Living by the MRT's red line (north)

Taiwan Moving to Taiwan
1

Dear All

We are seriously considering moving from Beijing to Taipei where my wife is originally from (having only spent the first 6 years of her life there she does not really know the city). Since we speak French at home and our two boys are already attending the German school here, the Taipei European School seems the obvious choice. Now to my question (thank you for your patience for those who kept on reading :wink: )

Could the enlightened Formosans among you advice on a decent area to live that would be walking disstance (10 minutes?) of the red MRT line, that would not be too many stations from Zhishan Station, presumably as far north as Beitou (???). I’d sit 5 minutes further on the MRT for better living conditions. After 16 years in Beijing some greenery, places to jog, cycle and fresh air would be nice, also I would really rather avoid tiny bunker type lodging that is never graced by sunlight. Budget: closer to NT$30k than 40k would be nice, and I like my pings, 40+ would be nice
 if that is realistic. We are flying to Taipei at the month of the month for an exploration trip, so your guidance would be most precious.

This is my first post however feel free to be as harsh as necessary if bubbles need bursting.

Many thanks in advance :notworthy:

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Welcome to Forumosa and hopefully welcome to the Island soon, too.

The northern part of the city is an excellent choice when it comes to parks and it has an extensive network of bike trails. The Tianmu area is expat and family friendly, though a bit more expensive, yet with a 40K budget you may find what you need. Older parts of Shipai -I’d reccomend more than 10 minutes walking, maybe-, Mingde station -close to the Carrefour which you might be familiar with or will soon :wink: - are OK in your requisite parks and ample sidewalks and affordable accomodations.

Other options like Peitou, I think it is better especially the mountain area, but obviously farther from the MRT. Can I even suggest looking further down the Red Line -Hongshulin and even Danshui, and here I am throwing names you can look up in Google maps- are quite pleasant, cheaper, close to the sea, and with plenty of amenities, like their own playgrounds and swimming pools, at more affordable prices. MRT service is quick and reliable, no need to fret about being further down the line. Believe me, it’s worth it.

The key word in Taipei is “convenience” and if your priority is the kids’ school, then yes, it will still be quite convenient.

Nevertheless, be warned that winter can be a bit sunless here up North, which can be remedied with a quick trip down South


Feel free to post further questions.

ps.
please note distance between stations is quite “brief”, less than 5 minutes sometimes.
It is 9 minutes to get from Zhishan to Beitou, and from Zhishan to Hongshulin like 20 minutes, no big commute.
web.trtc.com.tw/e/TicketALLresult.asp

3

Why consider other stops when Zhishan station has all that you want? If you look at that stretch of MRT line from Jiantan to Beitou, Zhishan has got to be the best location to live in, with the possible exception of Qilian. But then again, you won’t be considering Wellington Heights, will you? Zhishan is right near a river with nice bike paths, plenty of greenery and fresh air. What’s more, you’ve got the new Sogo and easy access to Tienmu. It’s where I would choose. For cheaper places, look on the west side of the MRT line.

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Hi Icon

I’ve seen so many useful posts of yours I’m glad you took the time to answer mine! And so fast! and I answer so slowly :blush:

We will follow your recommendations and search in the areas you mentioned but I think the commute will need to be less than half an hour, as I will most likely work from home and two hours a day of commute (2 return trips) will probably be my limits as well as the boys’ as they are quite young (3 and 5).

Any tips on the optimal way to look for apartment rentals? Especially since we will not be able to take the flat immediately since we plan the move for february at the earliest or maybe next summer. We are definitively going to go to the areas to feel the vibes and look at listings. Any other tips?

Yes we are quite familiar with Carrefour, is it like here were in areas where there are more foreigners there are quite a few western food products and in other areas almost none? I try to follow the Costco thread, but will have to see it for myself :slight_smile:

Also, I’m planning to get a 250cc scooter, but is it even worth it if we live so far out of the city? Naturally it would depend on what I want to do, but I’m thinking “going into the city on some errand” might be quite an ordeal on a scooter no? I’m used to ride big bikes, so I might be disrespectful to scooters out of ignorance.

Sunless, heater-less, damp North, does not sound that appealing, at least here it’s dry even if really cold, there are good heaters
 Well, variety is the spice of life and all that
 More practically, do people just have hot/cold aircon?

Many, many thanks in advance!

5

Hi

Zhishan is a possibility on my budget and criteria (Pings & Nt$)? Excellent! I just assumed that it would be too expensive, that is why presumed the need to a MRT ride
 Once again, assumption is the mother of all F
 Messups

Why will I not consider Wellington Heights? Not cynicism, just ignorants :blush:

Thanks a lot!

6

Peizhong,

As we say in Spanish, no hay por donde. Or Chinese: nali, nali -meaning -oh, it’s nothing, no biggie. House hunting is a hobbie of mine. :smiley:

Best way to look for rentals is select an area, and narrow the search. You have ads on the Internet, you have ads on the houses themselves, you have ads on public boards, you ask people who may know/see something. But first of all choose your target, as specific as you can. Then you can use all the resources available more effectively.

I am allergic to scooters. With children that small, I’d recommend a car, if only to take them to the East Coast beaches and have fun, or over to the doctor’s safely.

A few samples of what to expect in Tianmu area (close to shopping areas, mall, etc.):

rent.591.com.tw/rent-detail-1553664.html

rent.591.com.tw/rent-detail-1541188.html

rent.591.com.tw/rent-detail-1547276.html

This one is also Tianmu, a neighborhood called Jacqueline, which I like (bit further up, but very nice):
rent.591.com.tw/rent-detail-1532494.html

rent.591.com.tw/rent-detail-1504623.html

Yes, there are some parts around Zhishan that are very expensive, but also there are a lot of old places, not so nice. You have everything, new developments and old houses. Bit further, in Mingde and Shipai, there are more amenities.

Cold -and hot, actually- in Taiwan is humid, that is the problem. And yes, there are ACs with both cold/heat functions, and good heaters. But summer is more of a humid hassle, more than anything else, me thinks.

7

I’d be surprised if you could meet your criteria for that budget around Zhishan. But it’s always worth trying. Maybe in an older building with no elevator.

Regardless, Zhishan and to the north (not south) are the way to go for you – though I wouldn’t advise going all the way out to Danshui, a place whose appeal I consider overrated.

Most people here use air conditioners but not heaters, though you may wish to buy a space heater.

And always keep in mind that ping measurements are not for the real interior space of an apartment. In newer buildings the real interior space (i.e., the area in which you actually live) is usually at least 30% less than what’s stated. In older buildings, esp. ones without elevators and other such amenities, what you really get will be much closer to the stated amount. So three apartments marked as all being “45 ping” are probably all different sizes in real-world terms.

The most popular rental site is rent.591.com.tw/ – but it’s all in Mandarin. Look under Taipei’s Shilin and Beitou districts. That will give you an idea.

Don’t worry: It was a joke. The prices of Wellington Heights are far beyond what most people can afford.

8

There are neighborhoods in Taipei called Wellington Heights and Jacqueline?

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I’d thought Wellington Heights / WēilĂ­ngdĂčn Shānzhuāng / ćšéˆé “ć±±èŽŠ (note swimming pools) was fairly well known. But I didn’t learn until relatively recently that the apartments near Tianmu park were called Jacqueline, even though I’ve walked past them many times over the years.

10

Wellington Heights? Steep roads but pretty houses ! Still a well run place? Used to be a foreigners enclave back in the day.

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@ Icon, if you don’t like scooters you must be familiar with the è»ŠćŒ…è‚‰ vs. è‚‰ćŒ…è»Š debate which really isn’t one :laughing:

Apartment hunting as a hobby, what useful pass times you have! Many thanks for the links :bow:

@ Cranky Laowai, thanks for the Ping explanation and here was I thinking how impractical they where even before that. May I ask why you say Danshui is overrated? Of course I understand that it is further out by about 10 minutes on the MRT compared to Beitou & Co and that I won’t be swimming in the sea everyday, but from I can see, and as Icon pointed out, they have some of the more modern, light-filled, affordable apartments around WITH perks like gyms & pool that other cramped, old flats further in don’t have. I know about location x3, but could you elaborate? Thanks

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One word regarding Danshui: touristy. Imagine living in Time Square. It might be fun for a month, but before long you’ll get tired of all the camera-toting tourists all around you. That’s what Danshui feels like on weekends. Not just local tourists, but mainland and foreign visitors abound. Taiwan is already crowded as it is. You don’t want to live in a densely populated area on top of that. That’s just my personal impression. Danshui denizens on here feel free to correct me.

Sure, but you know modern=money, right? The more modern a place is, the less affordable it is. Even in Danshui.

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Again, I want to note the ping factor. Gyms, pools, and other such “perks” are all part of your apartment’s official size, whether or not you ever use them. (The air here is much, much better than Beijing’s, which means that lots of exercise outside isn’t perhaps more damaging than healthy.) Anyway, the more such places there are, and the larger they are, the smaller (i.e., more “cramped”) your living space.

To add to what Incubus noted, “modern” doesn’t necessarily mean “light-filled” either. You would be wise not to do too much judging of places based on what they look like on the outside.

As for the character of Danshui, perhaps you’ll love it. (Some surely do.) Me not so much. Fortunately, you’ll get the chance to have a look before you commit to an apartment in any particular area.

14

Yep, Tamshui may have pleasnt dwellings, but yes, the general environment/convenience may be debatable. Some samples of homes there -notice prices are lower:

rent.591.com.tw/rent-detail-1555315.html

rent.591.com.tw/rent-detail-1554547.html

rent.591.com.tw/rent-detail-1564449.html

I’d still go for Tianmu at the beginning, just because it is closer to the kids’ school and has parks and hospitals and restaurants and movie theaters and other foreigners. Maybe the places with swimming pool ther will be out of your budget, but then you have several public swimming pools -and anyways, both private and poublic swimming pools close in autumm/winter. No indoor playground? No problem, as there are plenty of nice, big parks.

rent.591.com.tw/rent-detail-1553664.html

rent.591.com.tw/rent-detail-1533284.html

15

That one looks pretty good. If the O/P were wanting to rent now, I’d say check out that place first. Of course, it won’t still be around when the O/P is ready to move. But it’s nice to know such a place in that neighborhood is possible for not too much money.

Oh, don’t forget to watch out for guǎnlǐfùi (“administrative costs”). Those can add several thousand every month.

16

That one looks pretty good. If the O/P were wanting to rent now, I’d say check out that place first. Of course, it won’t still be around when the O/P is ready to move. But it’s nice to know such a place in that neighborhood is possible for not too much money.

Oh, don’t forget to watch out for guǎnlǐfùi (“administrative costs”). Those can add several thousand every month.[/quote]

12 minutes on foot from the school, not bad at all!!!

However, and not to be stubborn, when you look at places like this:

rent.591.com.tw/rent-detail-1570529.html

It’s hard to completely ignore Danshui, no? Again, not trying to be right, just wondering if I’m missing a major shortcoming, even though I realise it’s a matter of priorities/ preferences.

@Icon, thanks a lot for all your links!

17

Depends where you go. I enjoy living in Danshui, but I also work here. It’s great for cycling into the mountains, and for heading around the north coast - which I don’t do often enough. Used to commute into town, and my wife still does, and that’s kind of a pain - but at least you can usually get a seat, since you’re the first stop on the line. If you’re buying western groceries, you’ll have to go into Tianmu fairly often for food.

The tourists are “just” around the MRT station and the first couple of hundred meters of waterfront, and on the weekends. I simply don’t go to those areas on weekends, so I never notice tourists except going in and out of the MRT station on weekends.

It’s probably a touch cooler, and a touch cloudier, than elsewhere in Taipei - but it’s also less polluted.

Tianmu has sidewalks. Danshui doesn’t. That may be a huge difference depending on the age of your kids.

All that being said, living near where you need to be/go during the day is fantastic and probably worth a marginally inferior or more expensive apartment. In general the immediate environment around Danshui apartments is no better, and often worse, than that around Tianmu apartments.

18

That one looks pretty good. If the O/P were wanting to rent now, I’d say check out that place first. Of course, it won’t still be around when the O/P is ready to move. But it’s nice to know such a place in that neighborhood is possible for not too much money.

Oh, don’t forget to watch out for guǎnlǐfùi (“administrative costs”). Those can add several thousand every month.[/quote]

12 minutes on foot from the school, not bad at all!!!

However, and not to be stubborn, when you look at places like this:

rent.591.com.tw/rent-detail-1570529.html

It’s hard to completely ignore Danshui, no? Again, not trying to be right, just wondering if I’m missing a major shortcoming, even though I realise it’s a matter of priorities/ preferences.

@Icon, thanks a lot for all your links![/quote]

Yep, the major shortcoming that it is in the boondocks, so to speak! And it lacks the supermarket/restaurants/parks/playgrounds with playdates/mall/movie theater/international schools and most importatly SIDEWALKS as in Tianmu. And it is not Tianmu.

You can find something like that for 30 to 35K in Tianmu, and it will be worth the difference. Plus it will probably be furnished.

ps.
OFF TOPIC
No idea about this: è»ŠćŒ…è‚‰ vs. è‚‰ćŒ…è»Š :eh:

19

Did you try Google Street View for that address?

Danshui has a bunch of new and largely empty buildings, most on the edge of nowhere and with nothing much around them. (NB: Do not confuse that with pleasant countryside living. It’s not.) Not all of it’s like that, though.

20

It looks like I will bring the boys to school everyday in Shilin (Tianmu?) so this may not be a big problem


sounds dreadful, but then again it’s not like the mainland is uncrowded, here we just learn areas to be avoided on weekends, I can’t imagine it being any different there.

[quote]
It’s probably a touch cooler, and a touch cloudier, than elsewhere in Taipei - but it’s also less polluted.[/quote]

In the summer “a touch cooler” might not be the worse thing from what I hear :sunglasses: In the winter, I’m hoping that the more modern buildings will have better incsolation :pray:

They are 3 and 5 but here on the mainland (sorry for the constant comparaison) we have pavements that that most people don’t use
 I must say I can’t quite picture it, but will see it for myself in a couple of weeks.

Some of these apartments also seem relatively far from the MRT i.e. not walking distance, kind of too close to buy a car


We look forward to visiting the area, Thanks!