Once you decide to come to Shanghai, one of the first things you need to get sorted out is your housing situation. Choosing the right place to live can make all the difference and determine whether your stay in Shanghai will be successful and as least stressful as possible.

Many companies choose to send their expatriate to China on a so-called look/see trip or familiarization trip where you will a first hand chance to experience the country before you make the decision to move here or not. It not only gives you the chance to find the best possible home here but also to get a good understanding of the other criteria that are important for you family such as schools, medical facilities and sports activities to mention a few.

The housing situation in Shanghai has definitely improved dramatically over the past decade. Several years ago the quality housing situation for foreigners in Shanghai was very poor and people would live in the hotel and be signed up on a waiting list for months for a small 2-3 bedroom service apartment! In 1996-97 thousands of new houses and apartment blocks were completed and this radically changed the picture, much to the relief of Shanghai’s expatriate community. This development is continuing in the 21st century

Where previously there was only one villa complex considered to be up to Western standards now there are scores such as Green Villa, Emerald, Seasons Villa, Le Chateau (pictured on the left) and Xijiao Guesthouse to mention a few. New apartment complexes are also popping up all over Shanghai giving you more locations to choose from, depending on work location, budgets and other preferences. Below we will give you a brief description of the major choices you have in choosing the kind of housing that will suit your needs.

Full-service villas. These are obviously the first choice for those that have a housing budget to choose so. The villas come complete furnished to your requirements with high quality furniture and appliances – you just to bring your clothes here and you can move directly in without any prior preparations. Many of them have a variety of facilities for the whole family such as indoor and outdoor pools, tennis, gyms, playgrounds for the kids and onsite restaurants. Some can furthermore offer cleaning services.

Standard villas. These you rent just as you would a house back in your native country. Here you supply your own ayi (domestic helper), you are sometimes responsible for the upkeep and although there is usually a shuttle bus service it is often not frequent and sometimes unreliable. There most likely sports facilities and clubhouses within the compound, the range of offerings varying greatly.

The older villas. The original and charming way to reside in Shanghai for many but you have to be willing to make substantial sacrifices for living in old house. Unless top-renovated, many of these houses have issues as such mildew and power shortage. For those villas that have been completely renovated, the prices are sky-high but then you also get a private garden in downtown Shanghai and a superb house with rooms for parties that can bring back memories from the 1930s heydays.

The lane housing. Lanes shoot off in every direction from the major thoroughfares in Shanghai and once you get away from the busy streets you are in an entirely different world, one of calm and quiet. (Granted, the latter depends somewhat on the nature of the lane and the sophistication of its inhabitants.) Villas or duplexes line both sides of the lane and sometimes there are small apartment houses tucked away at the far end. In the lanes you will sacrifice a bit of privacy, as your comings and goings will always be noted with interest by grannies and their changes; everyone else is at work. Here you have a real sense of community and you are truly living in China.

Luxury apartment blocks. There are many top-of-the-line apartment buildings in the city, erected by foreign or joint-venture companies. They meet the foreigners’ expectations and are usually filled with foreigners. They feature fitness centers, sports facilities, in-house shops and services, everything you have back in your own country.

Standard apartment dwellings. New apartment blocks are springing up like weeds to the point where one can be more selective. You pay for what you get so scout around and be sure that the bargain you are getting is really a bargain. Litigation between tenants and landlords is beginning to emerge as one of the offshoots of “misunderstandings” (if not downright misrepresentation). The facilities and services may be somewhat sketchy and the workmanship not all that you desire, as these buildings are being thrown up with alarming speed and shortcuts, but the range of choice is better than ever.

Living with or among the Chinese. Here you are truly mixing with the masses and this my be an option you wish to exercise only later, after you have perfected your Chinese language capability and have got a feel for what is involved in living a semi-Chinese lifestyle. As with many things Chinese this route is not for the faint of heart and a certain amount of hardihood is required.