Korean Job Discussion Forums

Easter Clark · Joined: 18 Nov 2007 Location: Hiding from Yie Eun-woong

Talked to three different realtors with my gf and they each had something to say about why I wasn't satisfied with the places they showed us:

1. Foreigners are tall so they don't like places with lofts.
2. Foreigners like newer places.
3. Foreigners think apartments in Korea are too small.

I could maybe see #3 being true, but I'm not that tall (5'11") and most people like newer places, right?

What's even worse is that my gf didn't see anything wrong with these statements. Am I reading too much into this?

On another note, try finding a place with "only" 10m won key money and have every realtor say "It's not much, so your rent will be high. For 15m won your rent will be reduced 50k won / month" Oh yeah, for an extra $5,000 I can save $50 a month. That'll happen.

Xuanzang · Joined: 10 Apr 2007 Location: Sadang

Welcome to the illogic of these realtors or Korea in general. Give Koreans a choice between ratty, rundown villa or Lotte Castle circa 2***, they`ll choose newer. Second, Koreans aren`t exactly shorties either lol...

bassexpander · Joined: 13 Sep 2007 Location: Someplace you'd rather be.

I can agree with 2 and 3. You must have visited the realtors we saw last month.

You can find what you want, but you have to hunt for it... just like Koreans do.

RACETRAITOR · Joined: 24 Oct 2005 Location: Seoul, South Korea

I lived in a place in Hongdae with a loft, and really wasn't impressed with not being able to stand upright in the loft.

Newer places aren't that much better, and I find older buildings have more character.

Apartments here are a perfect size if you live in the right neighbourhood. My old apartment had three bedrooms, and my new one has two bedrooms and a larger living room. It's not bad for a husband and wife and two cats.

PeteJB · Joined: 06 Jul 2007

Um loft is the top floor rooms, not a typical officetel, right? Last time I checked no one (unless your an elf) can stand up in a loft section.

caniff · Joined: 03 Feb 2004 Location: All over the map

PeteJB · Joined: 06 Jul 2007

My friend has a loft officetel, she is about 170cm, and most certainly cannot stand. I was under the impression most of them were like that.

JongnoGuru · Joined: 25 May 2004 Location: peeing on your doorstep

Assuming you have it, why not pay that extra 5 mil. in deposit and save 600,000 per year? If it's the fear of not getting it back, what about the other 10 or however many million in the deposit? What, that's somehow safe but the addition 5 mil. isn't?

red_devil · Joined: 30 Jun 2008 Location: Korea

Just get a 1 bedroom no?

Easter Clark · Joined: 18 Nov 2007 Location: Hiding from Yie Eun-woong

We're looking for a two bedroom (as a married couple we'll need the space) and we only have 10 mil to put down.

caniff · Joined: 03 Feb 2004 Location: All over the map

Easter Clark · Joined: 18 Nov 2007 Location: Hiding from Yie Eun-woong

We're trying to find a place that's convenient to her job (Incheon) and mine (Shinchon). We're looking in Dangsan, Guro, and Sindorim. So far we've only been out once, but will go back in a couple of weeks to look again.

RACETRAITOR · Joined: 24 Oct 2005 Location: Seoul, South Korea

That's a good area to look. I recommend the area around Namguro and Daelim. We found a lot of nice large apartments there for low prices, although in general the key money wasn't low.

ajgeddes · Joined: 28 Apr 2004 Location: Yongsan

maingman · Joined: 26 Jan 2008 Location: left Korea

red_devil wrote :

Just get a 1 bedroom no?

why are you answering your own question?