) if
you will be commuting or taking children to school. Hong Kong is in general
a safe but you must check carefully before that the area seems OK to you. Most
newcomers looking for accommodation in Hong Kong use the service of an estate
agent. There is a big choice available of real estate agents in Hong-Kong; from
large well-known international franchises, long-established local names to smaller,
privately run agencies. You will have fees to pay but it might be reassuring
to go by an agency as there are some safety nets in case something goes wrong
plus they are supposed to select housing for you in advance according to your
criteria.
Property sizes are measured in square feet and include the terrace, car parking and an allowance for common areas of the building such as the foyer, elevator area and stairwells. Usually the quoted rents are on a per month basis but you may find quoted rents for 2 weeks only.
When you search for accommodation, be aware of the district of the offer for housing. There are 18 districts in Hong Kong and here is the list: