Amazing: Despite population density, tall building code allow for more living space than other Asian cities such as Tokyo, Hong Kong and Singapore. Standard 1 bedroom is about 60-85 sqm, 2 bedroom about 100-150 sqm, 3 bedroom 150 sqm up.
Awkward: Balcony and storage rooms are included in the living space calculation if you have them.
Amazing: Shanghainese apartments often come fully furnished. This typically includes beds, sofa, dining, desk, bookcase, etc etc. One of the popular slogans agents use is :"拎包入住“ which literally means, "Bring your suitcase and move right in!"
Awkward: If your dream place is fully decked out and you brought your own furniture. There is no such things as "temp storages" "warehouses" "mini-storage" in Shanghai, the city is packed enough and will not tolerate people storing their trash in expensive space. Solution: Kindly ask your landlord/ lady to move his/her stuff out if they can during negotiation, and be ready to accept a "no", since their ultimate option, should they choose to exercise it, is to move YOU out and another tenant in.
Amazing: New apartments often come with great indoor lighting ( standard during renovations), creative and decorative indoor walls, marble or hardwood floors, nice little touches such as big beds and chrome hardware, balconies.
Awkward: Some nice apartments are "nice" by Chinese Fengshui standards but not necessarily appealing to the foreign eye. Features include dark-wood floors, heavy dark cherry wood furniture, weird-looking wall paper, odd Feng-shui items your landlord will forbid you from removing such as an entire decorative ship made of jade and dead Sea-turtles.
Amazing: Flat-screen TVs are often standard equipment, so are granite counter tops and massage tubs.
Awkward: Be ready for tiny, tiny fridges and microwaves - Shanghainese have Ayis who do their daily grocery shopping at fresh markets and it's often considered "bad health" to eat leftovers. Washers with NO dryers are a pain in the a** during humid Spring/ Summer days. Drying cloth in-doors with air-con an saving grace as it could double-up as a humidifier. Use softeners liberally so your room smells good and your clothes stay huggable.
Amazing: Vigilant and watchful security staff at condo complexes that will question suspicious guys.
Awkward: If you are a guy without a property key card, you are suspicious. ( I had to pick up my painter / electrician / housing agent / uncle downstairs so many times already)
Amazing: Standard gas-heated hot water system a money-saver. (Less than $60 USD a month electricity bill during winter? Haven't seen that in years)
Awkward: Make sure the water heater in your apartment is big enough to run a very long shower in one go. Multitasking such as showering while doing hot water laundry can overload the system.
Amazing: Aircons that blow hot and cold for all seasons! I mean, really hot and really cold.
Awkward: Aircon dries your throat so use a humidifier. The room can still be somewhat hot and somewhat cold if you have stand-alone aircon units in each room, which is pretty standard in the city. Winters are notorious cold in Shanghai mostly due to lack of centralized heating in homes. Electrical blankets are useful.
Amazing: One-month rent for security deposit for everything included in the place, standard.
Awkward: Three-month rent payment up front, standard. Ouch.
Your Feng-Shui Ambassador: I'm great for your health, hazardous for mine
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