Apartment Hunting in China 🇨🇳 | After 12 Apartment Tours...

Finding a decent short-term rental in Shenzhen proved difficult due to high demand, eventually forcing a compromise on quality just to ensure the apartment was nearby. Despite the subpar living conditions, the host focused on making the space comfortable for her brother’s visit before celebrating his arrival with a homemade meal.

• The struggle — Finding a suitable short-term rental proved difficult due to intense competition and poor unit conditions [01:38].

  • Poor quality — Many options smelled of mold, lacked natural light, or were extremely cramped [02:13].
  • Market pressure — Landlords preferred long-term tenants, causing one near-success to fail at the last minute [10:57].

• The compromise — She settled for a small, dark room simply because it was close to her own apartment, allowing them to stay near one another [18:24].

• Settling in — She focused on making the room livable once her brother arrived after a 20-hour train journey [19:26].

  • Improvements — She cleaned the kitchen, added wall decorations, and moved her own dehumidifier into the room to fight humidity [30:13].
  • Essentials — She purchased items like a tea kettle and bed sheets to make the space feel like home [23:37].

• Celebratory meal — She prepared a feast to welcome him, including stir-fried pork, tofu soup, and homemade pizza [38:32].

• How does the housing market for short-term rentals function in Shenzhen's urban villages?

• What is the significance of the Gaokao exam in the context of family expectations?