How to get an apartment

Guide: finding an apartment in Shanghai

There are two ways to find an apartment in a compound in Shanghai: either through a real estate agent or through the compound itself.

I will try to explain a bit more about your options.

Finding through a real estate agent

There are dozens of different real estate agents in Shanghai that focuses on

finding apartments for foreigners. Most of them have very good connections with a lot of different landlords in every apartment compound, so there will often be no problem getting a property exactly where you want it.

The real estate agents (at least the serious ones) in Shanghai don´t get a commission fee from the people who rent the apartment, but often get paid from the landlords that own the apartment (which in most cases are the compound owners).

I will always recommend you to go through a real estate agent when you rent an apartment in Shanghai. A great amount of people will always be willing to help you with the process, and it is not a shame to contact several different agents to see what they can offer.

Go directly to the compound

Some Shanghainese apartment compounds (but not many...) do have websites where you can book an apartment or a hotel room. These prices are often based on the fact that you will be staying in Shanghai on a short-term basis, which increases the price heavily.

I have tried to browse through all the most famous and popular compounds in both Puxi and Pudong, but have still not seen anyone that offers a great solution for expats that want to find an apartment for long-term rent.

A great example of a typical apartment compound website is this one that belongs to Shimao Garden in Pudong.