Not quite a royal flush

We entered the courtyard, with its tiny garden area and quaint decorations, and we instantly fell in love with the place.

My wife and I hadn't been searching long for a new home before we arranged to view a promising apartment in a siheyuan - a traditional hutong residence - in central Beijing. It fits all our requirements - within budget, nice size, nice location and no agent fees.

Initially, we couldn't believe our luck. It had been vacant for a few weeks after being refurbished, the friendly landlord told us. What a find, I thought. Why hadn't this place been snapped up already?