Posted by
Moog
17 yrs ago
Coming to Hong Kong in July. Looking at what best area to settle. 2 adults & 2 teenage kids. Want to be near English schools. Ideas welcomed.
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It really depends a lot on your budget and what kind of lifestyle you want.
- South Side (Repulse Bay & Stanley) is pricey but has beaches and more green. Is "closer to downtown" than you might think.
- Midlevels and Happy Valley are urban living.
- The Peak is pricey and upscale but can be very humid.
- Pok Fu Lam and Cyberport are apartment living slightly outside town.
- Sai Kung for larger homes and greenery, but a long commute to downtown.
- Tai Tam/Red Hill is cheaper but also a longer commute.
- Any number of other areas that are less frequented by expats.
For English schools on the Island it's typically not a problem. HK Island is geographically quite small. In fact apart from the New Territories HK is very "compact" compared to most other big cities. Distances are short.
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cd
17 yrs ago
Definately Clearwater Bay or Sai Kung. King George 5th (KGV) school for your kids in Kowloon City. Hundreds of kids from this area go there. Nice, laid back lifestlye, very large expat community. Good shopping in Sai Kung, and good restaurants. Close to beaches, and great hiking trails. Lots of teenagers meet up in Sai Kung regularly to play football and basketballetc.
4 bedroomed houses from around $35k.
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cd
17 yrs ago
Also, I'm generalising a bit, but from what I can see South side is most popular with American expats, while Sai Kung is most popular with English/Australian and kiwis.
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Also loads of french on the South Side.
"Definately Clearwater Bay or Sai Kung."
I think it really depends on personal preference. And personally, I find those places too far away from "downtown". But hey, different strokes.
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cd
17 yrs ago
Its a 30 min drive for me to get to Central, and is approx 12 miles, hardly the middle of nowhere. But then we don't often have to go into Central....
Hard to believe I know, but not everyone works on the Island.
To OP, it would help people to know where you will be working, and what kind of lifestyle you want. For me, I have lived around Sha Tin, and in Jordan, but much prefer where we are now. I love the community feel of Sai Kung, and the laid back atmosphere (I've heard we're known as the flip flop brigade from some people), I like the fact that you can go into certain restaurants and be known by your name, and the personal service in the smaller shops and supermarket, and the fact that whenever you go into the village you'll always see someone you know. Or that you can be at the beach in 15 mins, or at the top of a hill looking down on an amazing view.
Some people prefer living in town. Each to their own.
So maybe be a bit more specific in you requirements like axpatguy says, lifestyle, housing budget, size of house, or if you'd rather a flt etc, place of work.
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Agreed that place of work (and schools) make a big diff.
"Its a 30 min drive for me to get to Central, and is approx 12 miles, hardly the middle of nowhere. But then we don't often have to go into Central...."
I never said it was the middle of nowhere. I just said that I found it too far for me. ;)
"I like the fact that you can go into certain restaurants and be known by your name, and the personal service in the smaller shops and supermarket, and the fact that whenever you go into the village you'll always see someone you know."
I get all that in Repulse Bay. ;)
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Moog
17 yrs ago
Hi, great advice, keep it coming !!! We live in countryside in UK at moment so whilst appreciate HK is massive difference in lifestyle, rural settling, community, open spaces, house or low rise accommodation would be ideal. Happy to travel into "Town" when needed. Not priority for us, although be good to have good environment with things going on so kids can make friends and hang out and adults can meet new people/friends. My job involves travel globally so would want wife and kids to be happy in friendly environment/community. My office will be in Kwai Hing which is a nightmare to get to, however, living environment and right school is priority. I don't mind the commute to office. Might give me a reason to buy a motorbike ( comments on biking in HK welcomed). Regarding budget, not sure yet as haven't had details so again would welcome idea of budget to gain 4bed (2k sqft place) in the area so I can use this to negotiate right deal. Thanks for all advice so far and welcome further comments.
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I would agree with cara that you might look at Sai Kung.
"Not priority for us, although be good to have good environment with things going on so kids can make friends and hang out and adults can meet new people/friends."
If you find a nice lowrise/townhouse/house complex you will find that there are plenty of kids around. This is not quite the case in high-rises.
We live in a townhouse place in Repulse Bay and there are about 100 kids here from 0-15. Always playmates around, kids biking and playing in the playground. The "helper mafia" ensures kids have plenty of opportunities to play together.
"Might give me a reason to buy a motorbike ( comments on biking in HK welcomed)."
Many people do it. Traffic can be intense but is relatively "benign" compared to London or Rome. Very regulated traffic system and a preponderance of "defensive" driving.
"egarding budget, not sure yet as haven't had details so again would welcome idea of budget to gain 4bed (2k sqft place) in the area so I can use this to negotiate right deal."
In the most expensive areas, you'd be looking at 120k plus a month for four beds in low rise/townhouse.
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cd
17 yrs ago
In Sai Kung/Clearwater Bay you're looking at anything from $30k - $100k for 4 bedrooms.
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I am with Cara and cd on this - Sai Kung/Clearwater Bay is a great community - go to Steamers and you will meet as many people as you can handle - put the kids in KGV or Renaissance (or Clearwater Bay if they are younger) and they will have all thier school mates around them at home + school buses run to most areas. There are sports teams they can join if they are into that. Go to The Studio (fitness classes) to work out and meet other ladiesor join the school PTA and meet the other mums or join one of the yacht clubs whatever your preference.
HK in general is pretty chilled and it is especially so in Sai Kung, new people are welcomed and invited out and about. We are all in the same boat, away from family and the friends that we grew up with, so less clicky - although there is cliquey-ness in its own way. I commute to Central everyday and its a bit of a drive, but much much less than I used to do in UK and the benefit of getting back to the green & blue of Sai Kung, so soak up a cool drink (or several) in the warm summer air is worth it every time.
I am not a fan of bikes - too many less than careful drivers on the road, but in Sai Kung we have an expat motorbike repair guy - another place to have a beer and meet people - or an expat car garage where there is always someone to have a chat and usually a beer with. I think you are getting the gist that there is always a place to meet people and have a drink if you are up for it
I would suggest you check out some of the housing complexes - many to choose from around said kung - Jade Villas and that area, Floral Villa's a bit further out rather than a village if its your first time out here - there are many expats living there and families like your own for instant friends.
And HK has a fantastic and relatively inexpensive taxi service, which will deliver you to any part of the island for a day or night excursion and even bring you back! They seem to speak fluent drunk too - which is quite handy!
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Moog
17 yrs ago
Thanks all. Coming out with family in couple of weeks. Will try and fix school visits. Are there any property agents worth contacting in Sai Kung/Clearwater and Repulse Bay that you'd recommend? Thx.
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There are two big estate agent offices in Repulse Bay, near the top of South Bay Road. However I think you should get one agent that covers at least the whole Island.
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My husband's office is in Kwai hing and we live in Tung Chung. Easy to travel to anyway in HK. Maybe worth looking at Tung Chung or the sorrounding at Lantai Island, example, Tong Fok, Mui Wo.
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Moog
17 yrs ago
Do you have any thoughts on Pokfulam as an area?
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I've never really understood the charm of Pok Fu Lam. Sure, the views are great and it's pretty close to Central, but it just seems to be this long strip hugging the slope, with complexes strung out as islands.
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