About 80 percent of people surveyed said they would pay rent under that level, while a little more than 50 percent said they would accept rent under 1,000 yuan.

Homes with rents between 1,000 and 1,500 yuan are usually small rooms of between 20 to 50 square meters in the city center or areas of 50 to 100 square meters in suburban areas.

Rent is the primary deciding factor among people looking to lease accommodation, according to the survey.

About 90 percent of the people in the survey said their budgeted rent range is between 20 and 50 percent of their family income.

More than 50 percent of the people said they would prefer rooms in old mansions and shikumen (buildings in old Shanghai styles), while a third would prefer new apartments.

As rents for well furnished housing will be higher, people renting in the city usually prefer homes with simple furnishings to keep within their budget, the survey indicated.

Only 7 percent of the people surveyed said they could afford homes with luxurious furnishings, while 87 percent would choose housing simply furnished. The remaining 6 percent would opt for non-furnished housing.

(eastday.com December 3, 2002)