For urban residents looking to move to the countryside: only rent farmhouses, do not buy homestead land or houses built on homestead land
People with urban household registration (hukou) cannot purchase homestead land, farmers' houses, or "small property rights houses" in rural areas; this is strictly prohibited by national documents. Even if villagers say "just sign a contract," it is still not allowed; once the money is paid, the house will not become yours. If you intend to live in the countryside long-term, sign a lease agreement, which can be signed for a maximum of 20 years at a time, and can be renewed upon expiration.
No cost. The trade-off is that the house does not belong t…
Documents from the General Office of the State Council state very clearly: "Urban residents shall not purchase…
No cost. The trade-off is that the house does not belong to you, and the maximum lease term is 20 years at a time, after which you must renegotiate with the landlord.
Documents from the General Office of the State Council state very clearly: "Urban residents shall not purchase homestead land, farmers' residences, or 'small property rights houses' in rural areas." The same document also stipulates that after farmers sell or lease out their housing, any subsequent applications for homestead land will not be approved. Documents from the Central Office for Rural Work and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs 2019 years ago repeated: "The purchase of homestead land in rural areas by urban residents is strictly prohibited." The same document provides a legal path: urban residents may rent farmhouses for residence or business, and the term of the lease agreement shall not exceed twenty years, after which both parties may make separate arrangements.
国务院办公厅 (2007). 关于严格执行有关农村集体建设用地法律和政策的通知（国办发〔2007〕71 号）. https://www.gov.cn/zhengce/zhengceku/2008-03/28/content_2395.htm；中央农村工作领导小组办公室、农业农村部 (2019). 关于进一步加强农村宅基地管理的通知（中农发〔2019〕11 号）第五、六部分. https://www.moa.gov.cn/govpublic/NCJJTZ/201909/t20190920_6328397.htm
Open source linkHomestead land is land allocated to native villagers for building houses and can only be allocated to villagers of that village. When renting a farmhouse, sign a written contract with the leasing household, clearly specifying the lease term, rent, whether renovations and reconstruction are permitted, and how renovation costs will be handled upon expiration. Documents stipulate that the lease term shall not exceed 20 years; do not sign contracts such as "rent for 50 years" or "rent for 70 years," and certainly do not pay multiple years of rent in a single lump sum. Documents also prohibit using homestead land in the countryside to build villas, large courtyards, or private clubs; do not provide funds to villagers for "joint construction."