Dear all,
my wife and little daughter are thinking of moving to Kunming. Currently we live in Kampala, Uganda, in a nice house with a garden.
All I see is apartments for rent. Is it possible to rent a house+garden in Kunming? if so, how and where :-)? Thanks very much!
There are houses, but they tend to be expensive and not very close to the city center. I've seen quite a few listed on km.58.com. Unfortunately, there's not enough of a foreign market for the site to be in English.
Houses on the market tend to be around the Expo Garden and around Dianchi Lake.
Some other options...
First, there are some apartments with big terraces or roof gardens, often huge roof-top spaces that were simply forgotten about in design. These can be surprisingly private and comfortable, particularly if you have a bit of a green thumb.
Second, many of the newer housing complexes in the city have extensive gardens featuring moving water features, large transplanted and well established trees and other foliage. An apartment looking out on to an area such as this (shared with neighbours) may check enough of the private garden boxes for you. These areas usually have 24 hour security guard patrols and video security systems and are typically of a higher socio-economic bent and very safe.
Third, if you are planning to get a car you could consider living outside the city proper in nearby villages, for example to the north west. While a typical in-to-city commute may now top 1 hour, there are locations that would be perhaps less and such a position gives you a lot more access to nature, better air, the chance to see a different side of Chinese society and often significantly cheaper living.
Thanks for this! any idea if these apartments with terraces are available in e.g Xishan district, Kaiyuan or
Beichen? How can I get in touch with a real estate agent?
Along Guandu Road in the south of Kunming are condo-like complexes with small yards, which should fit your needs, assuming the yard hasn't been concreted over. The rooftop terraces are great - but with kids like monkeys - you may want to reconsider the risk. My kids climb EVERYTHING in sight - both inside the home and outside. I'd rather have them fall out of a tree (probably survivable) than fall off a rooftop (low probability of survivability).
Homes/duplexes with yards (aka parking) are NOT cheap to rent or buy - so if you're an English school teacher - you can pretty much forget it.
@HFCAMPO just bought his own stand-alone house on the edge of town - but you'll have to commute by e-bike, bus, taxi (good luck with that) or car if you're working inside the city.
The city's actually not that big - but the traffic is nevertheless atrocious.
Line 3 of the subway will be completed by late 2015 or early 2016. This subway line can connect you to most anywhere becuase it intersects with lines 1 and 2. Right now I am 30 minute bus ride from downtown - although I have no reason to go there. When the subway line opens it will be much better as there are 2 subways stations at either side of my home.
I have lived in Pan Long, Wu Hua, and Xi Shan District over the last 12 years and I like Xi Shan best of all. Air quality, convenience to downtown area, easy access to Dali buses and layout of this district. I would never live in Guandu or Cheng Gong.
Correction to what Laotou stated, I am in a 5 storey bldg - a stand alone home is called a villa here and costs a pretty penny - many villas also resemble a duplex and are not really stand alone.
Like all things in China, they are becoming more western every day. Many gated communites here have many restrictions like in the USA. Example: I know someone who lives in the villas next to Expo Park. They can not use the regular solar water heaters that cost 3000 RMB. They must use some solar crap that costs a pretty penny and also needs electricity.
Lots of empty villas in south. I guess 8k per month can get you one?
The villas next to Dianchi were actually built in the lake. The area was covered over and then immediately began building on top. Since then settling has taken place and they are sinking - Haha!
thanks guys! All I need now is to find a good real estate agent ;-). I think I'll get back to you when I'll be in Kunming, for some work and to check things out...!
