Shanghai residents seeking ideal home

Hong Zhijian, a 54-year-old company owner in Shanghai, drives from his downtown home to his suburban villa every Friday evening. Like many of the wealthiest people in Shanghai, he owns several properties in the city which serve various functions.

"After I retire, I think I will move to a village in remote suburban Shanghai, raise some chickens and keep a dog. I may also rent a small patch of a paddy field," said Hong.

Despite the fact that Hong owns four properties in the city while many people are struggling to even get on the housing ladder, Hong said he has so far failed to achieve his ideal lifestyle in one of China's most populous cities.