Living in Hualien - Apartment resources?

Taiwan Living in Taiwan
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#1

Hey everyone-

I’m looking to move to Hualien but I’m having trouble finding a clean, modern apartment to live in. I have checked the following resources:

rent.591.com.tw/ - I had luck using this site for Taichung, but the Hualien section seems lacking
airbnb.com - some nice places here, anyone have experience renting out long term through AirBnb?

When I visited Hualien recently, I remember seeing TV advertisements showcasing some new apartments (maybe condos?), but I can’t seem to find the equivalent online.

My price range is anywhere from 10,000-30,000+ TWD per month, and I have help with Chinese.

Anyone know any good online resources?
Have a good experience with a broker you can recommend?

I’m quite lost at the moment. I want to try to set up appointments over the phone to save time, but it seems I might need to be on the ground in Hualien to get a better sense of what’s available.

Thanks in advance.

#2

It’s kind of a crapshoot, it’s easier if you’re actually there though. For that price point though, you’ll definitely find something. I knew a couple I guys who lived in new, modern apartments up in ji’an, it was like 8000 for their taofang/yafang. Some other guy rented the whole first floor complete with a kitchen. If you want the whole thing or a whole floor the price will obviously differ. I remember some guys also lived in meilun and they thought it was pretty nice. I didn’t visit personally though. At least in ji’an or in the other suburbs outside the city there are plenty of new apartments for rent

#3

I moved to Hualien from Taoyuan to study Chinese and lived there for about a year. I found my apartment indirectly through 591. I went to look at a place I’d found on 591 which was being shown by an agent. When I said I didn’t really like the place the agent then asked me some questions and took me to the place in the video below, which I rented and which hadn’t been advertised. It was in Meilun, rent was $8k. About the only drawback was that I had to wait outside for the truck to dispose of my trash, but since I was just a student and not working, it wasn’t bad.

I guess my point is, sometimes even though you may not find the right place through 591, you may make some connections that will lead to a place you like. Or, just contact some local rental agents. There are often 出租 signs on the outside of buildings as well.

#4

We moved to Hualien just a few months ago. Not finding much on 591 at the time we heard it would be better to go over there and scout different places, ask around. Basically drive around town and check building you would like, to start with.
We actually got very lucky and through a friend of a friend got offered a nice place in Meilun.
I don’t expect this would work out for everyone, but I would advise to move to a temporary place for say, a month, and then go around town scouting apartments.
One other things you can try is joining the Living Hualien facebook-page and ask there. If you can read/write some Chinese then this and this facebook-page can be useful, too.
Good luck