Chapter 81: The high price of housing is a blow...
Chapter 81
Lin Mujin went to her landlord Sister Zhu's house again with some fruit.
Still received a warm welcome.
"Your business is really good. The hot noodles are so delicious. It was my first time eating them in Hong Kong. At first I thought they were rice noodle rolls, but when I put them in my mouth I realized they were different, completely different, each with its own delicious taste. I've even packed up the fried dumplings several times, and everyone at home says they're delicious." Sister Zhu praised.
Lin Mujin quickly praised him, "Thanks to Sister Zhu's help and introduction, otherwise it wouldn't have been so smooth. Apart from other things, other areas are too chaotic to do business in peace. Although the management fee is higher here, no bad guys dare to cause trouble, so business is booming."
Sister Zhu was equally satisfied. "The last time I went to the temple to burn incense, I prayed that the person would not be replaced."
Lin Mujin was a little confused, and it took her a while to understand what she meant. There are many gangs in Hong Kong now, and fighting between them is inevitable, so it is easy to be replaced.
Does she also need to pray to God for help?
She couldn't speak.
Changing the subject, "Sister Zhu, come back next time. We are developing new products."
Sister Zhu became interested. "New product?"
Lin Mujin nodded. "We've always sold hot noodles and fried dumplings, but my sister said our regular customers haven't been coming in much, so we're planning to add some seafood to give them more options. But... we're really short on staff, so we're thinking of hiring two more people."
Hiring these two people was discussed at the dinner table last night. The fee of 800 yuan includes food and accommodation.
As for whether to keep one or two in the end, we'll see.
Sister Zhu nodded and said, "Yes, we need to recruit people. Every time I go there, I see your brother and sister are very busy."
Lin Mujin sighed and said, "Actually, this business isn't easy. My sister and the others have to get up at four o'clock to go to the morning market to buy ingredients, and then start preparing them. It's really unbearable after such a long time, so I thought of hiring someone to help. But it would be best if the helper lives nearby, otherwise it would be impossible for them to come to work after four o'clock in the morning."
Sister Zhu heard something behind the words, "But you haven't vacated the building yet."
Lin Mujin quickly said, "It's Sister Xiuying who wants to separate a bedroom so that her burden can be lighter. Sister Zhu, you know it's not easy for a single girl. She used to rent a room on her own for safety reasons. Now we have a good relationship, and she still trusts us, so she agreed to share the room, but ultimately, it depends on your consent."
Sister Zhu considered it for a moment. "That means there will be two more people on your floor, but everything else remains the same."
Lin Mujin nodded, "Yes, there should be two more women."
Sister Zhu rubbed her fingers together and said, "But when there are so many people, water and electricity are not a big deal, but my new water heater will age quickly."
Lin Mujin actually nodded in agreement. "Your consideration is sound, so we'll give you an extra hundred dollars a year as depreciation for the extra people using it. Is that okay with you?"
Sister Zhu laughed again, "One hundred dollars is nothing. I am satisfied with your attitude."
Lin Mujin quickly flattered him, "We, the residents, should be grateful to have such a tolerant and generous landlord like you. Even though your family is busy with business, our house is cleaned every day. It's very spotless, and the kitchen and bathroom are never left out."
Sister Zhu's smile widened. "I've been there, and the kitchen and bathroom are spotless. It's because you love cleanliness that I feel comfortable going to your house to pack dumplings for my family."
Lin Mujin smiled innocently and said, "We don't just sell our food to customers, our family also eats it. We have to do business with a clear conscience."
Sister Zhu nodded repeatedly.
Lin Mujin glanced around the living room and said, "Sister Zhu, I love your house every time I come here. I wonder when I will have my own house."
She said this because she knew Sister Zhu wouldn't be angry, and her house really didn't lack tenants.
Sister Zhu raised the corner of her mouth and said, "Your family works so hard, you will have a house sooner or later."
Lin Mujin frowned and touched her chest. "But the price of houses has gone up so much that the money I earn hasn't increased much."
Sister Zhu couldn't help laughing this time. She owns many houses, and her assets have doubled in the past two years, not counting other income. It can be said that Lin Mujin hit the nail on the head.
Lin Mujin casually asked, "Sister Zhu, what are the current government regulations regarding private housing construction? Does this house belong to your family forever?"
Sister Zhu shook her head. "It seems you don't understand at all. Our government leases the land. This means the land is public property, and we lease it to you with a permit. Currently, there are three types of leases: 75 years, 99 years, and 999 years."
Lin Mujin listened very carefully, "Can I understand that I only have the right to use it, not the ownership?"
Sister Zhu clapped her hands. "Very accurate. But 999 years and forever are almost the same."
Lin Mujin agreed, "That's right, no one can live for 999 years."
Humans are not turtles, so they can't live that long.
Sister Zhu continued, "But land is very popular right now and can only be obtained through auctions. The prices are very high. I've been keeping an eye on it recently, but the prices are a bit scary, so I haven't made a move yet."
Lin Mujin had an expression that said, "Just tell me and I'll give up." "About how much?"
Sister Zhu said, "A small house will cost 300,000 or 400,000 yuan, and if you want a longer lease, it will be even more expensive."
Lin Mujin swallowed hard. She knew it would be expensive, but she hadn't expected it to be this expensive. "What about buying an old building and renovating it?"
Sister Zhu's expression immediately turned serious. "I advise you not to touch it. There are too many things involved. You need to apply to the Housing Department. Not all houses allow flipping."
She sighed, "You think I haven't thought about it, but my lawyer friend advised me not to do it. There needs to be a structural safety report, a fire report, and a lot of other things. If the old building involves neighbors or an addition, there are still a lot of procedures to go through. It's a headache just thinking about it."
Lin Mujin's heart felt even colder.
Or you can just live in the mainland in the future. It is not necessary to have a house in Hong Kong.
Sister Zhu asked, "Your family shouldn't be indigenous, right? Otherwise, you could apply for Ding rights and build a house with the land."
Lin Mujin shook her head, "It's not my home."
Seeing her bitter face, Sister Zhu advised, "House prices are a bit too high now. Maybe they'll fall next year. Besides, many real estate developers are building buildings now, and now they can be sold individually. It's not like before when you had to buy the whole building and not split it up. A large house over a thousand square feet only costs four or five hundred thousand yuan. I think it's much easier than building your own house."
Lin Mujin still thinks it’s very expensive.
The money in my passbook has been growing quite fast recently, and I'm feeling a bit carried away.
Now when I hear about hundreds of thousands of dollars, it feels like the money in the passbook is not much.
There is still a long way to go!
"It's quite expensive. I'll talk to my uncle and the others when I get back. I have to work hard to earn money." This was definitely what Lin Mujin really thought.
Sister Zhu patted her shoulder and said, "I'm optimistic about you. By the way, do you still want some old furniture?"
Lin Mujin said without hesitation, "Yes!"
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