Frequently Asked Questions & Answers
about housing and living...
Korean apartments are much smaller than apartments in the U.S. and European countries. Korea is a small country with a large population, and everyone live in smaller spaces and in tighter quarters.
Officetel, The name of this type of housing comes from "office" and "hotel". An officetel is a furnished apartment that is usually built into an read more2. Where are exspat's popular area for residential district(gu)?
Itaewon, hannam-dong, UN village, mapo, kangnam, and cbd areas; jongno,jung-gu area read more
3. How is the lease terms, and is there a short term available to make a contract?
Most lease agreement is a 2 years contract. However, there is a short term lease also available which is between 6 months to 12 months. Normally most landlords reluctant to make a short term contract, and when duration of contract term is shorter, the rent becomes more expensive.
4. what are the advantages for long term lease agreement?
More than 2 years lease contract is considered as a long term lease agreement.
Stability - If you find your dream location, a long-term lease ensures you'll be able to stay there for an extended period of time. Short-term tenants risk being forced out of their space unexpectedly, inconveniencing customers and employees and jeopardizing the future of their business.
Predictability - Tenants that sign a long-term lease know how much their rent will increase from year to year, regardless of market conditions. By comparison, expats that sign a short-term agreement could see their real estate costs soar each year, hampering growth.
5.What is the reason why foreigners prefer advanced payment system?
Korea is known for its expensive rent price and also deposit amount. Deposit(key money) is very high, and landlords of the apartments dose not pay back the deposit til end of the lease contract, mostly 2 years. Therefore, paying a lump-sum deposit is difficult. Also, most companies and expats prefer advanced payment system due to their account system or their payment environment, therefore they pay l year advanced payments or 2 year advanced payments.
5. What is pyeong?
Pyeong is an areal unit used to measure the size of rooms and buildings in Korea. As of July 1, 2007, replaced the use of pyeong in official documents with the square meters. A studio apartment will generally be around 8 to 12 pyeong, a house somewhere around 25 or more, and the smallest of rooms, consisting of only a bed and a bit of floor space for students, will be as little as 1.5 pyeong. 1pyeong is 3.3058㎡.
Convert pyeong to square meter, click here
Convert pyeong to square foot, click here
6. I've been looking at rental information on-line and confused by two sizes. What is net size and gross size?
In korea, apartment described with two sizes;gross and net size. Net size is actual space where family members living in, such as bedrooms, living room, kitchen, and bathrooms.
Gross size is whole size of the apartment including common area such as stairs, elevators, balconies and parking space etc given space to the unit including the net size; rooms and other spaces.
7. How big is the apartment?
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| Sample: 25pyoeng/84㎡ (net) size apartment |
1bed to 2 bedrooms is normally 36㎡ to 60㎡.For studio, which has no separated room, is around 6pyeong(20.4㎡)to 12 pyeong(40㎡), this type of the apartment for short term.
However, expats popular residential area(such as, Itaewon, hannam)has bigger size apartments like 4-5 bedrooms, which is 145㎡ and bigger, and often with a balcony(s).
8. Is the apartment is furnished?
Most of apartments and houses in korea are not furnished, which means no appliances(white goods) such as refrigerator, washing machine, A/C and furniture. However, some apartments and houses in expat's friendly area include appliances and furniture.
9. Dose Korean apartment has gym and swimming pool?
Some of newer high rise apartment complex facilitates with a gym, but most apartments have no gym facility. However, there are many private fitness centers available around neighborhood.
It is very rare Korea apartments and houses have a swimming pool, but some high end apartment complex and single family house provide it, and service residences offers a fitness center and a swimming pool.
10. How's heating system in Korea apartment? what is ondol system?
11. What kind floors in the apartment?
Generally, hard wood floors, linoleum, or mables, but no carpets in the apartments.
Generally, hard wood floors, linoleum, or mables, but no carpets in the apartments.
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| sample of hardwood floor |
Water, electricity, gas, internet, cable, phone, maintenance fee and security system(if applicable)
13. What are the monthly housing costs?
Except the monthly rent, there are utilities, drinking water, and garbage bags.
Costs will vary from housing size and family to family. Consult with your consultant for details of cost of living.
In particular watch out for the heating bills in winter and summer for Air conditioning.
Cost of living #1
Cost of living #2
Local price of Goods
14. What is building maintenance fee?
It is a monthly maintenance charge for a keep up cost of the building, such as cleaning of common area(stairs, lobby), cleaning fees of the building, electricity and water for common area, and guard fee. Depending building size and it's system, fee varies.
15. How's internet speed in korea?
According to Akamai's Q2 2014 The State of the Internet report, South Korea has an average Internet connection speed of 24.6Mbps, placing it well ahead of No. 2 Hong Kong with 15.7 Mbps. South korea is the world leader in internet connectivity, About 45 million people or 92.4% of the population are Internet users. One of my client asks, the internet charged by data usage. In korea, it's unlimited for one flat monthly price.16. Is there English speaking channel in korean cable TV?BBC, Discovery, CNN, National Geographic is available with a cable description, also many other english channels like movie channels, Arirang, super action.
Here's channels of International news
All Skylife channels
17. Are pets allowed?
Pets are allowed in apartments, villa, service residence or private house, but some joint house like apartment or officetel sometimes have a regulations. However, it is advised to ask to the landlord.
18. How good is the average building security in Korea?
Most the residential building complexes have a 24 hour Guarding system/ Fire alarm/ Gas leak detector and a security guard, in order to secure tenant's safety. And for private single family houses is connected a security system, such as ADT CAPS, SECOM.
19. How's parking?
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| Ex. of apartment parking lot |
Compare to US and European countries, a parking box is little bit smaller.
20.Is there a storage sapce or a separted storage room?
Storage space is limited, and it is very rare that an apartment has a separated storage room. Built-in closets are not common in Korean apartments or houses and most people uses wardrobes or a laundry balcony to store goods.
21. If i have any problem in the apartment, then who should i speak to?
You can contact a maintenance officer/security guard in your property,or you can call us.
For emergency, dial 119 or 120 Dasan call center.
22. Should i have a renters insurance?
Lessor often have a property insurance against fire. And way to cover your belongings and protect yourself from unexpected damages, it is a good option for have a renters insurance.
23. Are there playground for kids?
Most Korean apartments complex includes a playground facility. And there many indoor playgrounds(kids cafe) available, click here.
Seoul is a big city with dense population, so there are not many parks available like US or other European countries. But there are major parks around town, like han river park across the seoul, and here's park list.
Kitchen
Understanding and interpreting appliances in your Korean apartment can be confusing as the instructions are usually written in Korean. Your consultant will help you understand them.
Voltage for electricity outlet is 220v. |
25. Is there a garbage (food) disposal system?
No, a garbage disposal system is not available in kitchen sink.
26. Is there a dish washer machine in the apartment?
Most apartments in korea has no dishwasher machine, but newer high rise apartment and modern villa has dish washer installed.
27. Water purification? Tap water?
Seoul Tap water(Arisu) is safe for drinking and cooking, but many local korean uses a purification system to purifies their water. Plenty of purifier machines available and also bottled water deilievery system is popular.
28. Is there an oven in Korean apartment?
Not many Korean have oven, because most Korean cuisines does not required it,But some homes has an European style oven or convection oven(oven & microwave oven).
bathroom
29. How's bathroom like in korea apartment?
Korean bathrooms are noticeably different then western bathrooms. Most korean modern apartments contain a western style toilette; however, sometimes, the shower is usually the bathroom area itself - not a bathtub or shower stall with curtains or glass walls. Due to the limited size of apartments in Korea bathrooms are usually configured with a shower head that comes directly out of the wall. The floor will be angled towards a drainage unit and when the shower is on, you’re essentially using the bathroom itself as a showering stall; meaning, when you take a shower your entire bathroom gets soaked.
30. Is bathroom floor is heated?
No, korean bathroom floor does not have a heated floor system, no heating is provided in korean bathrooms.
Laundry room
31. Is there a dryer machine in Korean apartment?
No, Korean apartment does not has dryer. But sometimes foreign friendly area apartments installed a dryer. Most korean does not use a dryer to dry their clothes, they use hang dry.
32. Is there coin laundry(laundromat) in korea?
As korean being more westernized, a few conin laundry store opened in college village, it is not common seeing a coin laundry but here's map of coin laundry in Seoul
No shoes in the apartment33. How do i throw away garbage?
Korea is very strict about throwing away trash. Every tenant is responsible for recycling every materials they throw out. Also for general waste and food waste, one should buy government made plastic bags. Local koreans often have a recycling box at home to collect plastic, glass, and paper materials, separated from a small plastic basket for collecting and drying food wastes only. Read more for disposing in seoul.
What are contract procedures?1. Gathering info & make an Appointment
2. house hunting tour(s)
3. review
4. select
5. make an offer & negotiate
6. signing contract
7. Inspection & Moving-in
8. Settling-in
Explain with infographic
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