Shanghai real estate

Short answer: yes — and the rules are currently the friendliest they've been in over a decade. But "yes" comes with conditions that surprise most first-time foreign buyers: one property, self-use only, a residency requirement, and a purchase process with a few steps Chinese buyers never see. Here's the complete picture as of 2026, from eligibility to keys. The core rules The national...

If you've spent any time apartment-hunting in the Former French Concession, you've seen the word. Hengfu (衡复). It's in listings, on heritage plaques, in the name of the area's own museum. But most people — including plenty of long-term expats — couldn't tell you exactly what it means or where its edges actually are. Here's the real answer, with the numbers checked. What Hengfu Actually...

If you have spent any time in Shanghai, you have heard the name. Ju Fu Chang (巨富长). It rolls off the tongue. It appears in every Citywalk guide. It is mentioned in conversations about where to live, where to eat, and where to find the city's most authentic street life. But what exactly is Ju Fu Chang? The name is a shorthand. It refers to three parallel streets in the heart of the...

There is a specific corner in Shanghai that has become something of a pilgrimage site. At the intersection of Huaihai Middle Road and Wukang Road, a wedge-shaped building shaped like a ship's bow slices through the traffic. Tourists crowd the opposite sidewalk, phones held high, all trying to capture the same perfect shot. This is the Wukang Building. And it is the gateway to one of the most...