I needed to find a two-bedroom house to rent during the last cold and rainy week in Shanghai. Frankly speaking, I hated going out to look for anything when it was raining so hard but then I thought of my current apartment with its decrepit shower and how much I wanted to enjoy a hot bath during the coming winter!

"Rent good, all good" is the only advertisement I remember from my journey to Germany. The dream of a warm bath encouraged me to visit every real estate agency nearby; for fear that any hasty decision, dependent on just one agency, would lead to a situation similar to that of my current apartment.

Although I was quite wet on the chilly evening, I continued to talk with one agent after another. Fully aware of the discrepancy between the descriptions of registered houses and their real conditions, I insisted on visiting every possible apartment.

The agents were definitely happy to make as many reservations for visits as possible. I was happy, too, to see so many choices being available. But soon the bubble burst. I was guided by two different agencies to visit the same apartment on the same evening! I became unhappy. The apartment owner was not pleased either.

On second thoughts, neither the apartment owner nor I had any reason to be unhappy. We got what we asked for. I had tried every possible agency in search of a two-bedroom house with a good bathroom.

On the other hand, the owner had registered his house at every possible agency. What had caused the inefficient transaction? Apparently, neither of us should be held responsible. We were both victims of the inefficiency. Who likes to waste time and energy on a rainy evening?

So who should be blamed? The real estate agency? Maybe, but not really. I'm pretty sure they knew about cross registering and cross searching, but from their point of view, they were doing the business required to survive. Count the number of such small agencies on one block and you will understand. I collected more than 15 name cards from these agencies. As I was finally signing the contract for the best house I had found, both my phone and the owner's phone rang several times, as different agencies tried again. I guess my phone will not be quiet for a couple of weeks.

These agencies are attracted to the business by the prosperous real estate market, since so many people want to trade their houses, both for selling and leasing. The more of these little agencies there are, the more often house owners will cross register, trying to get the best deal.

Meanwhile, people like me, looking for houses, will also cross search for the same reason. Ultimately, the price of the transaction has climbed. Yet as the agency fee climbs, more agencies will open. Thus, a vicious circle has been formed.

Someone suggested the ideal place to look for an apartment was on the Internet, where all information is supposed to be posted on a small number of Web pages. But wait, the transaction price will still remain high if house owners fail to give a true descriptions.

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