CHAPTER 15 · 9 SOURCE ENTRIES

Renting and Buying a Home

租房与买房

[← 回总目录](../README.md) 口径：金钱。租房最容易亏钱的地方是押金和中介。买房最费钱的地方是贷款利息，还有卖方知道、你不知道的那些事。

15-001

Evidence AmoneySource-sensitive

The amount of the deposit, its refund timeline, and permissible deduction scenarios must be specified in the contract

押金的数额、退还时间和扣减情形，必须写进合同

The deposit amount, when it will be returned, and under what circumstances deductions are allowed must all be written into the contract before you sign it. Any deduction reasons not explicitly stated in the contract cannot be used by the landlord to withhold your deposit at the end of the lease.

Open the low-ROI detour

Move “The amount of the deposit, its refund timeline, and permissible deduction scenarios must be specified in the contract” to Future Me's calendar

Future Me has a clearer calendar, more patience, and apparently the same responsibilities.

Today I keep a few minutes, a bit of persistence and avoid interrupting my default routine.

Read the source and trade-off

15-002

Evidence AmoneySource-sensitive

When water and electricity are cut off, locks are changed, or you’re threatened to leave — call the police right away: laws forbid using these tactics to force you out

被断水断电、换锁、上门威胁赶人，先报警留证：法规禁止用这些方式逼你腾房

Landlords are strictly prohibited by law from cutting off utilities, changing locks, or threatening tenants to end a lease or force them to move out. If this happens to you, call the police right away. The police report serves as proof if you later seek compensation for any losses. Do not attempt to confront the landlord on your own.

Open the low-ROI detour

Move “When water and electricity are cut off, locks are changed, or you’re threatened to leave — call the police right away: laws forbid using these tactics to force you out” to Future Me's calendar

If I do not open the notes, no new task has technically appeared.

Today I keep a few minutes and avoid interrupting my default routine.

Read the source and trade-off

15-003

Evidence AmoneySource-sensitive

Real estate agents must not collect or remit rent and security deposits; payments go straight to landlords

中介不得代收代付租金和押金，钱直接给房东

By regulation, real estate agents are prohibited from collecting or remitting rent and security deposits; all payments must go directly to landlords. Any time money passes through an agent’s hands, it creates one extra chance for them to abscond with the funds. If that happens, you lose both your rent payments and your right to stay in the property. Always confirm that the recipient’s name matches the name on the property title before paying.

Open the low-ROI detour

Move “Real estate agents must not collect or remit rent and security deposits; payments go straight to landlords” to Future Me's calendar

One more exception feels free because the bill arrives outside the current scene.

Today I keep a few minutes, a bit of persistence and avoid interrupting my default routine.

Read the source and trade-off

15-004

Evidence AmoneySource-sensitive

Check a long-term rental’s escrow account before paying a full year’s rent upfront

租长租公寓先查它的资金监管账户，别图便宜一次性付一年

The discount you get from paying a full year’s rent upfront is minimal. If the rental company goes out of business, you lose both your security deposit and the rent you’ve prepaid for the remaining months. It gets even worse if you take out a rent loan: even if the company disappears, you’re still obligated to make all monthly loan payments. Always check whether the company has a publicly listed escrow account before signing any lease.

Open the low-ROI detour

Move “Check a long-term rental’s escrow account before paying a full year’s rent upfront” to Future Me's calendar

I can spend longer deciding whether to start than the small action would take.

Today I keep a few minutes, a bit of persistence and avoid interrupting my default routine.

Read the source and trade-off

15-005

Evidence AmoneySource-sensitive

House sold during lease term – lease remains valid, no need to move

房子租期内被卖掉，租约继续有效，不用搬

If a house is sold while you’re still renting it, your lease stays valid. The new owner must honor the original contract and let you live there until it ends. You won’t need to move out or renegotiate any terms. This only applies if you’re already living there legally; be sure to keep proof such as the lease, payment records, and documentation showing when you moved in.

Open the low-ROI detour

Move “House sold during lease term – lease remains valid, no need to move” to Future Me's calendar

The routine already works until the day the source says it may not.

Today I keep a few minutes and avoid interrupting my default routine.

Read the source and trade-off

15-006

Evidence CmoneySource-sensitive

Checking property rights and mortgages before signing the contract; all payments must be transferred with a purpose note

签约前核对产权证和抵押情况，所有款项走转账并备注用途

The two most common ways people end up losing all their money are: first, paying rent to someone who isn’t the property owner; second, discovering that the house was already mortgaged to a bank and later seized. Before signing, verify both the property rights and any existing mortgages at the local land registry office. All payments must be made via bank transfer, with a note stating “Monthly rent for [property address]”. This note serves as direct proof in case of any disputes.

Open the low-ROI detour

Move “Checking property rights and mortgages before signing the contract; all payments must be transferred with a purpose note” to Future Me's calendar

There is no immediate alarm, so the sensible choice can wait for a less busy week.

Today I keep a few minutes, a bit of persistence and avoid interrupting my default routine.

Read the source and trade-off

15-007

Evidence AmoneySource-sensitive

For second-hand home sales where the agent collects the payment, the funds must be deposited into a dedicated transaction account opened by the agency at a bank

二手房让中介代收房款的，必须走中介在银行开的交易资金专用存款账户

The purchase price can range from hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars — this is the largest single transaction amount discussed in this guide. By regulation, when an agent collects payment, it must be transferred to a dedicated account opened by the agency at a bank, not sent via WeChat to the individual agent. Additionally, when two agencies collaborate on one sale, only one commission fee may be charged; services such as loan processing or title transfer require separate contracts and clear fee agreements beforehand.

Open the low-ROI detour

Move “For second-hand home sales where the agent collects the payment, the funds must be deposited into a dedicated transaction account opened by the agency at a bank” to Future Me's calendar

Future Me has a clearer calendar, more patience, and apparently the same responsibilities.

Today I keep a few minutes, a bit of persistence and avoid interrupting my default routine.

Read the source and trade-off

15-008

Evidence AmoneySource-sensitive

Don’t rent a subdivided apartment: the smallest legal rental unit is the original room as designed; kitchens, bathrooms, balconies must not be used for living.

别租隔断房：最小出租单位是原设计的房间，厨房、卫生间、阳台不得住人

By regulation, the minimum rental unit is the original room as built. Kitchens, bathrooms, balconies, and basement storage areas cannot be used for living. If such a unit is found to be illegal, you may be forced to move out. Additionally, during the lease term, landlords cannot unilaterally raise rents at will.

Open the low-ROI detour

Move “Don’t rent a subdivided apartment: the smallest legal rental unit is the original room as designed; kitchens, bathrooms, balconies must not be used for living.” to Future Me's calendar

If I do not open the notes, no new task has technically appeared.

Today I keep a few minutes and avoid interrupting my default routine.

Read the source and trade-off

15-009

Evidence AmoneySource-sensitive

Urban residents with hukou who want to live in the countryside can only rent rural houses — they must not buy homestead land or houses on it

城镇户口想搬去乡下住，只租农房，别买宅基地和宅基地上的房子

People with urban hukou are expressly prohibited by national regulations from buying homestead land, rural houses, or “small-property houses” in villages. Even if villagers claim “a written contract suffices,” paying money does not transfer ownership of the property. To reside long-term in the countryside, one must sign a lease agreement limited to 20 years per term, with renewal possible thereafter.

Open the low-ROI detour

Move “Urban residents with hukou who want to live in the countryside can only rent rural houses — they must not buy homestead land or houses on it” to Future Me's calendar

One more exception feels free because the bill arrives outside the current scene.

Today I keep a few minutes, a bit of persistence and avoid interrupting my default routine.

Read the source and trade-off

Source snapshot: a994b6a0c90598b0fe15cb837343f438dbf7b95d. Every original stays available in Chinese alongside the English edition.