Hello there,
I thought that I would provide some thoughts on looking for housing in HK last week.
We are moving to Hong Kong from New York at the end of March and were in Hong Kong last week scoping out housing and schools.
I have 2 children, 3.5 yrs and a 3 mth old, so this move is going to be painful. I am currently in a house that seems schizophrenic - things that CAN go to Hong Kong, things that have to stay in storage, things that have to be donated or trashed.
So here's a brief summary of places, schools and my thoughts on them (from the perspective of a mom of 2 kids who now has to stay at home in Hong Kong).
1. Baby daycares don't seem to exist in Hong Kong. In fact, until a child is 2 yrs, supervision is necessary for childcare programs. Puts my going back to work plans out a little further
2. Schools we visited have strict hygiene practices, which is comforting. One does have to get used to the smell of disinfectant for sure! Bilingual offerings range from daily to twice a week, and these tend to be in high demand.
3. Accommodation is indeed small. We expected to not be that surprised having lived in New York City apartments, but we certainly were. The bedrooms were the ones that threw us off. I have learned the concepts of "efficiency ratio" and that a room that can fit a king size bed ofter means a Hong Kong-sized king size bed, which according to the realtor is about 6 feet in length (or thereabouts).
4. Buildings that I visited based on our requirements of 3 bed, short (<25 min) commute to Central, and need for amenities were:
* The Belchers - I wanted to love the apartments here for its convenience. Supermarket and schools right on premise and a very short commute to Central and a strong Hong Kong local flavor. Alas, 2 of the 3 apartments that I saw had a serious case of mold that was pervasive through the apartment ceiling and walls. I do believe someone on the forum had posted about this before. I could not believe how widespread it was through the apartment. In my opinion, the problem is far deeper than the solution of repainting. With 2 very young kids, I definitely had to say no to these apartments.
* The Sail at Victoria - These were brand new apartments that were pretty, bright, reasonably sized rooms and had great views and just up the street from Kennedy Town commerce. There seems to be a cargo company at the base of the building (bottom of the hill) so lots of trucking and moving activity. Can't speak to whether noise would be an issue. The amenities were a little lacking for what I was looking for. A very small (but beautiful) pool for the whole building. The decks were nice, but again, small. I think this building would be ideal if I did not have kids. Playground was tiny - no slide, just one of those rocker thingabobs.
* Bel-Air on The Peak - There have been many postings about this development on the forums (thanks to all) so I was somewhat prepared for what I saw. Apartment bedrooms are small. I think for the smallest bedroom, after fitting a crib and changing table, it will be a tight fit. Having said that, the open views are valuable in stretching the eye out which will make the apartment seem bigger (something I learnt living in NYC apartments). In addition, the amenities are such a value-add! I am nervous about being a stay-at-home mom and need all the help I can find with respect to activities. Having also seen the community of kids playing after school on the grounds also means that friends will be easily made.
So, we decided on Bel-Air, however, have become victims of what I understand to be typical HK landlord behavior in recent flush times. Having put in an offer to rent at the asking price, the landlord has come back with an increase in rent. So we are playing the waiting game. I had hoped to secure accommodation before the move, so that I could move directly into the apartment (I hate moving), but I will settle for temporary accommodation instead.
Other thoughts:
Having seen apartments in Hong Kong has changed my moving plan. We have had to cull more things from the move to Hong Kong in favor of "Hong Kong sized" furniture in an effort to reclaim square footage. I would appreciate any suggestions on where I can get furniture (second-hand or otherwise), and/or recommendations on companies that can custom-make furniture. I looked into a couple in Wanchai, but they seem to base their pricing from Pottery Barn catalogues (pre-Recession), which is ridiculous. I don't know whether ShenZhen will be an option on account of kids tying me down in the first couple of months.
So many thanks to all who have contributed their thoughts on this forum in the past- it has been a great help. I hope my post will be helpful for those in my position (a newcomer planning a move).
My other questions are:
1. Is there a Target equivalent in Hong Kong where I can get everything I can possibly need at a reasonable price and under one roof? e.g. kids clothes, baby supplies, household goods, toiletries, etc.
2. Does anyone have recommendations on baby formula? My 3 mth old now subsists on Similac and I saw it available only in 1 supermarket and it of course was the priciest of the lot. Can I buy it in bulk? Same goes for diapers.
3. If you know of any helper who is experienced in taking care of 2 kids, newborn and up, please let me know. (Haha - I had to throw this in!)
I thought that I would provide some thoughts on looking for housing in HK last week.
We are moving to Hong Kong from New York at the end of March and were in Hong Kong last week scoping out housing and schools.
I have 2 children, 3.5 yrs and a 3 mth old, so this move is going to be painful. I am currently in a house that seems schizophrenic - things that CAN go to Hong Kong, things that have to stay in storage, things that have to be donated or trashed.
So here's a brief summary of places, schools and my thoughts on them (from the perspective of a mom of 2 kids who now has to stay at home in Hong Kong).
1. Baby daycares don't seem to exist in Hong Kong. In fact, until a child is 2 yrs, supervision is necessary for childcare programs. Puts my going back to work plans out a little further
2. Schools we visited have strict hygiene practices, which is comforting. One does have to get used to the smell of disinfectant for sure! Bilingual offerings range from daily to twice a week, and these tend to be in high demand.
3. Accommodation is indeed small. We expected to not be that surprised having lived in New York City apartments, but we certainly were. The bedrooms were the ones that threw us off. I have learned the concepts of "efficiency ratio" and that a room that can fit a king size bed ofter means a Hong Kong-sized king size bed, which according to the realtor is about 6 feet in length (or thereabouts).
4. Buildings that I visited based on our requirements of 3 bed, short (<25 min) commute to Central, and need for amenities were:
* The Belchers - I wanted to love the apartments here for its convenience. Supermarket and schools right on premise and a very short commute to Central and a strong Hong Kong local flavor. Alas, 2 of the 3 apartments that I saw had a serious case of mold that was pervasive through the apartment ceiling and walls. I do believe someone on the forum had posted about this before. I could not believe how widespread it was through the apartment. In my opinion, the problem is far deeper than the solution of repainting. With 2 very young kids, I definitely had to say no to these apartments.
* The Sail at Victoria - These were brand new apartments that were pretty, bright, reasonably sized rooms and had great views and just up the street from Kennedy Town commerce. There seems to be a cargo company at the base of the building (bottom of the hill) so lots of trucking and moving activity. Can't speak to whether noise would be an issue. The amenities were a little lacking for what I was looking for. A very small (but beautiful) pool for the whole building. The decks were nice, but again, small. I think this building would be ideal if I did not have kids. Playground was tiny - no slide, just one of those rocker thingabobs.
* Bel-Air on The Peak - There have been many postings about this development on the forums (thanks to all) so I was somewhat prepared for what I saw. Apartment bedrooms are small. I think for the smallest bedroom, after fitting a crib and changing table, it will be a tight fit. Having said that, the open views are valuable in stretching the eye out which will make the apartment seem bigger (something I learnt living in NYC apartments). In addition, the amenities are such a value-add! I am nervous about being a stay-at-home mom and need all the help I can find with respect to activities. Having also seen the community of kids playing after school on the grounds also means that friends will be easily made.
So, we decided on Bel-Air, however, have become victims of what I understand to be typical HK landlord behavior in recent flush times. Having put in an offer to rent at the asking price, the landlord has come back with an increase in rent. So we are playing the waiting game. I had hoped to secure accommodation before the move, so that I could move directly into the apartment (I hate moving), but I will settle for temporary accommodation instead.
Other thoughts:
Having seen apartments in Hong Kong has changed my moving plan. We have had to cull more things from the move to Hong Kong in favor of "Hong Kong sized" furniture in an effort to reclaim square footage. I would appreciate any suggestions on where I can get furniture (second-hand or otherwise), and/or recommendations on companies that can custom-make furniture. I looked into a couple in Wanchai, but they seem to base their pricing from Pottery Barn catalogues (pre-Recession), which is ridiculous. I don't know whether ShenZhen will be an option on account of kids tying me down in the first couple of months.
So many thanks to all who have contributed their thoughts on this forum in the past- it has been a great help. I hope my post will be helpful for those in my position (a newcomer planning a move).
My other questions are:
1. Is there a Target equivalent in Hong Kong where I can get everything I can possibly need at a reasonable price and under one roof? e.g. kids clothes, baby supplies, household goods, toiletries, etc.
2. Does anyone have recommendations on baby formula? My 3 mth old now subsists on Similac and I saw it available only in 1 supermarket and it of course was the priciest of the lot. Can I buy it in bulk? Same goes for diapers.
3. If you know of any helper who is experienced in taking care of 2 kids, newborn and up, please let me know. (Haha - I had to throw this in!)
