The Ultimate Guide to Renting Your First Home

Recently, my girlfriend got scammed while renting an apartment in Chengdu. It was a sublet with a remaining lease term, but the agency threw out all her stuff from the living room anyway. When we went to confront them, they just told us to vacate the next day or they’d change the locks and toss everything out—like they had time to waste on a drawn-out dispute… (I don’t know if Chengdu’s this chaotic or if it’s the same nationwide.)

This reminded me of my time in Beijing: signing a one-year lease with a “pay one, deposit three” arrangement, but only renting for two months. The lease started in late June and was set to end in early September. I moved out at the end of August and asked the landlord if I could just forfeit the deposit for those two months. He refused, saying I wouldn’t get it back because I hadn’t stayed the full term…

…………………………………… Renting is a minefield. I think this is exactly why so many people feel driven to buy a home as soon as they can afford it.

1. Questions to consider before renting.

① How do you plan your time? (Is your place convenient to commute? Near a bus stop or a subway station?)

When I lived in Beijing, things were toughest. My place was far from work, and it wasn’t even on the starting end of any bus or subway line. That meant I spent nearly four to five hours a day commuting, almost always standing.

In Guangzhou, it was a bit better. I still didn’t live near my office, but I stayed near the starting station of a bus line, so I could sit for the whole ride. It still took forty or fifty minutes, but I could pass the time reading articles on WeChat public accounts or watching the anime I’m into. (Just make sure you don’t miss your stop.)

If you want more free time—say, half an hour to cook, another thirty minutes to shower, and an hour commuting—that’s two hours gone right there. So it’s better to prioritize living closer. That way you’ll have more time to do your own thing: writing for your blog, taking online courses, memorizing vocabulary… If you can’t find a place nearby for whatever reason, try to rent near a starting station instead. If you’re lucky, your home and office could be at opposite ends of the same line, meaning you’ll have a seat. It’s more comfortable and lets you read or watch something without worrying—especially important for women to avoid sketchy situations.

Beyond all that, try to live as close to a bus or subway stop as possible. You’ll save a lot of time. Don’t be like me: a thirty-minute ride, then another thirty minutes walking from the station to the office, plus another half hour just to get from my apartment to the stop. That’s three hours a day wasted on commuting. (Think about what you could learn or side-hustle with that time instead.)

Time is the most valuable thing. So if the location isn’t right, pass on it and look elsewhere. If a place doesn’t give you more time or lower your living costs, there’s no point in moving there.

② Are the furnishings complete?

Before worrying about furniture, girls should try not to rent inside residential compounds if possible. Ideally, you should step off the bus or out of the subway and walk straight into a well-lit area to reach your apartment. My place is inside a compound, and this city is so densely built and prosperous that buildings are packed tight with little light between them. Coming home late from overtime feels eerie and unsafe… I’ve actually seen couples getting intimate in dark alleyways. What if someone gets assaulted? It’s terrifying—few people around, and you can hardly see anything. Safety comes first.

When it comes to furnishings, the key大件 are the washing machine, water heater, and kitchen essentials. A washing machine matters because hand-washing is a time suck—and after a long commute, you’re already exhausted. As for the water heater, having instant hot water is healthier, and it’s especially needed in cold weather. (If you’re fine heating water yourself, that’s okay too.) Kitchen supplies are about saving money: takeout usually costs ten-plus yuan per meal, but cooking your own food means you can eat better and likely save cash. For example, my girlfriend’s food allowance is 16 yuan a day; if she saves it, that covers half the rent—and she could even buy a new computer in installments. Then there’s the air conditioner: heating in cold places, cooling in hot ones. And the refrigerator—when you live alone, cooking every day is impractical, and grocery shopping daily wastes time. A fridge makes it possible to save both time and money on meals.

As for tables, a living-room table is useful for hosting guests or friends. But if you’re like me and rarely have visitors, you’d probably host people out anyway, so it’s optional. That said, a desk in the bedroom is highly recommended. Personally, I prefer having one with enough space to set up properly—a taller one, like a bar-style desk that requires you to stand, helps me stay focused. Most work these days needs a laptop, and using it on bed just feels wrong.

Other furniture doesn’t matter much. If you’re delicate, check for a mattress. If you’re tough, a hard board works fine—just buy your own sheets and bedding. Stuff like that can be moved from place to place, so buy something decent since it’s personal. Alternatively, a friend suggested getting a cheap one to get by, then replacing it later. But I’d rather buy quality and use it longer. After all, quality of life matters—life isn’t just something you rent.

Issues like natural light or north-south cross-ventilation? As a homebody who likes sleeping in, I honestly don’t care much—darker might even be better, and noise insulation matters more. Compared to that, lighting brightness is worth more attention.

So overall, prioritize complete large appliances: air conditioner, washing machine, kitchen facilities, and refrigerator.

3. Write down the issues you care about beforehand, then start house-hunting.

① Choose the neighborhood. Since you know whether you want to live close to work or farther away but near a bus or subway stop, pick a commute time you can accept. Pin the bus stops, subway stations, and your office on a map, then see which surrounding compounds are available. Note down the ones you can tolerate, then search for listings in those areas with a clear target.

For instance, if you want to live near Bus Stop A, first find out which compounds are within walking distance of that stop, then narrow down the suitable ones and search inside them.

② Find reliable listings.

Once you know which compounds to look in, it becomes much easier. First, figure out which types of listings are trustworthy. Landlord-direct rentals and serviced apartments (like Ziroom or Danku Apartment) are better options. In the former, the owner personally cares for the property and is easier to reach for issues; in the latter, the company protects its reputation and won’t risk bad service. Second landlords, on the other hand, are purely profit-driven—they’ll squeeze every cent they can, since renting is often a one-time deal and ripping people off is standard practice. Agencies are even less reliable; you might not even deal with the same person twice. Agents only care about closing the lease quickly to get their commission.

So what should you do? I’ve never rented on my own, so here’s a general guide: first, post on Douban. (Douban may have some agents, but it’s relatively more reliable, and it has a active rental community where you’re more likely to find landlords directly.) Another option is to visit compounds in person. Most have bulletin boards with rental flyers. You can also ask the cleaning staff or check notice boards near the entrance of the compound’s convenience store—strike up a conversation and leave your contact info. These folks might know someone looking or even be landlords themselves.

Finally, you can browse 58.com, Ganji.com, or Anjuke under the “personal listings” category (though agents show up there too).

The key is to view places slowly and start early—ideally a month or two in advance. (My girlfriend started just a week before moving and almost got kicked out. The place she reluctantly agreed to看 was a mess of broken promises: they’d said everything was fine, showed up with all her stuff, then hiked the rent at signing because they knew she was cornered.) Give yourself more options, especially when you’re alone in a foreign city.

3. When signing the contract, there are many details to watch.

First, if possible, avoid the peak seasons right after Chinese New Year and during graduation season. Supply can’t meet demand, so prices are artificially inflated. (Private landlord rentals tend to be cheaper, but if you go through an agent, stay sharp—don’t rely on one-sided information. Meet the landlord in person before signing, negotiate terms, and make sure all three parties are present. Most listings you see online are from agents, sublets, or second landlords.)

If you’re using an agent, be extra cautious. Don’t take their word at face value. Meet the landlord beforehand to discuss and agree on terms, and ensure all three parties are present when signing. Check property ownership documents to confirm legal rental status and ensure safety.

Before signing, thoroughly inspect whether all appliances and furniture are in working order: check for electrical leaks, test door locks, assess security measures, and clarify how any issues will be resolved and when. All of this must be written into the contract. Also verify that utility bills—electricity, water, gas—have been settled and won’t be passed on to you.

Remember to exchange contact information (landlord, property management, roommates) for emergencies. (If sharing, agree clearly on cost-splitting. Money matters require seriousness.)

The contract should state that if the landlord enters without notice or agents bring viewers, you must be informed immediately. Check for missing items and address compensation. (If possible, change the locks. My girlfriend’s roommate had everything stolen—including her phone and baby products. Reasoning with the landlord didn’t help.)

Make sure the contract includes a clause about discussing lease renewal at least one month before expiry. Ideally, specify whether you have priority renewal rights and how rent adjustments will work (no increase being best). Also allow about half a month between moving out and the lease end so you can prepare and find a new place—protecting against sudden eviction or forced subletting, with compensation terms clearly noted.

Upon moving out, settle all utility bills based on actual usage and retrieve your deposit. (A “deposit two, pay one” arrangement is common; “deposit one, pay one” is ideal; “deposit three, pay one” is nonsense…)