HOW TO Find an Apartment in Beijing
Finding a place to live in Beijing is pretty easy even if you don’t speak Chinese. If you do have some Mandarin ability, it’s as easy as walking into the many real estate offices that are scattered around the city.
English apartment classifieds in Beijing
- The Beijinger. If you’re in the market for a new apartment, this should be one of your first stops. An especially great place to look if you don’t mind having a roommate. Local agents who post here usually speak good English.
- City Weekend is not as “happening” as the Beijinger housing listings but is still an important place to look.
- Craigslist Beijing doesn’t get that much traffic, but a lot of people who post there don’t cross-post at the other sites. This results in a lot less “competition” for housing.
Chinese apartment listings
- Ganji is a Craigslist-like classifieds site with a fairly active housing section.
- Anjuke is a real-estate listings website that puts you in touch with agents.
In Beijing, standard practice is to pay 3 month’s rent in advance along with a 1 month deposit. So if you’re looking for a place, be ready to fork out 4 month’s worth of rent when you move in.
As for agency fees, it all depends on the situation. Sometimes the landlord pays the agent, sometimes you have to pay the agent.
Depending on what visa you have, you might need a Temporary Residence Permit.
