After years of Beijing's growing middle class buying new flats on the city's outskirts, long commutes are encouraging people to move back into the city's center.
"Several years ago when housing prices in Beijing's suburbs were quite low, a large number of young people, who had just started working and accumulated a little savings, bought homes and moved out there."
But with commutes in Beijing easily stretching close to two hours, many homeowners are looking to move back downtown.
"A recent survey shows that 40 percent of Beijingers who own a home in the suburbs are planning to move back into the city."
While commutes are cited as a major reason, another factor is that the best schools and hospitals are still located downtown -- attractive to young parents or households with seniors.
