Leasing an apartment or house can be a stressful undergoing. First of all it is significant to acknowledge what you are looking for and share it with the real estate agent so that he or she clearly knows your requirements because otherwise a lot of time will be wasted for both, the hunter for a new home and the real estate agent, in the search for a needle in a haystack…
But let’s begin from the scratch of the hunt for a new home, after you have made the conclusion either to relocate to or within Shanghai.
First and foremost, you should have an idea what you’re anticipating (location, apartment in a compound/house or house/villa, what sort of compound or house, interior style, Metro line and station) and share the information with your real estate agent. That is the reason the real estate agents want to know those details to pin down the hunt. If you haven’t been to Shanghai, it is extremely recommendable to explore the metropolis first by staying for the moment in a hostel, hotel or service apartments which are available in all told price categories to narrow the hunt. People lean to forget that Shanghai is with more than twenty-five million people among the biggest cities of the world and distances within the city ought to be regarded as well as your budget in your decision.
Second, timing plays a crucial role for successfully discovering a new home in Shanghai. Based on my experience in this business, the real estate agents are frequently asked weeks, one month or often even more months ahead whether they could hold a specific apartment or house to rent. The problem is that no one in the world wishes to lose money which the landlords virtually do if they keep their property empty. Although a few exclusions exist with high cost properties (12000,- RMB and above), the saying “First come, first serve” reflects absolutely the situation of the housing market In the jungle of Shanghai. Therefore, a reservation of a low-price property (7000,- RMB and less) months or even weeks beforehand almost impossible.
A good time to begin the housing search is 2-3 weeks ahead of the projected move in date because many properties turn available each day and could be gone as shortly after the first potential renter has visited it. But do not worry, as remarked earlier, Shanghai is really big and there are more than enough apartments and houses available.
Last not least, with keeping the above-named aspects in mind, you need to have patience and should accept that sometimes a bit luck is needed to find the perfect apartment or house with all your demands and wishes since likely you are not the sole person searching a new home in Shanghai.
To conclude, make certain that you and your agent are on the same page and you both of you know what you are looking for before you begin your search. I know from my own experience that a good way to start the apartment or house hunt is to check Apartment in Shanghai because that is how I found my apartment.