Come apartment hunting with me in Seoul, Korea!
House hunting is one of the most stressful and important tasks when relocating to a new country! And finding a place in Seoul in the midst of a snowy winter was not easy.. I think I toured over 20 houses all across Seoul. Here are 12 locations that stood out to me. I tried to include the prices of the ones that I could remember but they all jumbled at the end.
Things I wish I knew about finding apartments in Seoul, Korea:
1. Expect to pay a big deposit. Many of the houses that I viewed had quite a big deposit around 1000k-5000k won (about 7k-35k USD). Which definitely is a lot but you do get this back when you move out.
2. You can negotiate the rent for most places if you pay a higher deposit. So if you have a bit of savings try asking your real estate agent it that's a possibility. (Usually, for about 1000kwon (7.5k USD) extra you can get about 5kwon (32USD) off your monthly rent.)
3. There will be a maintenance fee added to your rent. This fee is basically used to maintain the apartment itself (electricity/ heating fees for any communal areas, security guard etc) this can sometimes include frees for your internet and TV so make sure you check!
4. Use apps such as Zigbang, Dabang, and Naver Real Estate. I used these apps to get a feel of the prices and how the apartments would look even before coming to Korea. Then once you arrive you can contact the number there to set up an inspection of the houses.
5. Another way to find apartments is to decide on an area you want to live in and just drop by all the real estate in that area. There was actually a real estate on every street and they all seem to have unique places that were not listed on the apps. It's also a good way to look at multiple properties in one area.
6. Something I wish I did was give myself a bit more time to find a place. I think I was in a rush to settle down but when you first move it's hard to know which area is a good fit for you. It might be a good idea to give yourself about a month to get a feel of the place and then decide where you want to live!
7. Check out the neighbourhood. When you're going for the apartment tour try to go there with public transport so you can get a feel of the location better. Arrive a bit early to check out what's near the apartment. Where is the closest grocery shop? How busy is the area? And most importantly how safe do you feel there? Some important questions to ask yourself when deciding on a place!
Anyway, I hope this helps anyone trying to find a place in Korea! Happy house hunting!
*Please note these prices are rough conversions and are subject to change.
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» ABOUT ME
Hi there! I’m Sol, I was born in Korea but grew up mostly in Sydney, Australia! After living in Tokyo for 4 years working I’ve relocated to Seoul! I love to travel, find cute cafes and document my daily life. Thanks for stopping by and I hope you enjoy!
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