Housing in Beijing

Beijing may be an ancient city, but most mid to high-end homes were built in the last 10 years. If you live downtown, you'll probably choose a home in Chaoyang, to the east of Tiananmen. Beijing's better properties are here. The district encompasses the CBD, where you'll find most multinationals and several residential communities. The embassies are also here. As it's a large district, in our listings it's split into several neighbourhoods.

For suburban homes consider Shunyi to the Northeast of the city, close to the airport and a 50 minute drive to the city during peak hours. Most families with school-going children choose Shunyi. Here you'll everything from small townhouses to sprawling mansions. The two largest international schools are here. Homes are in secure gated communities. Living within a walled compound with patrolling guards may seem strange, but it is the norm here, and after a while you'll barely notice. For families, it means a car-free park area for kids to roam in. Many have private club houses with recreational facilities. Supermarkets, cafes, restaurants and the ubiquitous Starbucks are a walk or short drive from most homes.

When selecting a home, your primary consideration should be a location that allows an easy commute to work and school, and perhaps even the airport. The Mao suited proletariat no longer bike to work each morning. Beijing is fast becoming a cosmopolitan metropolis. Rapid growth has meant traffic congestion but residents do see progress. At the start of 2007 it had a paltry 3 subway lines. By 2008, Beijing will have 10 lines covering most of the eastern and northern parts of the city. At the airport, new Terminal 3 sees a doubling of passenger capacity. Soon, getting to there will entail a quick subway ride followed by a 15 minute trip on the light-rail.