When looking for a new home, your top criteria for selection will include such major factors as availability of transportation and proximity to your workplace. The types of housing available in Beijing include courtyards, villa compounds and apartments. You have decided to set up home in China whether it’s your own personal choice or being posted by your host organization for business there are a few guidelines that may be helpful to make the transition as smooth as possible.

New Villas: Up-to-date modern villa compounds with a secure big central garden, usually equipped with club facilities. These high standard properties usually belong to the developers and are equipped with all modern electrical appliances and design furniture. The management office also provides all kinds of services, including gardening, housekeeping and maintenance. Also provided is a shuttle bus to downtown, major expat shopping areas and international schools.

Courtyards: Old traditional houses are usually located in the Hutongs. According to historical records a small-scale city first appeared in the Beijing area about 3,000 years but most of the Hutongs, which remain today were formed in the Ming and Qing dynasties. These houses are becoming rare by this days as Beijing continued to destroy them and instead builds modern offices and apartment buildings. Very popular among those foreigners who want to escape from the hustle of daily life, courtyards offer a lot of charm, they also require a great deal of maintenance, because of a number of drawbacks, such as low-level electrical supply, and old plumbing and sewage systems. When you choose this kind of house, make sure that you have a very helpful landlord and responsible realtor.

Apartments: These apartment buildings are available everywhere in Beijing, and foreigners can easily find a suitable apartment in any price range. These apartments offer basic expat style conditions. Many of these buildings, especially the new ones, are equipped with a clubhouse, car park, satellite TV channels and other facilities. The most prestigious service apartment buildings are usually built by foreign developers or joint venture companies, they are all equipped with modern furniture and conveniences, and most offer housekeeping services, fitness centers and concierge services.

As world economy and market are down-turn, China is likely the only country who can recover quickest than the other countries. It is little secret that Beijing has experienced an almost unprecedented property boom in recent years, with a growing middle class, a newly wealthy nation and greater levels of urbanization than have been seen in decades creating a red-hot property market in China. The government had restricted property investment in recent years, in their fear of speculative inflows, and foreign investors have not been able to enjoy the benefits of China’s boom. However the situation is now seen as becoming difficult to handle, and in an effort to cool down property prices in city areas, foreign investors are being given a rare opportunity to invest in the country.

Some efforts by the government to reign in soaring real estate prices in cities have made life tough for property managers in China. The government has restricted bank lending to developers and also homebuyers – local property companies are feeling the pinch. One of the other factors in the government’s change of heart on the subject is the stock markets in Shanghai and Hong Kong. In partnership with the effects of the global credit crunch, these factors have left developers with few financing alternatives. Now, private equity and foreign property funds are hoped to fill the financing gap. Joint ventures are increasing in numbers, and developers are also seeking out foreign investors as buyers of equity stakes; a strategy which Chinese property developers and real estate investors would have not considered during the property boom.

Overall, the property markets in China have been strong for a long time, despite odd reports of bumps in the road and firms losing ground here and there. Property prices in the largest urban areas of the country rose by 11.3% in January, which was the largest increase since 2005. This increase was seen across 70 of the country’s largest cities, and the effect on China’s inflation rate has also been unprecedented. Premier Wen Jiabao promised to stop excessive growth of property prices, so that the government could focus on building inexpensive homes for families on the poverty line, or below it.

However, despite the premier’s best efforts, earlier this year property prices in western parts of China rose by 25%, and in the south of China real estate rose by 20%. Wang Tao, head of Greater China Economics and Strategy for the Bank of America Corporation, believes that the rising property prices mean financial risks for real estate lenders as well as social problems for the country. Adding to the trend will be a government move to hand over responsibility for development approvals to municipal governments, which are more likely to be in favour of development for its microeconomic benefits, such as increased jobs on the market and regional economic growth.