In August I am changing schools to another middle school a few kms closer to the city. As part of the school contract they are to provide foreign native teachers with housing. However, I had a lot of problems my first year (a mouse coming out of the toilet nightly running in my kitchen) and had to complain to get better housing in second year. Now that I am transferring schools its a struggle to get the housing I want at the new school again. The new school currently provides housing about 10 mins away. It is a new complex of buildings. However, it is located in a neighbourhood that appears like a 'housing project' although they are not social assistance housing. Also next to the apartments is a factory that is doing some kind of machining and stamping on a constant basis. I visited last week, on the weekend, and again during the week and the place is always operational. I dont know if they even shut down on sundays or how clearly you can hear it from the inside. I've tried scheduling to see inside the apartment. When I did it had all pink decor and I could still hear the factory. The problem I'm finding is the schools are outright saying they dont want to do the legwork and paperwork of arranging a new apartment and moving the furniture. Also, since the last two teachers at this school lived there why am I complaining? The last two teachers just arrived in Korea so werent in a position to look at it before. When I arrived I didnt want to rock things with a new school by complaining about my first apartment. Also, since they left at the end of their first year they might not have felt it worth the bother of complaining. The neighbourhood is divided into an older section where the current apartment is, and a newer section where the school is. I'm looking for something closer to the school in the new district by the river and new monorail line set to open in two years. After trying to talk to the school and running into resistance of them not wanting to do the work and not understanding why its not good enough for me when the last two teachers lived there, I decided to try and look for myself. There are real estate rental offices on almost every block so I decided to try to walk into one and just see how it goes. I know enough korean to explain good, bad, big, small, quiet, pretty, appliances, prices, dates, where i'm working, when i'm coming, my vacation dates, past tenses and negating words. I figured I'd try and see how far I'd get I went to the estate agent outside my apartment saturday morning and explained with my level of korean. For the most part he understood most of what I was saying, and I understood half of what he said. He drove me down to the new area I'd be moving to and went to another estate office there. He explained my situation and I understood most of what he said as it pertained to me. We then went to look at an apartment. This was a really nice apartment but my immediate reaction was its way over budget and too big for me. It was a three room unit, kitchen/entrance/dining room, living room, bedroom. The bathroom could fit two double beds, it was just a massive tiled room with a sink and toilet. I asked how much? It was 500,000w which was over budget. The school budget is 400,000w or they will give you the same to get your own apartment. This unit, though brand new constructed and really nice, was too big and would have too high heating costs. It was more suited to a couple with a child. I came back after lunch to see the second unit. This was back in the older neighbourhood by the schools apartment. I didnt want to look here but went along just for the experience. We went to a high rise tower which I named the 'ghetto tower'. It wasnt that bad, but quite dated. It was a 9th floor apartment which I found out was the top floor. The room was fully furnished and came with a bed, tv, desk and chairs, washing machine, stove, AC, closets. It was quited dated though and seemed of the quality of some budget motels. Behind the bed were shaded windows which had a panorama view of chilgok, but it was very noisy with the busy road and auto repair shops below. Also next to the bed was the fridge which cant fit in the kitchen so will be noisy and hot at night. The kitchen also had a massive window AC unit blocking the daylight. It was dated, too noisy, and didnt have good air circulation so I gave it a pass. Rent was 450,000w which was over the 400K budget. The elevator would have long wait times as there's only one and I'm not carrying groceries up 9 floors if somebody is using it to move apartments On Monday I was scheduled to see a few more apartments. The first one was one we had tried to see on saturday. It was on the same street as the school so I wasnt too keen as all the students would see me going there. Inside was a very bad layout. The laundry room and window was in one corner. A small alcove was made between the bathroom and laundry room setup for the kitchen. You could barely stand in there and it wouldnt get any air circulation This apartment was a definate no and we left right away. Rent here was only 330,000w but it was a very impracticle apartment. It was also dated, and had the fridge in the living room. There was no washing machine. The second one we looked at was much nicer. I had about 45 mins between viewings so I went around on my bike trying to guess the building as the agent told me the street. The street behind the school had a small neighbourhood bordered by the school to the north, main traffic road to the east, and river to the south. The apartments closer to the traffic road were noisy but the others were quieter. When we came for the viewing it was a unit further away from the traffic street so quiet. Also it was backing onto the river and had a bike store as the retail tenant also making it quieter. A few doors down was a woodworking shop so I was hoping it wouldnt be that building It was on the second floor and had giant windows everywhere. You walk into a kitchen with its own windows with a separate laundry room again with windows. The main living room had another window on the other side good for cross currents. The living room window looked onto the river behind. The bathroom also had a small window again for cross currents. Most apartments have windows all on one side so its rare to get cross currents in many apartments I've seen in korea. The guy who was living there said he was taking the AC and appliances. Also there were no closets. Rent was 330,000w without any appliances which I'll get into later, but I really liked this one. Its only three minutes from the school, very quiet, childrens playground in front, river at back, walking distance to bus stops. It would also be a good replacement for the next teacher after I came. The third one was a few doors down from the second one. On the same street backing onto the river this one was contrastingly different. It was ground floor apartment and you walk into a kitchen that has no fridge. Inside is the living room which has no windows. At the back is the laundry room with window and fridge as its the only place to fit it. Also there was the bathroom with another small window. It was very humid and muggy due to poor air circulation. It also had no closet and was dated. This was a definate no as the air circulation was so bad and no natural light in the main room The fourth one we went to see was an unscheduled addition. This was further along the river in the brand new subdevelopment. There are many brand new buildings still vacant. We went to a second floor unit that was brand new and vacant. It opens into a kitchen/dining room and entrance with a large window. To the side was quite a large laundry room with another window. The kitchen leads to a side hallway to the main living room and bathroom. The living room had a large window and the bathroom had one for cross current. This was a corner unit on the 2nd floor. It had no closets and no appliances had yet been installed in this brand new unit. Initially I thought this was over budget and too big. But the longer I stood there it grew on me. It was brand new vacant which was a big plus, on the second floor, lots of windows for light and ventilation, 10 min walk to school. The heating bill will be higher and I'd have to pay 100,000w rent out of pocket over the 400,000w school housing allowance for the total 500,000w rent. I got chatting with the guy over the finances. A big problem problem a lot of them have is key money or deposit. He kept telling me 5,000,000 ($4,500). I'd heard this was negotiable however. I told him I could give him 2,000,000 ($1,800) and thats all I had. I dont know if his reaction was that I'd been wasting his time but he said to go back to the office. When we got talking about financing with his collegue who spoke a bit more english, surprisingly they said ok to the 2,000,000 deposit. I asked when do they want it. They said 500,000 the day of signing, the balance and the first months rent on the first day (1,500,000 + 500,000). With regards to appliances they were going to give me a fridge, stove top range, washing machine, and include an internet package. The apartment already had an AC. Rent was 500,000w so I'd have to take the schools 400,000w housing allowance and pay 100,000w out of pocket. I really like this one but I would have to sign my own lease as the school would not sign for this one over budget. Therefore I dont get any of the schools furniture such as bed and tv so those are additional expenses. I also wanted to clarify what this 2,000,000 deposit is. If I leave in a years time do I get it back or is it prepaid rent to lower the monthly fee? They said I get it back. They wanted me to come tomorrow with 500,000 deposit and my passport and sign the lease. I said I would take a copy of the lease, show it to my korean friend to get them to read it, and come back by saturday to sign. I have no idea what I'm signing. I think these are honest people but I want to check other clauses such as if I have to break the lease and go home in an emergency, and whether there are any other monthly maintenance costs. Now comes the tricky part of going back to the new school to explain the situation. I had three choices - take the schools pink apartment next to the noisy factory - take the one backing onto the river 3 mins from the school with no appliances for 330,000w - take the brand new vacant one for 500,000w paying 100,000w out of pocket myself and buying furniture. If I knew I was staying a few years the third option makes sense. However, contracts are only for one year at a time. I am moving to a new school so I dont know how that will go. Also going back to the new school to explain the three choices is somewhat slow. There is a process of me going to my contact teacher who will then talk to the office in her school, asking the Principal for permission, calling my school contact teacher back as its easier to both talk in korean, adding many steps. She just told me she's pregnant and having to deal with too much admin stuff of the teacher thats leaving and me coming. The school doesnt want to do any work so I'm trying to sweeten it for them. I've done all the legwork of going to apartments and finding a good choice. I want to offer them the cheaper one for 330,000w and see if they are willing to provide or negotiate appliances with the agent. That apartment will be good for the next teacher when I leave. If I take the out of pocket apartment then the school is stuck with leftover furniture from the apartment they have to vacate now. Also when I leave they will have to look for an apartment again, whereas I have already found one for the next teacher when I leave. I am also offering to move the furniture for them at my cost. I was told by the school board office to pay 100,000 moving cost. But when I asked people how much too rent a truck they are saying 20,000!!!. I want the school to look at the 330,000w and decide if they will take it or not with appliances. If they dont then I can sign for the 500,000w brand new unit. However, in this whole process I'm finding school officials cant really come to resolutions and there is too much "procedure", but thats Korea for you. Also not sure about the whole protocol and etiquette of going thru the right channels. If I waited for the school nothing would get done as they dont understand why I want to change apartments from the one they are offering, and they dont want to offer me an alternative. They are busy with their own end of term admin stuff. My experience last two years has been that EVERYBODY in the school will end up knowing your personal business but you dont know the first thing about theirs! I'm also quite impressed with my korean. I've come thus far at the point of signing a lease with my working level korean. I still cant read a lease contract but I managed to get this far without having anyone come with me and talk on my behalf. I've owned and sold real estate back home so I actually enjoyed the process of being able to goto viewings. Although I do appreciate the tough time schools do have of putting the time in to find quality apartments within the budget they are given, and can understand why its not so simple to just request another apartment from the office, and they dont want to do the work. Also for a population this big and dense I'm surprised I'm able to just walk into vacant apartments on the same day. That might just be due to location. Last nite I went to pick up a copy of the lease for the 500,000w new vacant unit and ask some more questions. The "house mother" showed up, as I dont know the proper words in korean for landlady so this is how I have been referring to landlords. She gave me the once over and went over what we had written down. I thought the deal might be off but she went along with it although she wasnt too happy about the 2M deposit instead of the normal 5M. I just said I'm a foreigner and I dont have it so thats the terms they can rent it to me if they want to, or I will just take the schools apartment. I also keep saying they can call my current "house mother" for a reference to see that I'm a good person and dont drink/smoke/have loud parties, but they dont seem interested in calling or getting references. Now we are waiting for the new school to make a final decision about the two choices I gave them. The school replied back saying they asked about the one by the river for 330,000w but the landlord is insisting on 5M deposit which the school doesnt have. I dont have it either if I wanted to rent it directly myself. This leaves the door open for me to sign with the brand new 500,000w unit. However, the school is saying they own the appliances in their current apartment and that I must take them all as they have nowhere to put them. I have already arranged a deal with the agent for him to give me all new appliances in the new unit so I dont want to have to take the schools duplicate ones. When I spoke with my agent he said the school had already agreed to give me their fridge and washing machine, so he had cancelled them from my lease, and the "house mother" dropped the rent to 480,000w ($440), so now I only pay 80,000w out of pocket over the 400K monthly housing allowance. For my third year I was getting a 200,000w pay increase. So with the 80,000w I give in rent I'm still getting an increase. Now I'm hearing there will be two contracts. One with the school for 400,000w, one with me for 80,000w plus 2,000,000 deposit. So the school pays the rent directly instead of giving me cash, which is fine or they might mess up tax deductions including it all as salary. Overall everything did work out with a lot of "gentle coaxing" of my new school to move things along. I ended up with a great apartment at not much out of pocket expense over the school housing allowance. It was worth putting in the time and effort and hopefully the new school will be happy with the outcome too. LATEST... when me and the school were ready to sign on Friday then "house mother" decided she might move in herself so we are waiting to hear back... UPDATE... "house mother" has withdrawn the offer after claiming she now needs to talk it over with her husband. I think the school messed things up by saying they wanted a seperate contract with the landlord to pay her the 400k directly, and I would have a seperate contract for the 80k excess. This confused the landlord why they cant have one simple rental contract Also I spoke to other people getting the housing allowance and they get the 400k cash directly paid to them. They can rent a cheaper one and pocket the difference and make their own contracts with the landlord independent of the school. The school does not get involved, they do not have to take the schools appliances, or pay a moving fee for the school to vacate their current apartment. I missed out on a great apartment and the schools pink apartment might be back in play as time runs out. At least I am more informed for one last try. See also next entry 'How to Read a Rental Contract' http://blog.travelpod.com/travel-blog-e ntries/londone7/1/1342019080/tpod.html