In New York, a city that attracts many international students to its

In New York, a city that attracts many international students to its top universities, the rental market may be hotter than these steamy July days. In Chinese-dominated Flushing, Queens, it seems a war over apartment rentals has broken out.

Every year, more and more students from China are coming to study in New York. And it is a trend among them to forego school dorms and rent somewhere off campus. Manhattan may be too expensive. Flushing, where the living environment and transit are convenient and the rent is relatively low, has become the top choice on many people’s list.
Summer is the time when Chinese international students start looking for rentals. And unlike their peers in the early years who lived on scholarships, Chinese students these days are more often from middle-class families who are able to afford the tuition and living costs. When looking for rentals, they are no longer splitting the costs in order to save money. Rather, a comfortable living is their priority. This has created a seller’s market, driven up rents and pleased landlords.

A student from China recently signed the lease for a one-bedroom apartment at Parsons Boulevard and Roosevelt Avenue for $1,400 per month. Her parents said that although the apartment might be big for one person, they hope she can live comfortably. They believe a comfortable living space is necessary for her to study well.

A Sing Tao Daily reader, who is also a parent, suggests that the most important thing for a new international student is safety. Flushing, with its Chinese population, provides a familiar atmosphere so students won’t feel scared. Also, they start classes in September, and may not have much time for house hunting.

So the best strategy is to rent whatever is available and have the kid settled down. He or she can always move to a better place later but parents don’t want their children to miss the start of the school year because they are being picky choosing a place to rent.

Locals who are also looking to rent feel the heat. Ms. Wang, who has been looking for an apartment to rent since April, told the Sing Tao Daily she still hasn’t found one. She said she has been subletting a room in a house in southern Flushing for two years. Now she wants to move to a place closer to downtown Flushing to forgo the daily bus trips to get there.

Ms. Wang searches the classified advertisements in the Chinese media. Every time she sees a listing for a newly-renovated apartment she calls on the same day. She has been told five times so far that the apartment she was interested in had already been rented out within a day.

What really shocked Ms. Wang is when she saw an ad for a newly-renovated apartment with floor-to-ceiling windows on Northern Boulevard. She called and made an appointment to see it. Three hours later, when she called again to tell the landlord she was on her way, she was told, “Sorry, someone else has signed the lease.”

Ms. Chen, who moved to 150th Street, south of Kissena Park in Flushing last month, also said it is really hard to find a place to rent now. It took her three months to find hers. Ms. Chen moved from an apartment on 32nd Avenue to an attached house with her family. She said the quietness and the convenient parking make the neighborhood suitable for them.

Ms. Chen said renting a place used to be much less time-consuming. Before, you could visit three places and choose one of them within a week. Now what often happens is you are told by the landlord it’s gone before you make a decision.

http://ny.stgloballink.com/community/201307/t20130710_1912945.html
Translated by Rong Xiaoqing from Chinese