How did you choose your home, and what do you like most about it and your neighbourhood?

I must say that we were somewhat seduced by the “mod cons” (gym, roof terrace, nicely scented lobby!). Our building is very nice and well run, but the flat is small – 380 square feet for a one-bedder.

Kennedy Town is a very residential neighbourhood on the island with great restaurants – and there aren’t lots of hills!

Max

We’re in Mid-Levels, just above Hong Kong Park in an old walk-up that dates from 1955. It’s not for everyone; the bathrooms are old, the kitchen is small, and the three flights of stairs are not easy in summer. But we love these old colonial buildings for the high ceilings and great use of space. And we have the picture postcard view of the harbour from here too!

There’s lots for kids to do and see in the neighbourhood, including an aviary and a waterfall. We’re also a four-minute walk to Admiralty and Central, but we also have Bowen Road around the back for hikes and nature.

Dominique

Like many, we were in a serviced apartment for the first few months when we moved to HK, which was a useful time to research locations and figure out where we wanted to live. As it was all so new to us, it felt easy to mix up locations and get confused, so I kept track on my phone of the top pros and cons of each area as we looked around. And we made sure to get the MTR to each location and walk around the area to really get a feel for the place.

In the end, we settled on Sai Ying Pun… and we love it! For us, it offers the right mix of coffee shops, restaurants, outdoor areas and parks, plus amenities like pharmacists and ATMs, and essentials like nail salons and massage parlours. It has it all! Transport is really easy, too, with lots of MTR entrances and exits, mainline buses, tram stops and taxis aplenty! Sun Yat Sen Memorial Park is such a nice space overlooking the water, with ICC in the background; it’s a really beautiful location to escape the hustle and bustle.

The only disadvantage for us is space. With a young family, the more space the better, especially with my two energetic kids! But HK makes that hard to achieve. We chose apartment amenities over space, and more often than not it works, but on some days I wish I’d gone for an older apartment that’s got more square footage!

Monica

We stumbled across an ad for the place right on the agency’s window next to the building. My partner Chris and my Mum went to see it, as I had to work, and they fell in love with it. I visited the next day and we signed the lease that day! It’s small and quaint but the space is configured well, meaning we can fit decent-sized furniture without it feeling cramped. We also have a great view of the sea!

We’re in Kennedy Town; it has such a lively community, and there’s a really great energy to the place.

Aline

I LIVE IN LOHAS PARK,

TSEUNG KWAN O. I PICKED WHERE I LIVE DUE TO RENTAL PRICES AND CONVENIENCE TO MY OFFICE IN KWUN TONG.

TKO IS AN UP-AND-COMING NEIGHBOURHOOD THAT’S A LITTLE OUT THE WAY FROM THE CITY – BUT BEING OFF THE BEATEN PATH CAN BE A GOOD THING, TOO, AS I FIND I GET MUCH BETTER VALUE FOR MONEY PER SQUARE FOOT, PLUS THE BUILDINGS ARE ALL PRETTY NEW!

Adam

I WAS LIVING UP IN THE CITY AND WAS PREGNANT WITH MY SON, AND I WANTED A PEACEFUL HOME BY THE OCEAN. I GOT ONE IN 2013 AND HAVE BEEN THERE EVER SINCE!

Sarah