Forums > Living in Kunming > Housing Prices Back on topic...
Tiger, I not only match your sentiments on Eye of Spring's prime location, but I'll raise you.
EoS is essentially above the MRT station. If deemed a walking distance, it is a downstair descent.
Like the eye of a storm, the 'Eye' here denotes center of Spring City. Not the all-watching Mordor scanning Frodo variety.
Wherever KM's current CBD is designated, EoS along with Hang Lung's Spring 66 are destined to become the CBD epicenter. Four skyscrapers strong. Situated above possible triple MRT interchange station. Chinese may refer to such 'golden' locations as 金华地段.
Where our path diverge, however, is buyers' demand.
I've been to residential sale openings/开盘 where buyers push and shove while yelling at one another. Resembling famished survivors of post apocalypse battling for last morsel of tudou, or "po-ta-toe" in hobbit context.
In contrast, EoS sales office was practically empty like a LV store sans Chinese shoppers. Sales agents outnumber potential buyers 5 to 1.
Most telling was sales' unenthusiast demeanor when a few onlookers arrived at the sales center. A telltale sign the developer is neither intent on releasing units from their steel beam grip, nor incentivizing smiley-go-getter-inducing commission for their sales team. Apparently the team got the memo.
I may have been fooled by seagull hearsay, but that quiet church mouse congregation ain't pulling one on anyone. Particularly not the likes of infamous Wenzhou real estate speculators group (温州炒房团).
Professional/career 炒房者 like them are known to prepurchase in bulk without batting eye nor being present in body on 开盘 day. They would wire money days in advance, like entering cheat codes in the digital monopoly game. Claiming Boardwalk, Park Place, and the four Railroads before tossing the dice.
温州帮 and similar speculator groups scout nationwide for locations with optimal growth potentials. Maybe these savvy, real estate prospectors are cognizant Km real estate market is relatively slower, carry higher opportunity costs.
They've either gobbled up EoS without public knowledge, or made a hard pass knowing that flipping 10-20 million yuan per apartment unit is a risky endeavor w/ limited upside. Because how many buyers have 20-40M to buy one unit? Not many. Not the amateur 炒房 masses. Perhaps more in Shanghai, but less here. The wealthy would rather opt for garden villas, like ones of suburbia dream homes in American movies. Moreover, Km is still a long way from a Manhattan-esque metropolitan draw.
Remember, 40k/sqm "起." Meaning, "starting price" for possibly the worst, lower units directly facing the opposite taller of the two skyscrapers with limited view. As consumers in China, we should all be vigilant with the small font "起“ character.
Like I said earlier, perhaps Junfa developer is misleading the actual unit sizes to prevent speculators from flipping their smaller and cheaper units at early stages of construction, so as to reap more themselves later in development.
Endangered snub-nosed monkeys evade extinction
Posted byReddit serendipitously featured an adorable video of a snub-nosed monkey (endemic to SW China) on their front page, on the eve of Kunming's biodiversity conference tomorrow no less:
www.reddit.com/[...]
This fluffy one being hand-fed appears to be a Sichuan golden hair monkey (aka Sichuan snub-nosed monkey). Video, rather than images, truly captures their essence.
It appears GoKunming has featured these sub-nosed monkeys quite a bit over the past twelve years. Looks like conservation efforts to stave them from extinction panned out.
Snapshot: Chasing black snub-nosed monkeys in the forests of northwest Yunnan (by Fabio Nodari in 2019):
www.gokunming.com/[...]
New population of critically endangered monkeys found in Yunnan
(by Patrick Scally in 2019):
www.gokunming.com/[...]
Face to face with Yunnan's snub-nosed monkeys
(by Amanda Kaminsky in 2014):
www.gokunming.com/[...]
Conservationists save endangered snub-nosed monkey
(by Patrick Scally in Nov. 2013):
www.gokunming.com/[...]
Endangered snub-nosed monkeys evade extinction
(by Patrick Scally in Jan. 2013):
www.gokunming.com/[...]
Yunnan snub-nosed monkeys bouncing back from the brink of extinction
(by Chris Horton in 2009):
www.gokunming.com/[...]
Flying Tigers memorial opening tomorrow
Posted bySomeone should let CNN know, Frank Losonsky died at age 99 earlier this year in February. Apparently he was the last remaining Flying Tiger.
Flying Tigers memorial opening tomorrow
Posted byA lengthy piece on Flying Tigers just published on CNN. Also a short video showcasing one of the last three living volunteer pilots, a 96-year old Losonsky. Cool pictures of the cool P-40 fighter planes in air are featured too.
The article even briefly mentioned Kunming...
"Chennault expressed his disappointment at his group's first combat mission against Japanese bombers attacking the AVG base in Kunming, China, on December 20, 1941. He thought the pilots lost their discipline in the excitement of combat."
Read it here:
edition.cnn.com/[...]
Letter from the editor: Kunming community spirit in times of Corona
Posted byOur collective love for Spring City is what fuels our solidarity. Much love to all.
Kunming Aegean Shopping Mall is now offering surgical masks on their official Wechat account. 50 masks for 120 rmb. Delivered to your door for those who may need them. The price is reasonable considering widespread price gouging on ebay, amazon, and the likes.
Are you back yet JanJal? Your warm donuts and hot shower await.
How to: Cook a Thanksgiving dinner in China
Posted byThank you for bringing Holiday warmth to families in China.