New Property

New Fashion and Entertainment Complex by the Huangpu
A complex to rival the likes of the burgeoning Hightstreet Loft and other boutique fashion and entertainment centers throughout the city, this development in Shiliupu near the edge of the Huangpu rests amid the ever growing commercial area of Laomatou. It offers a combination of fashion, art, hotels, restaurants, bars, retail and office space. The area aims to recreate a historical design concept in line with the Nanjing Lu glory years combined with the trendy avant-garde art and fashion stylings of modern day Shanghai. Zhongshan Nan Lu, 6332-2083

Huashan Square
Strategically located in the heart of the former French Concession, these 40-story serviced apartments are within a two-minute walking distance of the Nanjing Xi Lu commercial area. The surrounding neighborhood features chic shopping malls, a variety of restaurants and a plethora of entertainment. A total of 48 deluxe units, fully-furnished, range from 330 to 410 square meters in size with 24-hour "at your service" personalized assistance available.

OASIS Boutique Executive Offices
Situated close to Xintiandi, this three-story Taicang Lu building offers a quiet place to set up office. Bamboo shoots dominate the interior d-¦cor complementing a private garden terrace overlooking Huaihai Park. The office space offers fully fitted and furnished suites and even has a private caf-¦ where you can sit in peace, sipping your cappuccino before hitting the vibrant Xintiandi streets bustling with shops, caf-¦s, restaurants and nightlife. The aim of the space is to stimulate creativity and productivity in a relaxing, friendly environment.

Shanghai's Eco City
Though it has met with a fair amount of opposition, Shanghai's planned construction of the Dongtan eco-city on Chongming Island is set to proceed early this year. The car-free city, situated 3.5 kilometers from protected wetlands and a migratory reserve for birds, will place an emphasis on recycling and zero emissions living. The first phase should be complete by 2010 and ready to house up to 10,000 people. The end result will allow 400,000 people to live in the eco-city whose model, officials hope, can be applied to other cities in the future. Critics argue that pollution caused by urban living is inevitable and that protected natural areas should remain untouched, positing that financial resources for the project would be better allocated to making existing cities more environmentally friendly.

Pinnacle Huashan
This 31-story, 116-unit building in the heart of the former French Concession offers three or four-bedroom apartments, duplexes and triplexes ranging from 207-615 square meters in size. Amenities include heated floors, filtered water systems, central air-conditioning and heating and a central vacuum system. The building offers 24-hour security, housekeeping and concierge services and facilities include a clubhouse, indoor swimming pool, Jacuzzi, steam room, sauna and gym. Grab a healthy breakfast every morning in the Executive Lounge and enjoy the view-Cas the last high rise being authorized in this area, you'll have a nice one. Tower 1 & 2, 211 Xingfu Lu

Government & City News

Shanghai Goes Wi-Fi
Jiading District is about to become the first in Shanghai to go completely Wi-Fi as of April / May with roughly 40 kilometers of the city being laptop-friendly. The best part is, it's free. When the project, spurred on in the lead-up to the EXPO, is complete, over 200 pieces of Wi-Fi equipment will have been installed throughout the district. Before 2010, both Tianjin and Beijing are also expected to establish Wi-Fi districts within their bounds, joining the ranks of a community 
of Wi-Fi cities worldwide numbering approximately 1,500 in total so far.

Real Estate Services

New Online Real Estate Giant
China's largest online real estate agency is soon to be formed as Sina.com partners with E-House (China) Holdings Ltd. Sina, which holds two thirds of the stake, will redirect its home decoration and real estate channels into the new firm. From the E-House side, users will receive transaction data on land and residences, offices and commercial buildings in 30 major cities (including Shanghai). Approximately 5,000 real estate developers currently use E-House, making for a powerful team when combined with Sina, China's top-ranked portal site. The new firm will launch a new website address once the partnership comes to fruition.

FindisNet Limited
Find residential, mortgage, insurance and investment advice through this new financial service. Backed by Australian investors, the company helps find mortgage solutions for local and foreign banks and aims to provide customers with more home loaning options. Variable currency loans are available in AUSD, SGD, HKD and RMB and the company promises to provide personalized loan solutions within three working days as well as complete loan qualifications on your behalf and provide quick mortgage loan drawdowns. Good relations with key foreign banks enables them to offer flexible and competitive packages for the purchasing or refinancing of property in Australia and Hong Kong. Consulting and services are free. 5150-6296 ext. 830

Merry Home Makes Merry
A professional property agency that will appeal to the socially conscious, this agency devotes part of its time and resources to help fund educational programs in Yunnan Province. The company, which works primarily with foreigners, donates an average of ￥12,000 per year to poor students in the rural areas of this province through a total of seven schools. Five more students have been added to the list of beneficiaries this year, joining 45 past recipients. As the company's business grows, they plan to continue to expand such initiatives.

Government & City News

Land Sales Supervised
After high-profile corruption cases landed many an official in jail in 2007, the Shanghai Municipal People's Congress has placed land sales directly under its own supervision. They will supervise trade, budgets and spending as well as the development of a regulatory mechanism for the use of state-owned land. Shanghai's mayor, Han Zheng, has also said that the government will make information on the their management of the income generated available to both the Standing Committee and to the public. It’s difficult to say whether or not further regulatory mechanisms will affect expats who already face stringent guidelines when trying to negotiate the property markets of Shanghai.