Real estate continues its climb(5)

The expat

Some foreigners are instantly recognizable to Chinese people and Luc Bendza, 43, from Gabon is one of them. He often appears on Chinese television performing martial arts, and has played a number of roles in several popular movies and TV plays. Initially attracted by Chinese kung fu films, he moved to China in 1983.

In addition to his acting work, Bendza helps Chinese enterprises to invest in African countries.

In many people's eyes, he's a star and so they assume he owns a large house or a villa. However, Beijing's highly inflated house prices are as big headache for him as every one else.

"The longer I stay in China, the more I like the Chinese, I think. During the past two decades, I have waited for property prices to fall so I could afford to really settle down in Beijing. However, prices have risen ever higher following the introduction of each new control measure," said Bendza.

"My desire to have my own apartment has grown since my son was born last year. I feel obliged to give him a stable life and, to me, an apartment of our own is a guarantee of that stability," he said.

"I know the property policies well. My wife is Chinese and she and I discussed the subject a lot before the new control polices came into force on March 31."

The news that the policies were being introduced saw huge numbers of potential buyers taking the plunge to ensure they didn't get caught out by another rapid price increase.

"Our experience and instincts told us the new polices would be stricter than ever. If we didn't grasp the chance, we may have lost it forever. The price of new homes was sure to increase a lot because of these new policies and we simply would not be able to afford a home if we didn't act quickly."

Bendza and his wife had been saving for several years and with the help of a friend they quickly found and bought an apartment in the north of Beijing, close to the airport.

"The facts show that our decision was a wise one. The price of our new apartment rose hugely in the space of just 20 days," he said.

"I suggest that next time the government should undertake more research into the property market. Also, consult a greater number of people from all walks of life to work out really effective policies that will benefit the majority of people and not just a small number."