Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Man-e-faces]

The search function isn't working at the moment.

Does anyone know of any good real estate agents that deal with rentals in Seoul?
We're looking around the Yeoksam area, so if anyone has any info that would be great.

Thanks alot!

[RACETRAITOR]

Just walk in off the street. It's good to have a Korean speaker with you. I imagine Yeoksam would be a high-rent area.

[Geckoman]

I recommend this guy, Mr. You.

I used this guy to get the place that I'm staying at, and some of my coworkers used this guy to get their places as well.

He speaks English and caters to foreigners.

Here is his contact information:

Name: Mr. You (Kyoung-min You)
Web:
http://www.short-rent.com/zbxe/ministudiosinchon/1414
http://www.short-rent.com
http://www.myspace.com/koreahouse
E-mail: [email protected]
Office Phone: 0707-4999-007 (82-070-4999-007)
Cell Phone: 011-310-2081 (82-11-310-2081)
Fax: 0303-0001-0072 (82-303-0001-0072)
Address: Hyundai real-estate
93-1 Hynsuk-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul, South Korea

Good luck in finding an apartment!

[bassexpander]

You're best off just walking around to different realtors and asking at each and every one you can find. They share some listings by computer, but refuse to share others they feel they can profit from by themselves. One realtor will tell you, "Not a single apartment is available in that complex... no way, don't bother... here's another place."

The other guy across the street will have two available in the complex you want.

Seriously, you need to do footwork. Half of the internet listings on Korean websites are lies, sold/rented, or fakes. They bait you with great deals to get you into their shop, then tell you that's sold. That's the problem. The internet is about worthless, unless it's to get an idea of general prices, complexes, and locations of buildings/realtors.

We're about to close on renting a 34 pyung place tonight, provided all works out. We have it verbally that we can get it for 40 mill down and 900 per month. It's a newer Samsung Ramien apartment, and it's actually bigger than what we need. There's a walk-in shoe and coat closet inside the front door, by gosh! The same place used to rent for 1.2 to 1.3 and the same money down, but we got a deal (assuming it goes through) because we looked HARD and prices on big places like that have taken a hit lately.

Like I said, this could all fall through, given what we've experienced so far with the whole bait/switch thing and negotiations.

We use www.speedbank.co.kr to find places, by the way.

But like I said, until you call the realtor and actually SEE what they say is available, it can all be smoke and mirrors.

[Milwaukiedave]

I agree with what others have said, you have to do the footwork. It's pretty irritating, but that's the way it is here. My wife went to several real estate agents with her mom and looked at places. Some of it depends on the area and what the neighborhood is like.

BE has been going through quite an experience with realtors lately from what I've read. It sounds like we need a podcast about realestate agents.

[bassexpander]

Mission accomplished! We signed/payed on the 34 pyung place. FINALLY I get a human-sized living room, and we have a 2nd bathroom with a 2nd shower and a tub!

As it turns out, or landlords are not hagwon owners. The realtor made a mistake -- the current rentor owns a hagwon. The owners are two elderly people who live off of the rent money as their income. They live nowhere near the place, and seemed very kind. We liked them a lot, actually.

We'll move in February. Yay!

[PRagic]

Step 1: Choose a neighborhood
Step 2: Choose budget and size constraints.
Step 3: Hit every real estate agency around.
Step 4: Leave your number with every agency. They'll call.

Be prepared to make an on-the-spot decision as decent places don't stay on the market for very long.

Be prepared to spend a few weeks hitting the bricks. For one move, we hit almost 40 agents over a 3 week period. Pain in the arse, be we landed a cool place for a good price. Then a couple of years later the landlord's son got married and we got the boot! LOL.

Be prepared to pay. If you're looking outside of the Itaewon, Noksapyung area, key money and/or rents will be higher.

[PRagic]

Step 1: Choose a neighborhood
Step 2: Choose budget and size constraints.
Step 3: Hit every real estate agency around.
Step 4: Leave your number with every agency. They'll call.

Be prepared to make an on-the-spot decision as decent places don't stay on the market for very long.

Be prepared to spend a few weeks hitting the bricks. For one move, we hit almost 40 agents over a 3 week period. Pain in the arse, be we landed a cool place for a good price. Then a couple of years later the landlord's son got married and we got the boot! LOL.

Be prepared to pay. If you're looking outside of the Itaewon-Haebangchon-Noksapyung area, key money and/or rents will be higher and places will be smaller.

[RACETRAITOR]

There are cheaper places all over Seoul. I've lived in Geumho and Guro, and both were quite affordable.

Just like bassexpander, I'm about to move into a newly-built high-rise apartment. The hardest thing about moving is transferring key money. It must stay in possession of your old landlord until moving day, and then you have to get it to your new landlord before you move in. This can mean the rushed transfer of tens of thousands of dollars with a lot less care than you'd like.

[maingman]

1 http://www.nearsubway.com/


2 http://www.anarealty.com/


3 http://www.greenrealestate.co.kr/


4 http://www.c21seoul-realty.com/


5 http://www.seoulife.com/


6 http://www.korea-realty.com/


7 http://www.luckyrealty.net/


8 http://www.iseenon


best of luck !

[PRagic]

Most web-based agents aren't worth the time. Use the web for a general idea of size and prices.

True, there are some cheaper areas, although they still tend to be more expensive than the Itaewon-Nosapyung-Haebangchon areas. And usually there is a reason they're cheaper neighborhoods!

[Yesterday]

[Geckoman]

Try Craigslist.

Craigslist for Seoul
http://seoul.craigslist.co.kr/

[Socks]

I recommend this guy, Keith Ko.


He speaks perfect English and caters to foreigners.

Here is his contact information:

Name: Mr. Keith Ko (고팡석)
Certified Real Estate Agent (Cert. No. 19-03542)
DTI International
Seoul, Korea
SeongSu 3Ga, Seong Dong-Gu

website - www.househunting.kr

email - [email protected]

Mobile : 82-11-736-5247
Tel : 82-2-6467-6001
Fax: 82-2-448-6001

Good luck in finding an apartment!

[Snowflake]

We got our villa in Yeoksam with this estate agent:

Cheong, Choon Sahng
Onnuri Real Estate
T. 82-2-558-0601
C.P 82-19-509-9272
Fax 82-70-7016-0601
http://www.realtorseoul.com

and he was brilliant. He speaks really good English, helped us move in (organised the van and even carried boxes), sorted the internet and even took us to find a fridge! I can't recommend him enough.