Korean Job Discussion Forums

summer33ny · Joined: 10 Aug 2006

We are a couple (first time in Korea) going to a POE that suppossedly does not offer couple's housing but "may be able to work something out".

We were told that we may get a larger studio and one of us will get the 400,000 housing allowance. Or that they may be able to find us a small one bedroom.

We are not going to a city, we are going someplace rural! Don't teachers in rural locations sometimes get houses?!!!

We are worried about what we might end up with. Even if we specify what we want in our contracts. So we figure our options are to either ask for the studio with the intentions of using the extra housing allowance to find our own place or just being persistent with our request and hope that it all works out.

Has anyone had any experiences finding housing on their own in a rural area? How much do apartments generally go for and how much of a deposit do they usually ask?

cruisemonkey · Posted: Sat Dec 13, 2008 4:53 am Post subject:

As a couple you should get a two bedroom apartment. If they will not agree, get jobs in a different province.

summer33ny · Joined: 10 Aug 2006

Epik says that couple's housing is a one-bedroom.

We are not very interested in looking into another provence.

saw6436 · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Location: Daejeon, ROK

Suck it up or change your attitude.

summer33ny · Joined: 10 Aug 2006

That's not really helpful...

We are looking for input as to whether we should take the 400k won and a studio or ask for the 800k won and get our own place? And what people's experiences are with securing their own housing.

Bondrock · Joined: 08 Oct 2006 Location: ^_^

Since you are new to Korea, you should take the studio and 400 K per month. If you stay past the first year then consider your own housing.
------
Key money (deposit) ranges from $25,000 up to a quarter of a million US dollars depending on the area of Korea. Also, many landlords looking to take advantage of foreigners.

My current key money was 85 million won.

Never, Never put down key money based on a realtor's word. Hire a lawyer... you will be glad you invested the extra 400 dollars to be safe.

I have had my own place here for years and use my 'free' apartment for my doghouse.

yeremy · Posted: Sun Dec 14, 2008 3:46 pm Post subject: Key Money in a rural area

I used to live in Gyonggi-do, in one of those development satellite cities, which many consider to a failure. When I moved from a hagwon to the a public school, I refused to live in another box, so my wife and I rented an apartment on our own. We initially put down 8,000,000 KRW ourselves for a 19 pyoung apartment on the 4th floor of a 12 story apartment building near Sanbon Station. Then in my second year, the owner wanted more money and she asked for 35,000,000 million for the next year and then it went up to 50,000,000 KRW. I'm married to a Korean woman, who found the apartment at a local real estate office and she negotiated with the owner when necessary. We didn't use a lawyer, nor did we, fortunately, find it necessary, and we did get our money back after the first year when the school took over and paid the key money for me (us).

Now I live in a rural city of 400,000 in Gyoungbuk. We've leased another place my wife found through a local real estate office. The apartment is amost twice as big, as are the utilities, but the key money we paid is 20,000,000 KRW. You will probably get a lot more for your money in a rural area.