Need advice on Shenzhen apartments/districts!!

For the best mix of cost / convenience I would suggest BuJi.  It's on the subway line and a 20 minute ride will take you straight down town Louhu.

Shekou is not like it used to be 10 years ago.  It has been bought up by corporate interests and transformed into Little-USA. It's a great place if you are homesick and want to surround yourself with other expats.  Otherwise, the cost of living is much higher than in China.  Consider a beer is 60 RMB, where you can buy one in any store in Shenzhen for 2 RMB.  As I said before... Little-USA.

Nanshan is fine. Housing prices are not like they used to be, and you would more than likely take a bus rather than a subway to get around.

FuTian is great if you have kids and a family.  Like Nanshan the costs are climbing.  It is not the place to live if you like bars and nightlife.

Louhu is the place for bars and nightlife, but the housing prices are killer. Never the less it is super convenient, and very nice. It is down town and is the heart of the city.  If I would be so bold, I would suggest you get a place off to the side of Louhu such as GuoMao. There is a nice area where I used to live called "Louhu village" there and the prices are pretty reasonable.

BaoAn is very nice, and is the home of two airports and many high tech factories.  I myself, consider it too much like Dongguan. So it's got it's strengths and weaknesses.  If you move there, expect a one hour subway ride to downtown.

LongGong is all villages and towns.  The prices are great, (really really great) but you will be off and away outside of the Shenzhen city.  Not advised.

I hope this helps.

Let us know what you decide. I'm interested, thanks.

Hey.  I decided on Residence G in Houhei.  The neighborhood is up-and-coming, not as expat-centric as SeaWorld...and the apartments was MUCH nicer than anything i found in Shekou/SeaWorld.

Chris

Good for you. Avoid expats.  Not that expats are bad, but rather than live in "USA-town", get the real experience.  Go local.

come across this forum... hmm... also useful for chinese. haha
should read this before I found an apartment.

We just got to China! Fortunately my husbands company was ok with us staying right away in Shenzhen instead of spending a few months in Shanghai. We are now in the same boat as you were. Looking for a place that's reasonable and not crawling with expats. We are here to experience the Chinese culture and would like our little one to attend an all Chinese kindergarten to really integrate. We are interested in the Nanshan area or any other area that is safe for a family too so please feel free to recommend.

Nanshan and Futian are the best places to raise children. You do need to get out and explore. Get a subway pass. Put 200 RMB on it and ride the different lines. That is the best and cheapest way to get around.

Must see...
Window of the World amusement park.
OCT (Chinese overseas town) . Chinese expats returned to China and set up businesses.
Shekou / Sea world.
Louhu downtown. Walk around Guomao (Louhu village)

Best wishes. Remember that now and for the next week or so, everything will be quiet and closed.