Living in Hong Kong for a year
Jun 5th, 2014, 05:34 AM
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Living in Hong Kong for a year
We (middle aged couple) may be taking a sabbatical this fall and are looking into staying in Hong Kong for the year. Immigration issues aside, we are looking for Hong Kong living advise - how do we find a nice place to live for 12 months? Our target area is near University of Hong Kong, however we will not necessarily be associated with UHK, so this is not an absolute.
Here in the US its easy to get a referral to a good real estate agent, no idea how to do this in HK. Any ideas will be appreciated. Thanks, Bobby
Here in the US its easy to get a referral to a good real estate agent, no idea how to do this in HK. Any ideas will be appreciated. Thanks, Bobby
Jun 5th, 2014, 07:30 AM
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We were there in 2010 and loved it. I found out from some of the locals about salaries and rents and learned that most live multi-generationally to pool money as indeed it's very costly there so Kathie is right.
Best of luck finding a nice place. It sounds like a great experience.
Best of luck finding a nice place. It sounds like a great experience.
Jun 5th, 2014, 08:33 AM
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As others have said, renting a place is very expensive in Hong Kong. I am not sure where to get a referral for a good real estate agent, but there are real estate agencies everywhere over there. You can try browsing around here:
http://hongkong.geoexpat.com/
If location is not too big of an issue for you, you can consider the New Territories which may be a bit cheaper.
http://hongkong.geoexpat.com/
If location is not too big of an issue for you, you can consider the New Territories which may be a bit cheaper.
Jun 5th, 2014, 08:43 AM
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Thank you all for the feedback. Fingers crossed here that we find the right resources to make this work. We did browse some real estate agencies and long stay hotels to get a feel, but with so much on offer, we decided to ask for help with streamlining this process. Scary yet exciting.
Jun 5th, 2014, 06:54 PM
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I don't think you can entirely put immigration issues aside, as you may need to demonstrate an approved visa status to sign a lease.
Apartment rentals in Hong Kong are commonly unfurnished (which really means unfurnished, i.e., no appliances either) and for two years. Fees and deposits can be quite steep. You can get furnished and you can get shorter terms but you pay more.
Long stay "serviced" apartments which operate like hotels are ideal for your situation, but again these are quite pricey. There are several websites like this one that will connect you to the management offices of serviced apartments.
http://www.gohome.com.hk/serviced-apartments/en/
The good news is that Hong Kong is safe and public transportation is good so you can consider a wide range of areas in your search.
Another idea would be to find a sublet from someone who is going to be out of the country for several months.
Apartment rentals in Hong Kong are commonly unfurnished (which really means unfurnished, i.e., no appliances either) and for two years. Fees and deposits can be quite steep. You can get furnished and you can get shorter terms but you pay more.
Long stay "serviced" apartments which operate like hotels are ideal for your situation, but again these are quite pricey. There are several websites like this one that will connect you to the management offices of serviced apartments.
http://www.gohome.com.hk/serviced-apartments/en/
The good news is that Hong Kong is safe and public transportation is good so you can consider a wide range of areas in your search.
Another idea would be to find a sublet from someone who is going to be out of the country for several months.
Jun 5th, 2014, 09:26 PM
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Jun 6th, 2014, 01:53 AM
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another approach would be to take a serviced apartment first, and use that as a base for finding something better and cheaper once you are there. it is often easier to find out what is available and whether it will suit you once you are in situ.
but you should definitely get the Visa sorted before you go, as some places require you to leave the country to make an application, which would be inconvenient to say the least.
good luck.
but you should definitely get the Visa sorted before you go, as some places require you to leave the country to make an application, which would be inconvenient to say the least.
good luck.
Jun 6th, 2014, 07:12 AM
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Thank you all. Did not mean to imply we were not addressing the immigration issues, we have that under control, sorry to confuse. The idea of a short term serviced apt sounds good - thanks. These links are very helpful. Really appreciate all of your expertise.
Jun 10th, 2014, 09:42 PM
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I have lived inHong Kong for more than 12 years. As mentioned above, Hong Kong is great place to live in terms of safety, excellent public transport and great food (much at quite reasonably prices). It is however very expensive in terms of rent.
If you live her for 12 months continuously, you will have to pay US and Hong Kong income tax, so bear that in mind. A shorter period which would not subject you to Hong Kong taxes may be preferable, e.g., live here for 5 months and then another Asian city for the rest of the time, or travel for the rest of the time. You can generally stay for 3 months anyplace in Asia on a tourist visa. Bali or Thailand would be 2 places I could happily spend a few months living in, and there are short-term rentals available in both. See vrbo.com for example. lots of laces in Bali and more than a few in Thailand.
If you are not working at HK University there is no reason to live there, as that area of Hong Kong Island is one of the most expensive. It is like living in Manhattan versus living in one of the boroughs. There are places in the New Territories and outlying islands where you could live more cheaply. There are universities out in the Sha Tin and Sai King areas as well, so you do not have to tie yourselves to HKU. Even someplace like Discovery Bay would be a bit cheaper for rent. With the excellent and inexpensive public transport in Hong Kong, you can get around easily. You do not need a car (and most everyplace, from the grocery to the dry cleaner, delivers for free or a nominal charge.)
Geoexpat, mentioned above, does offer some rental options. Please bear in mind that unless you are prepared to pay US$3000 or more a month in rent, you will have a very small flat. Perfectly livable, but far smaller than you may be used to. For rents below about US$3,000 you are looking at something like 300-500 square feet, and with 2-3 bedrooms. One bedrooms and studios are very rare. On Hong Kong Island, even US$3000 will not get you a big flat in most parts of the island. You will get a bit more for your money and larger apartments in the New Territories or outlying islands. Also bear in mind that a relator will require that you pay half his fee, and the landlord pays the other. The fee is one months’ rent, so your half could be a few thousand dollars, depending on your rent.
My realtor is Habitat Property, see http://www.habitat-property.com. You can search by location and price, so you can get an idea. Manks Quarters always has some very interesting properties, many furnished try http://www.manksquarters.com/index.asp
You could also try the classified sections of the <i>South China Morning Post</i> (http://www.scmp.com/portal/site/SCMP/) and <i>The Standard</i> (http://www.thestandard.com.hk), the local English-language newspapers. They have on-line classifieds which may have short-term lets. See scmp.com
Serviced apartments are a good idea. They have a kitchen, and also you don’t have to go through a realtor. Try the serviced apartments at Two MacDonnell Road (at http://www.twomr.com.hk). They have a nice location near to Bowen Road, quiet, green (for Hong Kong) and close to a good walking flats walking path, and a grocery store across the street.
Try Oakwood, which is a US operator of serviced apartments which has several serviced facilities in Hong Kong, see http://www.oakwood.com.
There is a chain of serviced apartments with various locations on Hong Kong Island, some are small studios and some are 1800 square foot 2-bedrooms priced accordingly, take a look at http://www.thev.hk/. I don't know anything about this group or the quality of the apartments.
You could try something like vrbo.com, but the last time I looked, there were only a few apartments listed.
If you live her for 12 months continuously, you will have to pay US and Hong Kong income tax, so bear that in mind. A shorter period which would not subject you to Hong Kong taxes may be preferable, e.g., live here for 5 months and then another Asian city for the rest of the time, or travel for the rest of the time. You can generally stay for 3 months anyplace in Asia on a tourist visa. Bali or Thailand would be 2 places I could happily spend a few months living in, and there are short-term rentals available in both. See vrbo.com for example. lots of laces in Bali and more than a few in Thailand.
If you are not working at HK University there is no reason to live there, as that area of Hong Kong Island is one of the most expensive. It is like living in Manhattan versus living in one of the boroughs. There are places in the New Territories and outlying islands where you could live more cheaply. There are universities out in the Sha Tin and Sai King areas as well, so you do not have to tie yourselves to HKU. Even someplace like Discovery Bay would be a bit cheaper for rent. With the excellent and inexpensive public transport in Hong Kong, you can get around easily. You do not need a car (and most everyplace, from the grocery to the dry cleaner, delivers for free or a nominal charge.)
Geoexpat, mentioned above, does offer some rental options. Please bear in mind that unless you are prepared to pay US$3000 or more a month in rent, you will have a very small flat. Perfectly livable, but far smaller than you may be used to. For rents below about US$3,000 you are looking at something like 300-500 square feet, and with 2-3 bedrooms. One bedrooms and studios are very rare. On Hong Kong Island, even US$3000 will not get you a big flat in most parts of the island. You will get a bit more for your money and larger apartments in the New Territories or outlying islands. Also bear in mind that a relator will require that you pay half his fee, and the landlord pays the other. The fee is one months’ rent, so your half could be a few thousand dollars, depending on your rent.
My realtor is Habitat Property, see http://www.habitat-property.com. You can search by location and price, so you can get an idea. Manks Quarters always has some very interesting properties, many furnished try http://www.manksquarters.com/index.asp
You could also try the classified sections of the <i>South China Morning Post</i> (http://www.scmp.com/portal/site/SCMP/) and <i>The Standard</i> (http://www.thestandard.com.hk), the local English-language newspapers. They have on-line classifieds which may have short-term lets. See scmp.com
Serviced apartments are a good idea. They have a kitchen, and also you don’t have to go through a realtor. Try the serviced apartments at Two MacDonnell Road (at http://www.twomr.com.hk). They have a nice location near to Bowen Road, quiet, green (for Hong Kong) and close to a good walking flats walking path, and a grocery store across the street.
Try Oakwood, which is a US operator of serviced apartments which has several serviced facilities in Hong Kong, see http://www.oakwood.com.
There is a chain of serviced apartments with various locations on Hong Kong Island, some are small studios and some are 1800 square foot 2-bedrooms priced accordingly, take a look at http://www.thev.hk/. I don't know anything about this group or the quality of the apartments.
You could try something like vrbo.com, but the last time I looked, there were only a few apartments listed.
Jun 11th, 2014, 10:02 PM
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Wow, Jobin what an aggressive post. I thought it was only the European board where people got so personal. Normally I would not respond to just a post, bit I think it is important to clarify some of the errors in your post:
-Income tax is based on <i>income</i>, not employment. Income can be from many sources, including investments and inheritances. For example, if you own stock, you pay tax on dividends earned and capital gains made when the stock is sold (Hong Kong does not tax capital gains, dividends or inheritances, which is not typical of most other countries.) Retired people pay income tax based on income earned on their investments and pensions. If you think income tax is only based on income earned by a salary, you will have a surprise coming when you retire. In the US, people have to pay income tax on Social Security payments which they receive. A person on sabbatical is normally paid a salary by their employer, albeit reduced. As the OP says they do not have visa issue, I suspect that they will have a work permit sponsored by a local employer (like a University) and that the income paid to the OP will then be considered Hong Kong based. In addition, the OP may be planning on using investment income to pay for their year, which income could be taxable. It possible that some of the income earned by the OP during the sabbatical will not be considered “earned in Hong Kong” and may be except from taxation, but anyone planning on living in another country for a year needs to consider these issues and make sure they have the correct understanding. Many US citizens do not realize that their income earned while living outside the US is taxable in the US. This was the point of my post.
- Hong Kong income tax is assessed based on territory, not residence. People who travel a lot in a period may be able to exclude some income as being “non-Hong Kong located”, but travel does not exempt you from income tax if your income is Hong Kong based. Again, it possible that income earned by the OP during the sabbatical will not be considered “earned in Hong Kong” and may be except from taxation, but the OP would need to make sure that this is the case. That was the point of my post.
- I did not actually say that the food which I thought was “great’ was Cantonese. You probably should read my post more carefully. For people who have read my posts in the past, they would know that Cantonese is one of my least favorite cuisines. But there is lots of great food here of many cuisines.
-Income tax is based on <i>income</i>, not employment. Income can be from many sources, including investments and inheritances. For example, if you own stock, you pay tax on dividends earned and capital gains made when the stock is sold (Hong Kong does not tax capital gains, dividends or inheritances, which is not typical of most other countries.) Retired people pay income tax based on income earned on their investments and pensions. If you think income tax is only based on income earned by a salary, you will have a surprise coming when you retire. In the US, people have to pay income tax on Social Security payments which they receive. A person on sabbatical is normally paid a salary by their employer, albeit reduced. As the OP says they do not have visa issue, I suspect that they will have a work permit sponsored by a local employer (like a University) and that the income paid to the OP will then be considered Hong Kong based. In addition, the OP may be planning on using investment income to pay for their year, which income could be taxable. It possible that some of the income earned by the OP during the sabbatical will not be considered “earned in Hong Kong” and may be except from taxation, but anyone planning on living in another country for a year needs to consider these issues and make sure they have the correct understanding. Many US citizens do not realize that their income earned while living outside the US is taxable in the US. This was the point of my post.
- Hong Kong income tax is assessed based on territory, not residence. People who travel a lot in a period may be able to exclude some income as being “non-Hong Kong located”, but travel does not exempt you from income tax if your income is Hong Kong based. Again, it possible that income earned by the OP during the sabbatical will not be considered “earned in Hong Kong” and may be except from taxation, but the OP would need to make sure that this is the case. That was the point of my post.
- I did not actually say that the food which I thought was “great’ was Cantonese. You probably should read my post more carefully. For people who have read my posts in the past, they would know that Cantonese is one of my least favorite cuisines. But there is lots of great food here of many cuisines.
Jun 12th, 2014, 06:00 AM
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jobin you are out of line. I might just point out that cicerone is an attorney and a tax expert.
I wanted to comment earlier but held off. today I am unable to do that. in reading your posting history I see a theme: negative.
this forum has a history of civility and I feel you have crossed the line. this is not a personal attack but just a statement of fact.
I wanted to comment earlier but held off. today I am unable to do that. in reading your posting history I see a theme: negative.
this forum has a history of civility and I feel you have crossed the line. this is not a personal attack but just a statement of fact.
