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Most of us were raised to be honest, because as mom and dad have always affirmed tous, “Honesty is the best policy”. The majority of us have been raised with this belief drilled in to our heads, that to be ethnical human beings, we should always be honest to ourselves and our neighbours. However, many of us lose sight of this basic mantra as we flow from children in to our adult and work lives. We get carried away by ambition, goals and meeting our career quotas -and sadly, honesty becomes a distant memory. 

You have signed the lease at your new abode. The major issues and concerns regarding your new rental have been addressed, but what about the other questions that are not standard procedure or stated on the lease policy? You are sure to have certain move-in questions now that you are moving into your new home - questions that you hadn’t thought of before up until now.

People tend to overlook the importance of a good and healthy relationship with their landlord but it’s actually more important than many of us give credit to. Establishing and maintaining a good, healthy, solid working relationship between you and your landlord should be on the priority list if you want a good experience in your rental journey. May we add that your relationship with your landlord doesn’t just end when you finish your lease terms - great referrals can come from your former landlord even long after you no longer live on their property.

There are a lot of niceties about having a rental. You don’t have to worry about the nitty gritty details of being an independent homeowner. Home maintenance is not so much a headache you need to ever worry about. There are some downsides to renting. The number one downside is the inability to truly personalize your living space as you see fit - which can make your home seem a bit cookie-cutter and lacking in personality and character. There’s nothing more soul-sucking than coming home to a sterile apartment that lacks the true ambience of a home. While it’s true that you should adhere to your rental policies and refrain from making permanent changes to somebody else’s property, it doesn’t mean that you cannot think outside of the box just a tad by making alterations and additions that won’t offend your landlord and/or hurt your security deposit. 

When you are looking for an apartment or property in Hong Kong, it is important to put extra work into your research process. We tend to trust the surface information given to us by our real estate agents, property management staff, or simply through word of mouth. It doesn’t hurt to be extra curious, though - especially when you are on the hunt for a new home.  

Many people take considerable time making a huge investment in real estate but fail to protect it with home insurance. Buying home insurance as a first-timer can be daunting, and shopping for the right kind of coverage is vital when searching for the best policy to fulfill all your needs. These are some of the most common insurance questions and corresponding answers to ensure that you are equipped with basic home insurance policies. 

Choosing the right home to live in can be a daunting process, especially if you have never done it before. Apartment hunting can be exciting and overwhelming at the same time. The biggest blunder potential renters fall into is becoming too swept up in the novelty and glitz of property hunting, meanwhile forgetting to find out all about the relevant and necessary information that could potentially make or break their renter’s experience. What you see and what you get can often be misleading and deceptive. Therefore, it’s crucial to be properly informed before signing a lease.

Renters often underestimate the power and importance of building a good relationship with their landlords and the ways that it can affect their day-to-day living experience. Although disputes between landlords and tenants are not uncommon, it happens much too often for anyone’s liking and causes havoc for both parties involved. Why enter into hostile combat if bad blood can easily be avoided simply by respecting and following lease terms and policies set out from the start?

Buying your first property is one of life’s most significant and exciting milestones. Finding the right property is often only the beginning of a lengthy and sometimes complex process, which will typically represent the most substantive financial transaction you have made to date. Follow these five simple steps to smooth your path to property ownership.