Landlords take note

As of March 2026, the hashtag "rental home renovation" had garnered over 2.3 billion views on Douyin, while related posts on Xiaohongshu, or RedNote, exceeded 3.7 billion views.

For savvy landlords, the online enthusiasm is also a barometer of renters' needs.

Zhu Chengjie, 49, moved from Jiangsu province to Shanghai more than two decades ago to start his own business. He gradually settled down in the city and now owns three apartments in Shanghai that he has rented for nearly a decade. Most of his tenants are young office workers fresh out of university, drawn to the city by career opportunities.

Recently, Zhu decided to renovate one of his apartments in Jing'an district.

Instead of simply repainting the walls, he hired a designer to make modest but thoughtful adjustments to the layout and furnishings, partly to justify a slight increase in rent, but also because he had noticed young tenants were placing greater emphasis on the style and quality of their living environment.

"I've noticed that young people today have much higher expectations for their living environment. A clean and functional space is no longer enough. They want warmth, personality and comfort," said Zhu.

His other two tenants have also approached him with requests to make small changes, such as adding houseplants, rearranging furniture or introducing soft decorative elements. Zhu has agreed to most of the requests.

"As long as the structure isn't affected, I'm happy to agree. After all, everyone wants to feel comfortable in the place they live," said Zhu.

When he first arrived in Shanghai, housing conditions were not his priority. Seeing today's young tenants invest time and energy in rented homes, he views it as a sign of changing attitudes. "Many of them are working hard in this city, just like I once did. Wanting to live well while striving for the future is not indulgence, but a reflection of confidence and social progress," said Zhu.

Experts said the change is closely linked to evolving market conditions and generational attitudes toward risk and stability.

Wu, from East China Normal University, noted that this transformation has been shaped by economic changes in recent years. When housing prices were widely expected to rise continuously, homeownership carried strong investment and status implications.

"As the market stabilizes and long-term (property) appreciation becomes less certain, renting is increasingly viewed as a rational and flexible choice. In an environment marked by employment uncertainty and income pressure, maintaining liquidity and reducing long-term financial burdens can provide a stronger sense of security," he said.

Wu added that reducing financial risk does not necessarily mean lowering living standards. Instead of investing heavily in property, many young people choose affordable soft furnishings to improve their living spaces.

"This is a pragmatic way of balancing quality of life with risk management," he said.