Housing
The right home, on your terms — without the agent games.
Independent housing search across Shanghai — serviced apartments, long-term homes, and family villas, plus buy-and-sell advisory. Curated shortlists, accompanied viewings, negotiation and lease review. We take no landlord commissions.
The Shanghai apartment problem
The listing isn’t the unit. The agent isn’t your friend.
Listings are duplicated, photos are stale, and the same unit shows up at three prices on three platforms. Agents earn a commission that scales with the rent and lands when you sign, so their incentive is to close — not to find your fit.
Lease terms surprise foreigners: 3+1 or 6+1 rent payment structures, fapiao gaps, vague repair clauses, deposit holds you can’t recover.
We work for you. The landlord is the other side of the table.
What’s included
The same hands-on search — whatever you’re looking for.
Pricing quoted after the briefing call so the scope matches your move.
- 01Briefing call — Budget, neighborhoods, school commute, lifestyle, must-haves and red lines.
- 02Curated shortlist — Five to eight units that actually fit, with notes on tradeoffs and risks.
- 03Accompanied viewings — In person or by video. We translate, ask questions, read the room.
- 04Negotiation support — Rent, term, fapiao, deposit structure, repairs, agent fee.
- 05Lease review — A plain-English read of your contract before you sign.
Housing
Priced by the home you’re after.
Serviced Apartment
Area-fit advice, a curated shortlist, viewings, and a negotiated lease and handover for a furnished serviced flat.
- 50% credited toward a long-term search if you go on to rent with us
- A soft landing while you learn the city
Most chosen
Long-term — Apartment
The full search — shortlist, viewings, negotiation, lease review, utilities and move-in — for your unfurnished or semi-furnished home.
- We take no landlord or agent commission
- Built around your school or office anchor
Long-term — Villa / House
The same independent search for larger family homes — the compounds and lane houses near the international schools.
- Family-sized homes and school-cluster areas
- Buying or selling instead? Advisory on request
Independent advice — our only fee is the one quoted here; we take no commission from landlords or agents. Deposits and official fees aren’t included. Buying or selling a home? We advise on the process and represent your side — ask for a quote.
Neighborhoods we cover
Where to live, and why.
Former French Concession
Tree-lined streets, lane houses, walkable cafés. Best for couples and small families.
Jing’an
Central, polished, premium high-rises. Strong commute to most office districts.
Jinqiao (Pudong)
Compound living, big international school cluster, family-first.
Lujiazui (Pudong)
Skyline-facing high-rises. Convenient for finance and consulting commutes.
Gubei (Hongqiao)
Established expat density, Korean and Japanese family communities, school access.
Xintiandi / Huangpu
Lifestyle-heavy, restaurant-dense. Best for professionals without school commutes.
What we won’t do
The lines we don’t cross.
- Pocket landlord commissions
- Push you into compounds because they pay agents
- Speed-rush you into a lease to close the month
- Hide unit history, fapiao gaps, or known building issues
How it works
From first briefing to keys in hand.
- 01
Briefing
A 30-minute call. Budget, school or office anchor, neighborhood priorities, deal-breakers.
- 02
Shortlist & viewings
A curated shortlist, then viewings — in person or by video — as the right options come up. A serviced flat comes together quickly; a long-term home or villa takes as long as the right fit needs.
- 03
Negotiation & lease
We negotiate terms, review the lease, and walk you through the signing.
Next chapter
A home is one part of settling in.
The right apartment matters, but so do the routines, relationships and local understanding that make the city around it feel manageable.
Why our shortlists are different
Six Chinese cities lived in, before any apartment was selected for someone else.
That neighborhood read comes from Amir — who was born in Chongqing, raised in Xiamen — with stints from Quanzhou to Changsha — and has called Shanghai home for 15 years. Not from listings; from years of walking the lanes, riding the subways, and paying the rent and the fees the way you’re about to.
helloChina is a mother-and-daughter team: Amir on the ground and the one you’ll deal with, and her mother Lisa — who raised three children through every kind of school here and abroad — as the lived experience behind every call.
It’s also the point of helloChina — helping newcomers rediscover a Shanghai that’s better than its reputation, starting with the right corner of it to call home.
Independent. Paid by clients only. Honest about what we know — and what we don’t.
Common questions
Before you book a call.
Do you charge the landlord?
No. You pay us directly. We don’t accept landlord commissions, agent splits, or building referral fees.
Can you help if I’m not in Shanghai yet?
Yes. Most of our clients are still abroad. Viewings happen by video, and we coordinate keys and handover for arrival.
What if I already have a school chosen?
Even better. We optimize your shortlist around the school commute and pickup logistics from day one.
Do you help with utilities and setup?
We coordinate utility transfers, internet, and basic setup vendors. Furniture and full household setup are part of the Full Relocation package.
How long does it take?
It depends on the home. A serviced-apartment landing pad can be sorted in about a week. A long-term apartment moves at the pace of your requirements and shortlist; a villa or house, with fewer options and more to weigh, usually takes longer. We move as fast as the right fit allows — never faster.
What does it cost?
It depends on the home. A serviced-apartment landing pad is $550 — half of it credited toward a long-term search if you go on to rent with us. A long-term apartment search is $2,850; a villa or house is $3,800. Buying or selling is advised case by case — ask for a quote. The full breakdown is on our Pricing page.
Tell us your budget, your home type, and your move date.
We’ll come back with a curated shortlist and a clear path to keys.