Korean Job Discussion Forums

[SeoulNate]

So the title pretty much sums up my last few months of looking for places near Hyehwa, and dongdaemun.

Im looking for a new place to move into around August and I have had every dirty, cheap and downright nasty trick in the book pulled on me by various Budongsans. Everything from sending me pictures of one place, then taking me to others trying to tell me how they are 'better deals' when they are clearly not to actually trying to cheat me out of the cost of the place.

Anyway, I guess what it boils down to is, does anyone have any good recommendations for websites or reputable budongsans that would service that area?

Im not too picky about the place, it just has to have a separate bedroom, either loft style or otherwise. And it would preferably be above the 4th floor or so and not directly facing another building 2meters away.

[Swampfox10mm]

It is the norm here, and it is just accepted.

Websites are full of crap and everyone knows this. Look at them well enough, and you'll see the same recycled photos of places used for different fake locations.

What you have to do is just do the footwork. Visit every single Budongsan in a desired area and see what they have. Even if they call around, they are not getting all of the information. Most Budongsans will not share their best places because they don't want to split comission on apartments they know will go quickly. The guy next door will have something after his neighboring competitor has called them and already claimed that nobody has a thing in the area. They're liars, cheaters, and totally unscrupulous. It's so bad that many Korean families refuse to allow their children to marry into a family that runs a Budongsan.

The best site for finding places is www.speedbank.co.kr , and even still, it should be understood that it's more for finding general prices of apartments and locations of Budongsan's in the area. Speedbank is very useful, but fake ads are the norm on about any website. If it seems to good to be true, given prices in the area, it probably is. No Budongsan is going to place a real apartment with a phenominal price on a website, because they know they can rent it themselves and get full commission.

By the way, sites buying/selling cars are as bad or worse.

Quite simply, the Budongsan industry floods websites with fake housing for two reasons: 1. To get you to come in their door. 2. Because they don't want to see their offices cut out of the industry entirely, because not too many decades ago, Budongsan offices were not needed (and many Koreans rue the cost of using them, but feel there is no choice).

[SeoulNate]

Yeah, thanks Swamp. Ive been finding that out the hard way.

The only other places I have lived in Korea besides housing provided by my schools was a place in HBC that was kinda handed down from foreigner to foreigner without all this extra BS.

It's just crazy to me that I can walk into various Budongsan shops, tell them what I want (which isnt unreasonable, nor even unusual) and have them flat out tell me that they have nothing for me, BUT they do have this 'amazing' other place that they want to show me. Always, those 'amazing' places turn out to be utter crap, horribly over priced, or owned by someone who is heavily in the red.

Also, by the way, since this is my first time on the merry go round here with this. What is the typical % for commission on a new place? I have heard a ton of figures that vary widely.

[Hootsmon]

Yep, I've rented a couple of places myself (with a Korean friend in tow to translate any of the technical language) and I'd agree with everything Swampfox said.

You need to take a full day (at least) and hit every Budongsan in the areas that you're interested in. As a general rule, they'll take you to some of the crappier/more expensive places first, because they're trying to get rid of them, before showing you the better ones if you turn those down. For example, the place I live now was only shown to me after about four or five others, all of which were considerably worse and considerably more expensive. I got a bargain because it's in the basement (Koreans don't like living in basement places - not a good status symbol) but the Budongsan was really keen I take one of the other places first. It was only when I literally started walking away that she said, "Oh, well...there is this basement place I could show you..."

Oh, and the areas you're looking in are particularly tricky...I know because I also searched in the same areas. If you head north a little, the prices drop massively. The difference in price between Hyehwa and Sungshin Women's University stations can be almost half for the same size place, and it's only two subway stops. Head further north towards Mia and you can find some real bargains, I hear. Location is everything here!

Edit: Just saw your other post. I believe the commission is something like 5% for one rooms and officetels, and 10% for two rooms and apartments...but I'm not sure. I paid a 10mil deposit and had to pay about 100,000 in agency fees.

[Nismo]

You need very clear communication for this sort of deal, so if you need to you should find a translator who you know will be direct with them. Go with the real estate agent to the first apartment they try to stick you with, and then tell them directly what is wrong with the place. Say exactly why it is a deal breaker for you. If they are unwilling to or can't meet your needs, they will tell you then and there so that no more time is wasted.

In our last search, my wife and I were shown two places, and we said exactly why we weren't taking either of them (one only had two bedrooms, and we required three, and the other was too dark, and we said that we needed a place that didn't require interior lighting at 2 pm). The third place we were shown we liked, but the owner was shady (we heard the whole back story from the real estate agent). Nothing else was available. A week later, a place popped up that the real estate agent felt would satisfy all of our needs, and she called us in to check it out. All of the things were checked off on our requirement list, and so we moved in (it was even better than the third place with the shady owner).

If we hadn't been clear about what our reasonable requirements were up front, they probably just have kept showing us the dregs. Make a list of your hard-set requirements, and tell them that you won't consider a place that doesn't meet the requirements. While I recommend being direct about your requirements, I also recommend that you be personable with them so that they want to offer the place to you instead of another potential resident.

[Swampfox10mm]

Yup, be clear about your requirements! Good advice!

Basements will be cheaper, and can be a good deal for us. Koreans hate them for issues like mold, crime, few windows, noisy (some places) etc. If they don't show signs of mold when you view them, AND if there are bars on the windows, they can be a good deal. Look in corners and under appliances for signs of roaches/bugs!

Craigslist has many places around Haebangchong and Kyungleedan that are decent deals for foreigners.

[Lazio]

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[uklathemock]

If you have allergies, like me, I would avoid the basement. I'd pretty much avoid anything below the 2nd floor. In the summer, it is really humid here and the humidity on the first floor and basement is ridiculous. Like others have already said, you'll need a day or two to find a decent place.

[whyohwhy]

When I was looking for a place I started searching the various Korean real estate websites (Speedbank etc.). I quickly learnt that most of the photos on there were fake. I still remember one that was for a place in Gangnam. The photo from the living looking out of the window you could see an ocean

With the real estate agents I had the same problem, showing garbage. Wasted a day visiting 3 different ones. The next day I walked into a different one. Told them what I have seen, told them my price (deposit and monthly rent) but told them I am flexible for the right place. Then I said don't show me garbage - you will waste my time and yours - or I will walk away.

He showed the first place cheaper than my budget but it wasn't too bad. The second place was over my budget but it was the place for me and I signed that day.

Just tell them straight out not to show you garbage or you will walk away. That worked for me and scares them and makes them do their job right

[methdxman]

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