Apartment advice for retired -- Lotus Hill?

Thinking of moving my parents back to Taiwan (no, it’s not like that, they want to as well) because of the better healthcare, more friends, etc.

The rent vs. buy question aside, are there places you recommend? One is not very mobile, cannot walk long distances, and maybe goes out to eat / socializing with friends once a week. Other is quite active, wants to go to the city to movies, play mahjong, etc. I would say frequency would be 3-4X / week.

It looks like Lotus Hill is quite nice (at least for the semi-immobile parent – it’s got fresh air, I think close to a hospital) but my concern is that it’s too inconvenient for the other one who “likes to go out and play.”

As I’m going to be paying, I would say budget is around NT$30k / month.

Are there other places you recommend?

I am at corner of Kuang Fu and Chung Hsiao Section 4. This area has small apartments around 25ping that maybe a couple could use and cost under 30K. Right on top of an MRT station and plenty of small eateries and shopes nearby. Across the road is the Sun Yat Sen Memorial parks for short walks and excersise and lots of eldery folk there doing just that.

And it’s right downtown.

Yes, I’ve looked at that area, there are some nice places close to MRT. I’m looking for 30+ ping as there will be a domestic helper and they’ll need 3 bedrooms. And those bigger ones cost more than 40k when I looked (granted they offered a parking space which they don’t need). It may be worth re-looking at.

Thanks for the advice – I agree with your assessment but just need to find a bigger place within the budget.

I’d suggest this area in Xindian maps.google.com.tw/?ie=UTF8&ll=2 … 845b6a29,1
Brand new apartments and almost brand new houses, but might be a bit hard finding something to rent.
Loads of things to do and four buses that runs very frequently, all of them to various MRT stations and one line goes to Muzha and then the Xinyi district.
I saw a 40 something ping place being rented out in Green Time (the other area is Green Villa) for about NT$25k a month on 591, but that was a few weeks ago.
My GF’s parents just bought a house up there, but as it’s three floors I guess it’s not ideal for your parents.
Otherwise something like this might be what you’re after rent.591.com.tw/rent-detail-322882.html big place, within budget and closer to “civilization”.

Yep, our neighborhood is full of old veterans and their helpers, as we have a park, are close to the MRT, and a stone’s throw away from 3 hospitals. Xindian is a quiet place to live but not far from civilization and its amenities, thanks to the MRT.

[quote=“BAH”]Thinking of moving my parents back to Taiwan (no, it’s not like that, they want to as well) because of the better healthcare, more friends, etc.

The rent vs. buy question aside, are there places you recommend? One is not very mobile, cannot walk long distances, and maybe goes out to eat / socializing with friends once a week. Other is quite active, wants to go to the city to movies, play mahjong, etc. I would say frequency would be 3-4X / week.

It looks like Lotus Hill is quite nice (at least for the semi-immobile parent – it’s got fresh air, I think close to a hospital) but my concern is that it’s too inconvenient for the other one who “likes to go out and play.”

As I’m going to be paying, I would say budget is around NT$30k / month.[/quote]
Yeah, Lotus Hill is definitely good for the semi-immobile parent. There are all kinds of Filipina and Indonesian nannies taking their wards in wheelschairs around the grounds. It’s nice that the pathways have no traffic, and that its so quiet, so your one parent would do very well here, I think. I guess for the other parent, there would be a lot of taxi rides into town, or at least to the Donghu MRT station, if they wanted to socialize in town a lot. On the other hand, Lotus Hill has a pretty strong community, too. The more social one might find very little reason to leave. Also, 30k a month will get you a nice place - probably around 45 to 55 ping, with at least three bedrooms, including an underground parking space, and management fees.

Don’t use the agent known as “Gloria”, however. She’s very nice in person, but I’ve heard she has ripped off some foreigners badly.

Thanks for the advice everyone.

I will go back next month to check all these places out. I think Taiwan will be better for them in whatever case. I’d move back if Taiwan had the same job opportunities [sigh].

For Xindian, do you have the names of some complexes I can look into besides Green Time / Green Villa? (by the way what is the Chinese name?)

From Lotus Hill how much is taxi fare to say, the Zhongxiao Sogo?

[quote=“BAH”]
From Lotus Hill how much is taxi fare to say, the Zhongxiao Sogo?[/quote]

Probably $300 but most people wouldn’t do it that way. There’s a community bus which is easier than taxis (calls at the front doors of each building) and it’s $50 to City Hall MRT.

We rented thro Gloria for 4 years, got a reasonable deal and never had a problem. But I’ve also heard complaints about her from others. So anyone considering dealing with her would have to make their own judgment.

From Lotus Hill to Fuxing/Nanjing (Brother Hotel) it costs $250.

[quote=“BAH”]Thanks for the advice everyone.

I will go back next month to check all these places out. I think Taiwan will be better for them in whatever case. I’d move back if Taiwan had the same job opportunities [sigh].

For Xindian, do you have the names of some complexes I can look into besides Green Time / Green Villa? (by the way what is the Chinese name?)

From Lotus Hill how much is taxi fare to say, the Zhongxiao Sogo?[/quote]

Something like this:
rent.591.com.tw/rent-detail-293925.html

One is the Genesis Building. The other is pink outside, 康和春秋, it is this one: http://rent.591.com.tw/rent-detail-324042.html.

EDIT:
There are a lot of old folks at the Genesis building. My exlandlord move dthere from Kuting, saying it is more convenient and more “social”. The Genesis also has a “university” for senior citizens, with lots of classes like computer, photography, etc… so it is very popular, plus its own little park, where they have the taichi and “fan” dancing in the mornings. And the MRT is right 2 minutes away.

I can’t read or write Chinese, so the best I can do with regards to Green Time and Green Villa is this maps.google.com.tw/?ie=UTF8&ll=2 … 85,0,9.14
I guess you can read the names of the ads in Google street view

Wow, thanks, these two (especially 康和春秋 in my opinion) look quite nice. I think I will have a lot to look at when I’m in Taiwan next month.

Thanks for the advice everyone.