Korean Job Discussion Forums

[cdninkorea]

My wife and I are going to be looking for a new place to live early next year, and we're having some trouble deciding what to do. Right now we're in a two bedroom 월세 place in a six-storey building, and while I think it's okay, my wife hates it because it's on a side street that's dark at night (she's worried about safety) and especially because she hates paying rent every month.

What do you guys think: How much key money is enough for a decent apartment in Seoul? We're willing to move to the northern, eastern, or north-eastern regions and even outskirts of the city (not elsewhere, since we both work in that area). My wife would prefer an 아파트, but another option is a 빌라 if it's not on a narrow, dimly-lit street and if the building is decent. The problem is most of the 빌라s I see are pretty awful looking, and the cigarrette-strewn, phlegm-covered 골목s they're on make even me nervous of being mugged at night.

Is it possible to find a well-maintained 빌라 on a side street that's well-lit at night and within 1 km of a subway station? Or is an 아파트, despite the higher price, the best way to go regarding safety and all that?

Also, if it's relevent, we don't have any children, so a two bedroom place is enough.

[vDroop]

Jeonsae on an apartment in Seoul is outrageously high. Even on the outskirts. You are looking at 200 mil and up for starters.

Villa is much more affordable. But it's all relative depending on how much you make/have I suppose.

If you aren't here for the long run, I'd just look for a place with low rent and high deposit. Put as much key money down as you have, since you'll get it back and this will allow you to decrease the monthly rent.

I'm not 100% sure but I believe most jeonsae is 2 year contracts. Mine was anyways.

[Lazio]

I assume your wife is Korean, in which case she can get a jeonse loan supported by the goverment. That's only if she has a full-time job because otherwise they give peanuts. (They don't give a .... how much you make, the whole calculation is based on your wife's salary and credit)
You could get 40-50 mil or perhaps even more with very low rate, I think 3.5%. Have your wife look into this.

Sure there are nice villas on decent streets. Personally I would never live in an apartment. Villas are significantly cheaper. I'm not sure, but you still need to think about at least a 100 mil even on the edge of the city if it's close to a subway station. If your wife doesn't want to pay every month that's another reason to avoid apartments. You should pay at least a 100,000 or in many cases more every month for some nonsense like elevator fee, hallway lights and garbage fee or the like. While some villas also have a low monthly fee, usually for cleaning (no more than 50,000) but you can easily find ones where you don't need to pay any.

[minos]

Don't choose a place under renovation unless the job is done by professionals. I got screwed by this. The job was so bad, I'd rather live in a home by habitat for humanity.

[cdninkorea]

200 million for an apartment, even in the outskirts?! That'd buy a pretty decent home in my hometown (but then my hometown is so small there aren't any traffic lights and no bus system, so...)

Are you sure they don't care about my income? I have an F2 and work at a university, so I'd like to think I'd count for something.

Anyway, thanks for the advice. I guess we'll be checking out villas!

[r122925]

[free1439]