We are often asked by expatriates arriving to work in Macau whether it would be better to rent a furnished or unfurnished home here.
There are pros and cons to both, and of course every situation is different. Some already have households of furniture where they’re coming from, and it makes sense to bring it with them rather than store or sell it. The benefits are that they tend to settle in quickly, given an immediate sense of comfort being surrounded by familiar possessions and with their own bed and mattress.
The unfurnished apartments also tend to be the newer properties that may not yet have been occupied and have better equipped clubhouses.
Older apartments that have already been tenanted will usually have some items of furniture provided, which can be useful for those coming to work on a project for a relatively short time.
But what kind of furniture can be expected? ‘You get what you pay for’ is the old adage, but these days, with skyrocketing rents, it might not hold so true here in Macau. It never ceases to amaze me what old shabby furnishings and flimsy, shiny plastic décor some owners provide in their supposedly ‘high end’ expensive properties, and then expect to receive an exorbitant rent!
There is a wide spectrum when it comes to the interpretation of ‘furnished’. Some landlords provide just the basics, such as fridge, washing machine, beds, a sofa, a dining set and a TV, while others provide much more … an oven, a clothes dryer, and everything down to bedding, towels, crockery, cutlery, toasters and coffee makers.
For those new arrivals who are not deeply wedded to their existing furniture back home, but who want clean and new, it’s good to remember that we are on the edge of ‘the land of furniture making’ – China. This means custom-made can be quick and inexpensive.
And of course, we have amazing household shopping an hour away in Hong Kong. Good old IKEA with online ordering, delivery and assembly, and designer furniture stores like Shambala, Tequila Kola and Indigo to name just a few, located in the industrial building Horizon Plaza.
For the smart shopper who enjoys buying second hand, the notice boards at the main supermarkets often advertise home furnishings going for a song from families leaving.
So, in answer to that question we are often asked, I say that unless you’re fortunate to find an apartment with furnishings that are quality and clean, go the unfurnished route. If you don’t want to take your furniture with you when you go, there’s usually a ready market of new arrivals who will buy it from you.
