Why you should use a real estate agent in Shanghai
A great apartment in central Shanghai.
When it’s time to find a more permanent housing and rental apartment in China, the process differs between the larger and smaller cities. Overall, one can say that there are two different ways to look for apartments, either with the help of a real estate agent or through online ads.
If you want to use a real estate agent (which I really recommend), you can start the house searching from your home country – there is no need to be in China before you actually want to see the house. I would recommend to contact the real estate agency four or five days before you arrive Shanghai.
The first thing you must do is to decide which area you want to live, how big the apartment must be, if the apartment will be furnished and what your budget is. Then it is just to go out and look. However, remember not to be too quick in choosing an apartment.
Only choose an apartment that you are 100 % sure that you want to live in during your stay in Shanghai.
This is why you should choose a real estate agent
To go through an agent saves time because the agent can show you several apartments at the same time. You may also help with all the paperwork and contact with the landlord. To look apartment with an agent is totally free and you have no compulsion to choose any of the shown apartments.
You’ll find the agents both through advertisements on the internet and in their office which you will find in each and every other street corner. Look for small cubbyhole with ads of apartments that are rented out and can be purchased.
Contact us – we find a real estate agent for you
If you contact us (please fill out the contact form for a quick response) we can provide you with a good real estate agent that is both English-speaking and cover 97 % of the Shanghainese real estate market.
Please specify budget, where you want to live and other facilities that are important for you.
NOTE: There are some stories on the internet about agents who have been duped, etc. Do a Google search to see if your specific agent is labeled there. Generally speaking, it is usually not a problem. Most of the big companies will provide English speaking staff, but not everyone have the contacts to give a lot of alternatives for expats.
