Over the last few years, Hong Kong has developed itself as one of the most expensive areas and the most crowded areas in the world. Apart from the skyscrapers, Honk Kong is also famous for its commerce. Thanks to the low tax, and the minimal interference of the government, Hong Kong has become one of the most important centers of trade in the entire world. Naturally, thousands of people come here for business. Apart from that, the number of tourists is not small either. Naturally, there is a huge demand for the good apartments in Hong Kong.

One of the reasons why the visitors prefer the Hong Kong apartments for rent is that these apartments are much cheaper than the hotels and other means of accommodations. There are several other benefits of these apartments as well. For example, there are apartments that come with the round the clock security systems and so on.

However, before making any choice, there are several factors that you need to check out. The first of them is of course the location of the apartment. This is very important factor and you must ensure that the apartment is located at a place that is convenient for you. Also, you have to see to it that the apartment has the all the requirements that you have. For example, it needs to have the adequate number of rooms, and the sufficient space. However, the price of the apartment is of course a very crucial thing to consider. Remember, the city is quite an expensive one. But, it is not impossible to find an apartment at a reasonable price.

Crucially, it is advisable to take the help of some genuine real estate agent. There are thousands of them out there in the market. But, you need to pick up the one that will provide you with the best service. An ideal agent will know all the available Hong Kong apartments for rent. So, when you get to them, they will ask you about your requirements and find you out the apartment that you have been looking for. They should consider your budget, your location as well as the facilities that you are looking for.

One way to find out such an apartment is to search through the internet. But, that can be cumbersome. After all, there are thousands of apartments available and you have very little practical knowledge about the city. So, there is every chance that your decision may not be the best.

Morocco is a very Western looking African nation, and one that has a strong international tourism sector which has resulted in an active real estate market to boot. This means that you have good choice when it comes to the type and price range of homes on offer. If you fancy Africa because of the climate and you have a passion for golf, perhaps you’ll be interested to know that for just 37,322 US dollars you can purchase a one-bedroom, brand new and fully furnished apartment within a golf apart-hotel on a complex that also boasts swimming pools and a bar and restaurant. Tunisia has been very slow to develop in terms of its international appeal. You can perhaps consider Tunisia to be a better kept secret than Morocco as a result, and bargains are easier to come by too. We’ve found a spacious 3-bedroom apartment less than a mile from Tunis that’s for sale direct from the owner for just 49,000 US dollars. The property also features 2 bathrooms and underground parking and it is within a gated and landscaped community. Egypt may well be a nation you’ve considered holidaying in, but perhaps one where you’d never considered living before? Well, the good news is that it’s a country increasing in sophistication, it has a Western outlook, and there are expatriate communities in and around the major cities and towns such as Cairo – the bad news is that property tends to be cheaper the further away you get from these centres of sophistication! But, following extensive searching we’ve managed to find a bargain in Cairo itself. A lesser-known location for excellent property bargains in Africa is the Cape Verde archipelago including the islands of Sal, Boa Vista, San Vincente, Maio and Santiago for example. On Maio there are brand new, beach-front bungalows for sale which are ideal for retirees. They are priced reasonably at 49,654 US dollars, and because they are not completed yet, you can have your say when it comes to the finishing touches of your home. Alternatively, if you want a completed property that’s ready to move in to. Malaysia offers it all – from fast paced, sophisticated city living in Kuala Lumpur, to a laid back beach-bum lifestyle on the coast. The country also has a retired persons incentive programme that’s worth checking out if you like the thought of being able to potentially reduce your tax burden when you retire! If you want sophistication when it comes to a retirement home overseas, how about purchasing a brand new apartment on a development that’s situated between Bandar Kinrara and Bukit Jalil in Kuala Lumpur.

For expatriates who are new to the city the process of renting an apartment in Hong Kong can be at times a confusing experience, below are some information that can help the first time renter in Hong Kong.

Gross Square Feet. In Hong Kong, the real estate practice is a bit confusing when it comes to the defining the size of an apartment. Because Hong Kong is such a land scarce city, traditionally, developers have advertised property sizes by the total gross square feet so it can give the illusion of a larger sized apartment. The gross square feet of an apartment is actually the total covered area and can include allocated parts of common areas such as the lift and main lobby, club house, and management office etc., so for apartments in different buildings with different common areas, they are not actually comparable by using the gross floor area advertised.

It is more relevant to compare properties by the Saleable area, which includes the balcony, but does not include all the common areas, but the catch is the Saleable area is not openly advertised by Real Estate agents. In Hong Kong the ratio of Saleable area to Gross floor area can be around 70% to about 83% (efficiency), so to save time while looking around for properties for rent, don’t target a specific gross floor area but a range depending on your required size of apartment.

The higher up the apartment is, the higher the space efficiency. An interesting fact is that the higher the apartment in a building, the better it is in term of the space efficiency. This is because the gross floor area of the apartment is the covered area, which unfortunately includes all the areas taken up by the structural walls. The higher up the apartment is in the building, the load bearing structural walls become thinner as there is less building to support, and thus allows for more actual living space.

Curtains and fittings.When viewing an apartment for rent in Hong Kong, a common mistake is to not realize that the apartment has no curtains and discovering too late as the apartments are rented on an “as is” basis. In Hong Kong new apartments don’t include curtains and fittings in the sale, and for renovated apartments the curtains are left to last as they can be quite costly and also just gather dust in a vacant apartment. So if the apartment has no curtains and fittings make sure to get the agent to include the installation in the agreement, or, depending on the landlord, you may end up paying for them out of your own pocket.

What you need to rent an apartment in Hong Kong. The following is the standard costs and documentation needed in-order to rent an apartment. Related costs include 2 months rental deposit, 1 month rent in advance, half month rental for estate agents commission, and Stamp Duty. For documentation, generally, a HKID Card or passport is all you need, but sometimes the landlord may require a proof of employment such as an employment contract.

Utilities. Utilities such as water, power and electricity in Hong Kong is relatively easy to set-up, transfer, or discontinue. But for Cable television and internet such as NowTv and Broadband, the contract would require a minimum term of normally 18 months, the penalty for a premature end to a contract is the full payment of the remaining terms left in the contract.