I was told by someone with the government that San Chong is the new place to live with the MRT arriving next year. In fact it is already in San Chong. When asked why San Chong he told me real estate prices are 50% less than in other spots on the MRT and that the Luzou line is as he said, “Where money can be made.”. I know you can rent new places for half the prices that are asked in Taipei City and really SC has everything someone would want including movie theatres, KTV’s, etc. I also know a Westerner who owns a building their right beside Starbucks looking for Americans with as he said, “a good idea” to start a business. He basically bought the bottom floor of a place a frew years back and now he wants to rent the shop places out cheap.
Now I live in San Chong and have recently started seeing Westerners walking toward the MRT San Chong Elem. School stop.
So I was wondering if with real estate prices, rent prices, and with a lot of things to do in the area including new restaurants, bars, and clubs, would you consider living here? Just wondering.
What is your defination of “the ghetto”? Do you mean poor working people? Do you mean the new rich who call San Chong home? San Chong is nice compared to some of the real dirty places in Taipei City. As usual most Westerneers can’t see the forest for the tree’s and think the world revolves around them. Once the MRT come’s into an area, the word “ghetto” leaves and is replaced by the smart Taiwanese who know that real estate prices in Taiwan are bogus. Usually the price offered and the price sold are millions off. But since their is no public record the real estate companies just keep giving foolish reasons about why the prices are so high and the investors who buy up the property are happy with “ghetto’s” like San Chong.
Honestly, Sanchong looks OK to me. As OP said, there are amenities and convenience aplenty. Bit overcrowded, some too old places, true, as everywhere else, but cheap cheap it ain’t. Just don’t go there with next to MRT/low price expectations. The bubble is everywhere. Do you homework on each area and move fast if you find a deal -as with the rest of the city, probably a small house bus ride from MRT-. As soon as the MRT starts running, prices will shoot through whatever is left of the roof.
All I know is that my wife’s family owns property their and their banker just told them that the value has increased 40 % in the last year. I like San Chong. It has many nice restaurants, movies, and all the McDonalds and or Starbucks anyone could want. Biggest down side is that it is crowded but that will change in time because the MRT changes everything in Taipei County.
It’s not a good place to raise a family. I would only consider living in Sanchong if 1) I don’t have kids and 2) the place is on the waterfront with a view of the Danshui. There’re hardly any parks let alone playgrounds. The sidewalks, if there are any, aren’t stroller-friendly, and the school district still leaves a lot to be desired. The only redeeming feature, other than the MRT, is the river view, if one has it.
The sidewalks are crap. But where I live, we have three parks with playgrounds within two blocks. I’ve never lived anywhere else with three playgrounds so close. There is also a free community center two blocks away that has a library, free Internet, and free gym with treadmills etc. The former mayor, Frank Lee (Lee Chien-lung) seemed concerned with rebuilding the parks, and building up the library system and community centers. I think I had my picture taken with him 4 times, so I’m “Sanchong famous.”
The MRT has been open since last November. Sanchong is ugly, but it’s so close to Taipei that it’s a cheap way to be close to the action. As for views, from my rooftop, I can see Taipei 101, Yangmingshan, Kuanyinshan . . . but I don’t spend a lot of time staring at the view.
I live in Luzhou and it is ok if you live in a community with guards, Luzhou/Sanchong is ugly, loud and some night you can hear the hookers fighting on the street, just like a city should be like. I have lived here for close to three years now and I have never seen any movie theaters so OP where is that one? Besides that it is laid back, and as long as A-bei doesn’t spit beetle nut juice on you everything is fine.
But I have noticed more and more foreigners out here since the new houses along the river started getting finished. However I heard that the smell from the river makes it unbearable to live in them, or maybe that is something my wife tells me because I want to move into one of them and she doesn’t.
Is Sanchong near Banciao? Because let me tell YOU! I was forced to spend most of the day in Banciao yesterday simply to change the damn address on my ARC card. Jesus. H. Christ. on. a. goddamn. sidecar!!! YOu could not pay me enough to live in that shithole! No WAAAAY! Ended up in an awful dive called Cafe Bravo for a wedding anniversary lunch, no less, and had just about the worst “food” it has ever been my misfortune to suffer through. Concrete jungle. Even my darling wife was prompted to comment that “it looks like Singapore… built by a blind man.”
Awful, awful, awful place, but it made arriving back home in the mountains all the nicer, so I suppose it has THAT going for it – “Banciao! It’s GREAT to get out!”
Sidewalks are a real luxury. I’ve come to the slow realization that I can’t walk from my home to Bitan simply because 1. there are not enough sidewals 2. there are no zebra crossings to make it all the way down there in one piece. Pity, not much a distance.
OTOH, in Da’an, say near Guanhwa Market, the sidewalks are wider than my living room -about twice the width.
One wishes that as the MRT pulls in, parks and other important amenities would also make their way to the suburbs. One can never give up hoping, but, alas, big changes are necessary. For example, the latest plans have been handed down for teh demolition of our 'hood: they are taking away the small remaining park in front of the church…
Stores and entertainment centers alone do not make up for lack of open space. But if Sanchong becomes other niche of investment with absentee landlords, that will not happen. Owners that use it as dormitory would be constrained enough to ask for, let’s say, green pathways to the riverside. That would increase their home’s value and their life expectancy in terms of health, plus give them a place to hang out in their golden years.
[quote=“sandman”]Is Sanchong near Banqiao? Because let me tell YOU! I was forced to spend most of the day in Banqiao yesterday simply to change the damn address on my ARC card. Jesus. H. Christ. on. a. goddamn. sidecar!!! YOu could not pay me enough to live in that shithole! No WAAAAY! Ended up in an awful dive called Cafe Bravo for a wedding anniversary lunch, no less, and had just about the worst “food” it has ever been my misfortune to suffer through. Concrete jungle. Even my darling wife was prompted to comment that “it looks like Singapore… built by a blind man.”
Awful, awful, awful place, but it made arriving back home in the mountains all the nicer, so I suppose it has THAT going for it – “Banqiao! It’s GREAT to get out!”[/quote]
Well, around that area no wonder you got that impression. If only you’d gone to the nicer parts of Banqiao, such as … such as … such as…
Aw, hell. Never mind.
(But even so, it’s still a step above Sanchong, Yonghe, Zhonghe…)
That’s the exact “Singapore built by a blind man” spot we were forced to endure yesterday. Absolutely DISGUSTING place! Horrific! AWFUL, AWFUL, AWFUL. A total and utter shithole!
At least I was able to walk for 20 fucking minutes to a post office to get a registered envelope so that they’ll send me my ARC and I won’t have to go back there to pick it up.
“Banciao: Well, its better than poking hot needles into your eyes – er… well, not really.”
Should I go for a job as a marketing expert?
I lived in Banqiao for years and traveled to jimipresley’s place every weekend. The trip was a mission. And the only good thing about Sanchong (besides presley’s company, I suppose), was that it made me appreciate Banqiao more.
I lived in Sanchong for about 1 year when I first came here over 10 yrs ago. I loved it, the people were really friendly, very down-to-earth. It’s probably changed a bit, but I can think of worse places to live.
Never, in all that time, have I experienced the SLIGHTEST hostility from the tattooed gangsters that I walk past every day on my way to work and back. In fact, we nod and smile at each other. NOT ONCE has someone pushed in front of me in a queue at a 7-11. Only ONCE did a kid point at me in the street and scream “waigoren!”. His grandma promptly slapped him alongside the head. I have experienced nothing but kindness, helpfulness and generosity from the locals.
Sure, I’d rather be living in a nice house in the mountains, but If I have to suffer the dodgy aesthetics of Taipei urban horror, I’ll choose Sanchong long before many other places that are considered more “refined”. There’s a community spirit here that often seems lacking in other parts of Taipei. I guess that’s part of living with the salt of the earth.
It’s home to me.
Oh, and there’s not a KFC, McMuck, Pizza Hut, Burger King, Blockbusters, et al within walking distance of where I live. Pure Bliss. Quite a few Love Hotels, though.
Keeping it real. Got some fine betel nut too. Seriously, I agree with you totally. The place has character (and characters) which is sadly missing in a lot of areas in Taipei.
