Life In China - Beijing Hutong House Tour

[@Nicofilms]

If you like this video then check out some of my other videos about China: kzbin.info/www/bejne/oXaofaCogrCqprM If you are thinking about moving to China then this video is for you: kzbin.info/www/bejne/h6mzfIeCqpZop68 Don't forget to hit that subscribe button for more China and travel-related content: kzbin.info

[@ahhhlvin]

I'm surprised the hutong interior is so modern! I was really impressed with the ground heating!

[@Nicofilms]

Yeah it is really great there are 6 in our little block which are all pretty much identical inside. The underfloor heating is a must, we didn't have heating like that when we lived in Nanjing and it was freezing!

[@pauleh1000]

Thank you for your video. I always enjoy when China is portrait accurately without the common negativity. Enjoy the great country.

[@rtgtx]

I think the lovely house contributes to your happiness in China. Good people like you deserve this.

[@Nicofilms]

Thank you, I certainly think it helps to have somewhere nice to call home.

[@samwilson4297]

God, your apartment is just too cute!

[@Nicofilms]

Aww thanks girl!!

[@xiaoweichen3708]

Nice video! Your photographer's hands are very steady. The images are very smooth. Happy Chinese New Year! The next one week, Beijing will be creepily empty.

[@Nicofilms]

Aw thank you! We use a gimble which makes the shots very steady. Happy New Year to you too! It is very strange but kind of nice, we are travelling tomorrow though so I hope that's not too busy 🙄

[@kevinshang1141]

I just came back from my second Beijing trip. And my main goal of this trip is to visit the Hutong! As soon as I walked in, I decided that if I am gonna move to Beijing, Hutong will be the ideal place to live in.

[@Nicofilms]

It is! We love it, as soon as we sore it we knew it was the right place for us. Some people say theirs are cold but luckily we have the underfloor heating. I love the neighbourhood as well, it has a really nice community feel.

[@kevinshang1141]

Nico Exactly! I admire this "neighborhood " feel or "community" so so much! :)

[@Nicofilms]

@@kevinshang1141 Its so nice there is always something happening!

[@elineshappyplace2562]

Your house is so cute! I absolutely love it :D

[@Nicofilms]

Aw thank you!! It's perfect for us, apart from we bang our heads a bit haha

[@KCtour]

Nico, you should try the little eatery with the green signage 宝瑞门钉肉饼店 where you passed the old man holding the little grandkid. Try to beef meat pie 门钉肉拼 going with the porridge 小米粥. It’s Beijing’s traditional food. You will like it.

[@tailstraveladventures79]

Wow! Super cute place. 🙌🏻

[@Nicofilms]

Aw thank you! We love living in the Hutongs.

[@MamaWithSoul]

Love it❤

[@jinbosany1890]

A lot of editing work....well done!

[@Nicofilms]

Thanks a lot!

[@seabastianquinonez2062]

Great video, moving to China soon

[@Nicofilms]

Thank you I'm pleased you like it. You might also find my latest video useful kzbin.info/www/bejne/h6mzfIeCqpZop68 Where in China are you moving to?

[@NamidaDreams]

Hi, Nico! I have just discovered your channel and I'm really enjoying it! Thank you for sharing these experiences with us. I only wanted to ask you a thing, if possible: how much do you pay for you house rent? :)

[@Nicofilms]

Hi! Thanks for commenting I'm really happy you are enjoying my channel I am pleased you are finding it helpful. Yes, of course, my place is ¥8,500pm most single bed hutongs in the center are around ¥6-9,000. If you were looking to move to Beijing there is also cheaper options but it probably wouldn't be a hutong. :)

[@NamidaDreams]

@@Nicofilms thank you for answering! I'm going to Beijing on next week with a university program for 5 months, so I will stay in the campus first but, maybe, I'll move out in an independent flat. We'll see! I'm also thinking about starting a travel vlog. :)

[@Nicofilms]

@@NamidaDreams Cool! Well if they provide you a flat and its liveable I would probably stay there. You might be able to move in with someone but most place require a years lease and you usually pay for 3 months rent at a time. So if you are only here for 5 months I would save your money! Awesome I look forward to seeing it!

[@banja1470]

Wow a fancy one. Now I know where you took the videos with grey bricks background 😄😄

[@Nicofilms]

hahaha yes we have a courtyard it's a nice place to film as we don't have much light downstairs.

[@j.flaner8506]

loved this!

[@Nicofilms]

Thank you! Well like I said before most of it is Ikea! haha

[@j.flaner8506]

@@Nicofilms Nothing wrong with Ikea. I love their stuff, especially their kitchenware.

[@Nicofilms]

Exactly! Cheap and cheerful and good quality!

[@squarepeg1023]

Love that dog!! So cute...

[@Nicofilms]

Its so cute!!

[@joewong438]

Am I seeing things Nico? This is high end modern apartment equal to in Vancouver downtown rent for $2500 and more. Fabulous place!

[@hayleybarbara1589]

I have friends living in Vancouver who have 4 roommates 😂😅 life is so expensive in Canada

[@guestonearth1274]

Nice video!

[@Nicofilms]

Thanks for watching.

[@gennval]

Nice video👍

[@Nicofilms]

Thank you!

[@tomouycheng8889]

Hi Nico , I really enjoy and love your video❤️,I love your apartment , I have a few problem that I have been worry, I want to study business university at Beijing I want to stay at school dorm and I’m worry a lot about the cost and expend there as a student . Thanks you 😊❤️❤️

[@djmansau198]

Wait how can you upload video to KZbin Isn't KZbin is banned in china?

[@orkunvemosi]

online renting websites are full of houses, just cant seem to find hutong houses there.

[@Nicofilms]

I was recommended an agent which has a lot of hutong properties this is his WeChat jay57168. Hope that helps!

[@user-kg1ke2no1v]

Enjoying hutong. It’s amazing place. I miss my hometown

[@Nicofilms]

Thank you I know I love living here! You are from Beijing? Where do you live now?

[@user-kg1ke2no1v]

Yes. I am. But I living in new york now. I think the best way to enjoy Beijing is to really live like a resident of Beijing.

[@dhy6179]

nicely decorated...though a little bit expensive

[@Nicofilms]

Yes it is a bit but there are two of us to it makes it a bit easier.

[@odette198466]

Beautiful home! May I ask you which rental agency you used?

[@Nicofilms]

Thank you! I used an agent which was recommended to me on WeChat his ID is jay57168 and he specialises in the Dongzhimen area of Beijing.

[@JeffSmith-dg8qq]

will u make some vlog videos in the future?

[@Nicofilms]

I have new videos released every 2 weeks. One is coming this sunday!

[@AmelieZh]

好看！

[@Nicofilms]

Thank you!

[@harubiii]

you guys are too fucking cute it physically hurts. the green & orange toothbrushes gaawwd

[@Nicofilms]

Awww thank you! I am pleased you liked it ☺

[@vi6141]

your house looks so cosy and modern i love it, a goal of mine is to live in beijing later this year i'd like to know if possible how much do i have to pay for a place like yours.!

[@kelseighingram]

Ana I’m curious about that as well! I’ve thought about renting a house in a hutong but apparently the renovated ones are incredibly pricey.

[@Nicofilms]

Hi Ana, that's awesome you totally should I love it here. We fell in love when we saw it so had to have it. Generally, the renovated ones are between 6-9,000RMB depending on where you are ours is ¥8,500 but there are two of us and my company gives me a housing allowance so I feel like its worth it. I know friends which share apartments and they pay around ¥4000 so I feel it works out about the same haha.

[@Nicofilms]

Hi Kelseigh they are a bit more but as there are two of us it makes it a bit cheaper. It also depends on what you are after and where. Generally, they seem to be between ¥6-9000 ours is ¥8,500 I know a few estate agents who seem to have a lot of hutongs if you need some help or just want to have a peek at some options.

[@vi6141]

Nico thank you for the information, do you know by any chance a website that will allow me to find one or multiple roommates in Beijing? Thanks 🙏🏻

[@Nicofilms]

@@vi6141 I'm not too sure as I haven't needed to find a roommate but I am sure there would be some WeChat groups or if you ask on FB groups like Young Expats in Beijing other people might be able to help. Also on The Beijinger www.thebeijinger.com/classifieds/housing they have listings. We used an agent but we were only looking for ourselves.

[@gulabacha]

Hi NICO. your videos are very nice and informative. Could you please tell me how an English teacher can earn in China. I am planning to move. Will be waiting for your reply. Many Thanks

[@Nicofilms]

Hi Syed, thank you! I have replied to your email, sorry it took a few days I was away on holiday.

[@hashemhashem2912]

Cozy living space. Are you still living here?

[@Nicofilms]

Sure am! third year in the same place.

[@recuerdo5845]

💟💟💟💟

[@johnkiel1000]

What is hutong..?😱

[@Nicofilms]

A hutong is a traditional Beijing home. It is made up of little alleyways and shows a traditional Chinese way of life. They are a great place to visit if you come to Beijing.

[@rickyrecuerdo1582]

A hutong is those little houses on the prairie when you are watching spiderman...hahaha..

[@aphw2000]

Hugtong is a narrow alleyway

[@tiffanyysabelmendoza295]

How much is your rent?

[@Nicofilms]

Hi Tiffany, I pay ¥8500 per month but hutong places like this go from anything between ¥6-9000

[@joshbrescia4139]

It seems that flat was designed by a Feng shui consultant

[@Nicofilms]

hahaha we just didn't have much stuff when this was filmed.

[@seinfrei5644]

Hello Nico, I enjoyed your video about the cafes in Beijing. However, I have read that the city government of Beijing wants to ban modern life from the Hutongs and since 2017 some Hutongs have been walled up. Are there any Hutongs in modern life in Beijing? What about the bricked Hutongs? Are there any signs of revival or are they dead places? Where do people actually go to eat, drink and the like, when in the worst case the Hutongs have become only bleak brick alleys? What does Beijing offer besides the Hutongs? The city is not so beautiful, I think, that you fly around half the world for a 8-lane road. Are only the shopping malls left? Maybe you can show more in a video about the evolution of the Hutongs - that would be great. The Fangjia Hutong is said to be a famous example of the destruction of modern life. Is it really that bad or is there a Hutong life after death? Thank you

[@Nicofilms]

Hi, thanks for your comment I'm pleased you liked that video. You are right the government is wanting to brick up many hutongs, I'm not fully sure why I think because they want to build more modern places but everybody I know loves the hutongs. As you can see mine has been modernised but there are many which have not. They bricked up some bars and shops last year but you are still able to enter from the side. I think its a shame for business's as the big windows were a real draw for some and tourists love them. People adapt to change and unfortunately its just one of those things that happens here in Beijing. Have you been to the city before? For me Beijing is one of the best cities I have been to, it has everything. History, culture, bars, shops, parks, markets I love it, there is so much to do and see other then malls and highways.

[@seinfrei5644]

@@Nicofilms Hello Nico, I've never been to Beijing before, and the point is, I will not visit the city for so long before I'm convinced that it's worth spending time and money on such a journey that is costly and time-consuming. I loved the hip hutongs, the hip cafes you see in the photos and I do not like the converted hutongs. I do not like alleys where I only walk along a wall. Because what is the alternative to it? Sanlitun? The CBD? Is it worth it to fly to Beijing for 10 days, if you do not necessarily come for the historical monuments but for vibrant, lively streets full of shops and cafes? Unfortunately, I find little on the Internet. Mainly I find negative articles about Beijing and photos that show that there are no more cafes in the hutongs. Can you shoot this picture and maybe show a little more of the Hutongs in a video? Wudaoying, Fangjia, Beiluoguxiang or whatever you know. You wrote, there are page inputs. Can you show this? I can not imagine anything. Maybe it appeals to me, because I know, the Chinese are never going to get it :). Thank you and best regards

[@Nicofilms]

@@seinfrei5644 Well all the cafes in my video apart from the Friends cafe were all in the hutongs. The area of 798 Art district is also very cool and hipster, filled with art galleries and places to eat but it is not hutong streets. A great resource is Time Out Beijing they have lots of articles about Beijing. If you were coming to Beijing just for this then I would suggest maybe going to some other places too like Shanghai as it is easy to get the train from Beijing. But Beijing is more than just coffee shops and the reason you would visit is because of the food, culture and it's history.

[@seinfrei5644]

@@Nicofilms Thank you Nico for your answer. Maybe you will do some more Beijing videos, then maybe I can discover the city better for myself. The fact that the Mayor of Beijing wants so much to lavish has meant that I can not get involved with Beijing until I know how the city will develop. It is not nice to look forward to beautiful places that are then torn down or walled up.

[@emilyzheng7559]

Many people wanna see the beauty of Maldives before it disappears.

[@EdwardSmart]

Nice place! "Location" Location" Location"!

[@Nicofilms]

Hahaha I totally felt like that! If I was more badass I could of done a cribs style video!

[@linameziani6287]

How much you pay for it ?

[@Nicofilms]

¥8500 per month

[@SeanRhoadesChristopher]

@@Nicofilms $1312/month! That’s a bit much. But probably less than half of what we might pay in say NYC, or London. Wow! Consider yourself blessed!

[@Nicofilms]

@@SeanRhoadesChristopher Rent is a lot higher in Beijing than in other cities in China but it is the capital and like you say if it was somewhere else it might be double. I've seen others in this price range and I still love ours the most so it's expensive but worth it.

[@jlcdrivewayramps7343]

Nico. Honest comments. The content of your videos is great. But there's too much cinematography to it...and the presentation feels too commercialized. Make it like a video you send your mum rather than a TV documentary. Raw and natural. With hardly any background music. Eg oriental pearl, xiaoma in NY, ghib ojisan in singapore, blondie in China your pal. I believe KZbin viewers prefer watching raw and natural videos not a NBC documentary,

[@Nicofilms]

Thanks for your opinion, everyone is different and has different styles. This is our style, we don't want to be like other people.

[@randzopyr1038]

Half the video just to get to the tour...

[@hrhbear]

Everything is so plain!,.... It looks like the inside of an office building,...there is no warmth at all in the home!,,,,no thanks!....

[@Nicofilms]

hahaha rude! If you don't like it that's fine, but it's still my home.

[@joanajoyyee9490]

it looks like you are in the poorer part of china...

[@Nicofilms]

I live in the hutongs in Beijing which are the traditional alley ways. It is a very local area not gentrified.

[@gcalvin8846]

that property is very expensive, just use your imagination to think how much is that. LOL