Preface
In [[A096’s Sharp Review: Independent Cooking, Second Meal + Cost Analysis of Cooking in Beijing]], I mentioned that I moved out of the dormitory in March. At the time, several readers urged me to write a guide on renting an apartment—today, I finally have time to draft it.
This article is not a step-by-step tutorial; rather, it shares my personal apartment-hunting experience and insights—offered for your reference.
If you’re looking for a proper tutorial, platforms like Xiaohongshu (Little Red Book) and Bilibili (B站) host many excellent ones—just search “how to rent an apartment.”
Main Text
Let’s begin today with a comparison between using a real estate agency versus renting directly from a landlord.
TL;DR: Direct rental saves money; agencies save effort and stress.
Since this was my first time renting, I didn’t want to spend excessive energy negotiating or dealing with landlords. So I opted for an agency outright. Unsurprisingly, Lianjia’s (a major Chinese real estate platform) heavy advertising and extensive network of physical storefronts successfully captured my mental model—“renting an apartment” instantly evoked “Lianjia.” So I simply went straight to Lianjia’s website to search.
After defining my criteria and budget (two-bedroom, entire unit, must be quiet, commute to Dongfang Hospital within 20 minutes, max budget ¥5,000), many options appeared. I contacted agents to schedule in-person viewings and visited them one by one—the details will follow later.
Ultimately, I chose an apartment in an older residential compound.
Pros:
- 60 m², two bedrooms + kitchen, bathroom, and living room—plenty of space.
- Fully equipped: washing machine, refrigerator, gas stove, range hood—all high-performing and nearly identical to what I’d have at home. Air conditioning is installed but has remained unused.
- Excellent sound insulation—I’ve never been woken up by noise. Compared to dorm life, this feels like heaven
. - All essential amenities are extremely convenient: subway station, wet market, park, commercial district, hospital, pharmacy, print shop—all reachable within 10 minutes.
- The neighborhood bustles with retirees and local middle-school students—not many office workers (“shechu,” i.e., overworked white-collar employees). It feels authentically lived-in and vibrant
. - Delivery services (e.g., food, packages) deliver right to the door—no more trips to pickup stations!
Cons:
- East-west orientation: The east-facing bedroom enjoys good natural light; the west-facing one does not.
- Sixth floor, no elevator—climbing up and down is slightly taxing. Low water pressure makes showering especially challenging for women.
Rent + agency fee totals just over ¥4,900, with a “one-month deposit, one-month advance” payment structure.
I’m about to move out soon—but overall, I remain highly satisfied.
My experience with Lianjia (the agency):
- My agent (estimated age ~30) was exceptionally patient, accompanying me for roughly two hours—up and down stairs, viewing over a dozen units. He answered every question thoroughly and never rushed me.
- Agents share listings across their internal network. If an agent doesn’t have a suitable listing, they’ll coordinate with colleagues to source one. Thus, even highly specific requirements can usually be met—though naturally, the more constraints you impose, the higher the rent
. - Across all apartments viewed, maintenance was consistently solid: water, electricity, and gas all functioned properly.
- Virtually every unit came fully furnished with washing machine, refrigerator, air conditioner, and gas stove—truly “move-in ready,” incredibly convenient.
- During my tenancy, the agency resolved issues promptly. For example, when a hole developed in the kitchen drainpipe causing leakage, Lianjia’s own maintenance team repaired it free of charge—first patching it, then replacing the entire pipe during the second incident.
- Overall, the agency delivered peace of mind. As for pricing: having no direct-rental experience, I can’t compare objectively. However, a friend estimated that for this unit, Lianjia likely charges tenants approximately ¥1,000/month more than what it pays the landlord—a useful data point for your reference.
Observations about the broader rental market during viewings:
- Almost all rentals are long-term leases; short-term options like mine (two months) are exceedingly rare.
- Long-term leases are significantly cheaper: similar units go for ¥2,700–¥3,000/month, with minimal agency fees (just ¥几十 per month); short-term leases jump to ¥4,500/month, plus ¥500/month agency fees.
- Many vacant units exist. In one residential complex alone, I found over ten listings meeting my criteria—though this may reflect either the compound’s large size or the fact that March (when I rented) is off-season. By contrast, June—the graduation season—may see much tighter supply. Further investigation needed.
- Though real estate isn’t as lucrative as before, agents’ incomes still exceed expectations: my agent (with ~5 years’ experience) earns ¥10,000–¥20,000 monthly.
Postscript
This concludes Part I. I’ll continue this series shortly.
Over these past two months in this apartment, many things have happened—and I’ve learned even more. I’ll share them all with you next.