The Housing Company of the Changsha Diplomatic Service Bureau and FESCO provide an office and residence advisory service, including recommending to foreign institutions suitable candidate offices or residences when necessary. You may also rely on trustworthy housing intermediaries to do the job for you.

When purchasing a house or apartment, you should ensure the real estate developer has all the required documents and permits for the sale. You must obtain approval from the relevant inspection office after you have chosen the house and go through relevant formalities with the Changsha Municipal Housing and Land Administration Bureau. When you make alternations to the structure of a house or apartment, you should ensure the section to be altered is covered by the house and land ownership. If you purchase an existing house, please check the transfer payment of the house and land ownership of the lesser. In addition, you should process the relevant procedures with the Changsha Municipal Housing and Land Administration Bureau.

Foreigners who live in Changsha for the purpose of work and/or study for no less than one year may purchase residential housing. Foreigners are only allowed to purchase one house or apartment per person; they should present a written declaration about the requirement and private use of the residence when registering for pre-purchase and ownership. When you purchase a non-self use residence, you should follow the procedures for foreign business people investing in real estate and applying to set up a foreign-funded enterprise; if you fail to do so, you will not be allowed to process the transfer procedure of ownership.