Moving to HK with New born twins - Need advice where to live!
- Thread starter phil993
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nicolejoy
Registered User
If that were my budget/requirements, I might look around Taikoo Shing or Sai Wan Ho area - estates like Grand Promenade or Les Saisons for example. Although it is a little further from Central, if that is important to you. But it's very close to Quarry Bay and quite convenient as well.
How important is being close to the MTR to you? Because there are many places up the hill a bit which would fit your requirements - some on North Point Hill (such as Pacific Palisades) but I find that once you're up the hill, many times the proximity to shops is not so good - although since you're higher, the light will be better. There are also places up the hill in Tai Hung, Wan Chai or even Central Mid Levels - but as you go further west, the commute times increase.
You can search on http://www.hongkonghomes.com for some more ideas
How important is being close to the MTR to you? Because there are many places up the hill a bit which would fit your requirements - some on North Point Hill (such as Pacific Palisades) but I find that once you're up the hill, many times the proximity to shops is not so good - although since you're higher, the light will be better. There are also places up the hill in Tai Hung, Wan Chai or even Central Mid Levels - but as you go further west, the commute times increase.
You can search on http://www.hongkonghomes.com for some more ideas
I live in Tai Tam (near Stanley) and it's a quick 15-20 minute commute to Quarry Bay. The area is not MTR accessible, but many of the estates around here such as Pacific View, Redhill Peninsula and Manhattan provide free shuttle buses regularly to MTR stations. Tai Tam or even Stanley is nice because it feels suburban and takes you completely out of the city if you ever need refuge from busy HK. With your budget, you could easily find a spacious 2-3 bedroom apartment with sea view and club house facilities.
Additionally, if you plan to drive at all, then the commute can become quite easy. I never hit any traffic going from Tai Tam/Stanley into Eastern HK.
Additionally, if you plan to drive at all, then the commute can become quite easy. I never hit any traffic going from Tai Tam/Stanley into Eastern HK.
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Or Clearwater Bay is lovely. Some areas are 30 minutes by car to Quarry Bay or if you live near Hang Hau you can jump on the MTR and it is only 15 minutes or so. You'd get much more space there for your money, and lovely scenery. Not sure about the 'modern building w/pool' though.
If not I second evgreen. I used to live in Shek O (further than Tai Tam) and commute to Quarry Bay. Used to take me 20-30 minutes (by car).
If not I second evgreen. I used to live in Shek O (further than Tai Tam) and commute to Quarry Bay. Used to take me 20-30 minutes (by car).
I've been looking tonight at the Stanley area, as evgreen mentioned. It looks really nice, with a village atmosphere.
But I am not sure we can get a 3 bed place here on our budget?
Seems to be a nice area where we can push a pram around, with some cafes/bars etc.
I know there is no MTR here - do buses run from here or do people drive/taxi to central?
Thanks for your all your time to respond!
But I am not sure we can get a 3 bed place here on our budget?
Seems to be a nice area where we can push a pram around, with some cafes/bars etc.
I know there is no MTR here - do buses run from here or do people drive/taxi to central?
Thanks for your all your time to respond!
Stanley is lovely. A great supermarket, good bars and restaurants. You might be able to find something on your budget but you'll have to search I suspect. It is a really nice place though. Buses run from Stanley. Taxis will too, but it can be tough to get a taxi in Hong Kong at certain times. If I were you I would definitely get a car. Especially if you have two little ones. It'll be much more convenient and a lot safer also.
Public transport from Stanley is ultra convenient. Several bus routes available going to Causeway Bay, Chai Wan, Central and Aberdeen. I would look into Stanford Villa in Stanley if you're looking at a 3 bedroom on your budget. There is a gym and pool on the property. Some apartment units there even have patios/rooftops available. I used to live there with my husband and it's an easy walk to several restaurants, 7-11, supermarket and even the beach.
howardcoombs
Registered User
Ummm, unless you are at the beginning of the ride, minibuses get full very quickly coming out of Stanley. In fact:
1) without a car, living anywhere in the southside is not particularly convenient for rush hour commute or even for popping out for errands in mid day
2) with a car, you have the issues of running a car on Hong Kong which are numerous.
Without actually being here, you wont know what you will like and what your family will tolerate. You are lucky that you have a fairly generous budget. I would suggest you come and stay somewhere temporary for a month or 2 before deciding.
I would recommend QuarryBay/Taikoo (walking distance) followed by Shaukeiwan and SiuSaiWan (15 mins). Shops, MTR with pools and seaviews. Ticks all the boxes.
Clearwaterbay, ShekO, Stanley, TaiTam are all beautiful areas but every single one of them has traffic issues as they are on single lane (each way) roads. One small accident and you are stuck for a while. That sucks when you have to get to work quickly.
When you do come here, also consider Happy Valley. Its a happy place, will tick all boxes except for the seaview and makes a very centrally located place that is convenient to everywhere.
1) without a car, living anywhere in the southside is not particularly convenient for rush hour commute or even for popping out for errands in mid day
2) with a car, you have the issues of running a car on Hong Kong which are numerous.
Without actually being here, you wont know what you will like and what your family will tolerate. You are lucky that you have a fairly generous budget. I would suggest you come and stay somewhere temporary for a month or 2 before deciding.
I would recommend QuarryBay/Taikoo (walking distance) followed by Shaukeiwan and SiuSaiWan (15 mins). Shops, MTR with pools and seaviews. Ticks all the boxes.
Clearwaterbay, ShekO, Stanley, TaiTam are all beautiful areas but every single one of them has traffic issues as they are on single lane (each way) roads. One small accident and you are stuck for a while. That sucks when you have to get to work quickly.
When you do come here, also consider Happy Valley. Its a happy place, will tick all boxes except for the seaview and makes a very centrally located place that is convenient to everywhere.
nicolejoy
Registered User
I have to agree with HC - I rarely go to the southside and have found it to be SUCH a pain from North Point (just one stop away from Quarry Bay). Public transport is sloooowww - and there are often traffic jams if you go by taxi. It seems like there are always two heavy vehicles on the road at the dam, and one of them has to reverse the entire way 
One time we were stuck there in one spot for about 20 minutes just waiting for these two trucks to figure out who was going to give way to who. I love the area, I think it's gorgeous - but if I had to work every day on this side of the island, I'd probably give it a miss... there are plenty of options which are WAY more convenient.
One time we were stuck there in one spot for about 20 minutes just waiting for these two trucks to figure out who was going to give way to who. I love the area, I think it's gorgeous - but if I had to work every day on this side of the island, I'd probably give it a miss... there are plenty of options which are WAY more convenient.Congrats on your upcoming move! I second evgreen on Stanley/Tai Tam as a lovely place to live.
In all honesty, everyone has different requirements, preferences and deal breakers with regards to areas to live. It's hard to gauge from afar, so take your time to find the right area. Suggest a serviced apartment for the first few weeks to allow yourself some time to check the various areas out.
I find that a good property agent makes a huge difference - not to generalize but a newcomer to HK is often shocked at the state of HK rental apartments ( they can be very old and basic, circa 1970s or cookie cutter tiny in newer
developments) so finding the right agent to show you round makes things easier.
Take a look at Habitat-Property.com - they cater to the Expat market and focus on a few select areas in HK. The budget that you've indicated throws up quite a few nice options in Stanley, so worth giving them a shout. And no, I'm not affiliated in any way to Habitat! Just been here long enough and find their services useful and spot on for "a typical Expat".
re Stanley/Tai Tam - it's on the Southside of the island so very low density, great sea views, beaches and a very relaxed way of life compared to the hustle and bustle that is HK. Great for families as a result.
Getting to Quarry Bay is not bad as you're going against traffic, although yes, if you're trying to get to Central, I can see why others would consider it a distance but it's still only at best 40mins in lousy traffic. And coming from London, i guess that is not so bad, no?
All the best for your move!
In all honesty, everyone has different requirements, preferences and deal breakers with regards to areas to live. It's hard to gauge from afar, so take your time to find the right area. Suggest a serviced apartment for the first few weeks to allow yourself some time to check the various areas out.
I find that a good property agent makes a huge difference - not to generalize but a newcomer to HK is often shocked at the state of HK rental apartments ( they can be very old and basic, circa 1970s or cookie cutter tiny in newer
developments) so finding the right agent to show you round makes things easier.
Take a look at Habitat-Property.com - they cater to the Expat market and focus on a few select areas in HK. The budget that you've indicated throws up quite a few nice options in Stanley, so worth giving them a shout. And no, I'm not affiliated in any way to Habitat! Just been here long enough and find their services useful and spot on for "a typical Expat".
re Stanley/Tai Tam - it's on the Southside of the island so very low density, great sea views, beaches and a very relaxed way of life compared to the hustle and bustle that is HK. Great for families as a result.
Getting to Quarry Bay is not bad as you're going against traffic, although yes, if you're trying to get to Central, I can see why others would consider it a distance but it's still only at best 40mins in lousy traffic. And coming from London, i guess that is not so bad, no?
All the best for your move!
I am a mother of twins and moved to HK nearly 3 years ago from the States. We decided on Tai Tam. Our budget was little higher, and we were looking for a 4-bedroom since I have an older child as well. But in the $50-$62k range you definitely have options in Tai Tam and Stanley. The minibus to Chai Wan takes about 10 minutes and from there you hop on the MTR to wherever you want to go on the east side of Hong Kong. The Manhattan has a shuttle bus to Quarry Bay for people who work there in the morning and afternoon. You should be able to get a 3-bedroom there though they usually have a waiting list. Plenty of facilities including playground, indoor playroom, plenty of kids (plenty of twins!) and close to Stanley which is just nice and easy. Traffic is not great but certainly not bad, especially if you go eastbound via Chai Wan. Yes, minibusses at certain times of day (morning and late afternoon rush hour + weekends can be bad, but the rest is definitely NO problem). Shouldn't take you more than 25-30 minutes to Quarry Bay.
However, quite a few nice buildings on the eastside as well. Overall, smaller possibly than what you can get on the southside and not necessarily cheaper per sqft. A few buildings were mentioned. Northpoint Midlevels (like Pacific Palisades) has some nice buildings too, but everybody is living "closer together". From my experience, most twin mothers live in Midlevels (start in Midlevels) then move on to South Side, Clear Water Bay area, etc. Also quite a few in DB.
Check out the Mothers of Multiples in Hong Kong website: www.moms-hongkong.com. The new membership year starts in September and it's been great especially in the early months / years when we got here and they were still little (20 months when we arrived).
HTH.
However, quite a few nice buildings on the eastside as well. Overall, smaller possibly than what you can get on the southside and not necessarily cheaper per sqft. A few buildings were mentioned. Northpoint Midlevels (like Pacific Palisades) has some nice buildings too, but everybody is living "closer together". From my experience, most twin mothers live in Midlevels (start in Midlevels) then move on to South Side, Clear Water Bay area, etc. Also quite a few in DB.
Check out the Mothers of Multiples in Hong Kong website: www.moms-hongkong.com. The new membership year starts in September and it's been great especially in the early months / years when we got here and they were still little (20 months when we arrived).
HTH.
@ Phil -- If you're coming from London, HK's commutes will be way faster, cheaper and easier than what you're probably used to. We've very spoiled here.
People who live in Central / Midlevels talk about Quarry Bay or Kowloon as if they are on the other sides of the earth, but they're usually no more than 15-20 min by taxi, and 30 min by MTR. I work near QB and live in Kowloon -- on the OTHER side of town -- and I can cab it home in 20-25 minutes barring horrific traffic.
Much of HK is within a half-hour of QB -- just about all of the downtown areas of HK Island, as well as much of the South Side.
Your budget will go a long way in Quarry Bay / North Point -- you can probably get a 1,500-sq-ft flat in one of the nicer towers, like Grand Promenade, which has a seaview and clubhouse. (Not sure about pool, but you can ask).
Quarry Bay is not quite downtown, but there are certainly enough restaurants / shops in the Tai Koo complex. (Plus, as I said, it's not like Central is very far by London standards.) North Point is a bit more local, with fewer Westernized shops / restaurants.
The South Side is on the beach and more suburban / residential -- more expat-y, more green space, etc. Though you'll probably get a little less space for the same price.
Have you considered moving into a serviced apartment for the 1st month to take a look around? Some of my colleagues have stayed at the Harbour Grand complex, which is fully furnished. You can then do a better flat search from there.
People who live in Central / Midlevels talk about Quarry Bay or Kowloon as if they are on the other sides of the earth, but they're usually no more than 15-20 min by taxi, and 30 min by MTR. I work near QB and live in Kowloon -- on the OTHER side of town -- and I can cab it home in 20-25 minutes barring horrific traffic.
Much of HK is within a half-hour of QB -- just about all of the downtown areas of HK Island, as well as much of the South Side.
Your budget will go a long way in Quarry Bay / North Point -- you can probably get a 1,500-sq-ft flat in one of the nicer towers, like Grand Promenade, which has a seaview and clubhouse. (Not sure about pool, but you can ask).
Quarry Bay is not quite downtown, but there are certainly enough restaurants / shops in the Tai Koo complex. (Plus, as I said, it's not like Central is very far by London standards.) North Point is a bit more local, with fewer Westernized shops / restaurants.
The South Side is on the beach and more suburban / residential -- more expat-y, more green space, etc. Though you'll probably get a little less space for the same price.
Have you considered moving into a serviced apartment for the 1st month to take a look around? Some of my colleagues have stayed at the Harbour Grand complex, which is fully furnished. You can then do a better flat search from there.
balletangel
Registered User
Rental is rocket high these days in Hong Kong. Not sure how big of a place you are looking for? For suggested budget and requirements, you can consider the following:
- Taikoo Shing (very convenient - MTR, bus, any public transportation you can name of). Only 10 mins from Quarry Bay. A large shopping mall to shop your everyday needs. Swimming pool accessible.
- North Point Hill (residential area, no close by shopping but nice and quiet neighborhood). About 15 - 20 mins taxi ride to and from Quarry Bay. International nearby
- Taikoo Shing (very convenient - MTR, bus, any public transportation you can name of). Only 10 mins from Quarry Bay. A large shopping mall to shop your everyday needs. Swimming pool accessible.
- North Point Hill (residential area, no close by shopping but nice and quiet neighborhood). About 15 - 20 mins taxi ride to and from Quarry Bay. International nearby