Beijing's exodus: Housing prices at center of concerns

About 70 percent of survey respondents believe that professionals in Beijing will be impeded in their long-term development if they do not buy homes in the city, according to recent online survey results.

These respondents said that not having homes will lead to a feeling of uncertainty and having no roots in the city, according to the survey carried out by the job-hunting company Liepin.

A total of 7,000 people took part in the survey focusing on professionals' attitudes toward the wave of people fleeing Beijing, and a majority of them don't have a Beijing hukou, or household registration.

"Cannot afford, dare not to think" is the first response of 43.93 percent of the participants who were asked if they would buy homes in Beijing.

Only 6.13 percent of respondents said they planned to buy homes in the city, and 15.84 percent said they have homes in the city.

In the first quarter this year, Beijing's new home prices soared by about 27 percent according to data from property companies, even though the city government launched a series of measures to curb housing prices.

Ba Ran, a senior career consultant, said that the high housing prices have become an important factor for professionals considering which city to live and work.

She also said that professionals should have a clear idea of what they really want when they decide to leave or stay in a city, and prepare to shoulder the result of their decisions.

While some professionals have left Beijing because of the high housing prices, about 63 percent of survey participants said they are slightly influenced by it, and 27 percent said they are really influenced.

However, about 38 percent of professionals said they still have plans to leave, and 42.7 percent of respondents are not sure whether they will leave Beijing in the future. Over 19 percent said no, because "it is a big loss to leave Beijing."

Ba said it is good for professionals to have independent views on their life, and make decisions based on their own situations.