The apartment hunt took a roller coast ride over the last few days (see previous two entries). I had found a great apartment we were supposed to sign for on saturday but then friday the landlord said she might move in herself so needed to think it over. Then monday she said she needed money for the extra month to hold it to the end of august. When I agreed she said now she needs to talk it over with her husband. I guess she didnt want to rent it to me but wouldnt come out and say it. Finally late monday she backed out so I went back to the agent to ask what my options were. He said he had no other listings except for two of the ones I had turned down which were pretty bad apartments. It looked like I might have to move into the schools pink apartment but he said to come back on tuesday to look at one in an older neighbourhood a bit further. Tuesday I came and strangely we drove back to the new neighbourhood of the apartment I lost out on. We parked next door and he went to the building opposite it. Surprisingly he had a new listing today that he hadnt yesterday. I always hear koreans do things last minute but this was a bit bizzare. The guy is moving out saturday so the landlord called today to list it. When we went in the guy hasnt even started packing despite the amount of clutter he has in the place. It was another quite new building but already occupied. The ground floor retail store was a dress making and alteration shop so not too noisy. It was a ground floor apartment which I'm not keen on but four steps above ground level. Strangely the building hallway had a toilet. I guess that was for the retail store but they could have put the door on the other side for privacy and exclusive use rather than making it a common one for the building. I guess thats an overflow visitors washroom for me! You enter the apartment and walk into a small hallway that opens into the kitchen and dining room. The hallway had massive shelves which will be gone to open up the place. He had a lot of clutter in here and the place was a bit worn despite being new. He's throwing cigarettes in the toilet but theres no odour and nothing I cant tidy up. It had a nice kitchen with a big window. It looks onto a small garden behind with some trees. The gas range was included but the fridge wasnt. The dining room also has room to put a table or some other furniture The kitchen / dining room then leads into a seperate bedroom. This was a good size room but again cluttered with oversize furniture. There was a giant flat screen tv which they said was included but they later said no. I wasnt really that bothered and didnt want to pay extra for it. The bedroom had glass sliding doors which lead to the laundry room behind with another window. The washing machine is not included, and it backs onto the same garden as the kitchen with a light breeze. The bathroom was between the bedroom and kitchen with a door from the dining area. It has two windows, one for ventilation, one for extra light. At the back of the building the windows had bars for security, some trees, and a small vegetable plot running alongside the wall. The apartment does not have a fridge or washing machine but the school was being very insistent I take it from their apartment they have to vacate so this works out fine. Included is A/C, gas range, and internet. Rent is 480,000w ($430) so I get the 400k housing allowance from the school and pay 80k out of pocket. This time we are making one contract with me, and not involving the school on two contracts. I think that really confused the last landlord who was an older lady and didnt seem to really understand what was going on. The guy is moving out this weekend but I dont need the apartment till the end of Aug when I change schools. The landlord agreed for me to pay half a months rent for her to hold it that extra month. Also she agreed to 2,000,000 key money. Despite being a ground floor its quite nice, clean, modern and bright. It backs onto a small garden in the rear and the building parking lot to the other side. So I still get clear breezes thru the trees behind. I was also very surprised to find out the agents fee goes to the first agent by my current apartment that drove me to this neighbourhood. I find this quite unfair as the guy I was working with the new neighbourhood did all the work, showed me seven apartments, and negotiated three. I dont know if this commission gets split somehow between the two agents but I admire his professionalism. Back home they might have taken the attitude why should I bother, or to go back to the first agent in my current neighbourhood that doesnt deal with this area. I'll take something in to their office as a gift when this is all over. All the apartments I looked at also seemed to be identical to western living standards, and not "asian", taking away the mystery as to how do real koreans live as I've never been into peoples homes before. Friday I went to sign the lease. This time the "house mother" came along again, another similar aged lady and happy to meet me. Now they said they weren't sure when the guy was moving out when I thought it was this saturday. So I asked why I have to pay half a months rent to hold the place if he's still living there? We came to an agreement that if he leaves in the next two weeks then I pay, if he leaves in the last two then I dont pay, which seems fair. She could lie to keep the money but Koreans are very honest and do things in good faith so I dont expect her to, and she didnt take the extra rent up front either. I also wanted to visit again to check the plug outlets and film the inside but they said no as the guy was still living there. Signing was interesting. They have seal stamps and they asked me if I brought my own which I didnt. Then they aligned the three copies overlapping each other slightly and a seal is placed over all the copies in three seperate parts. Now that everything was finally signed and I can relax I asked if the agent wanted a present from Canada. He asked for a t-shirt which was strange as you can buy a t-shirt with Canada printed on it from any market here. I'll find a nice one that says 'made in canada' along with a spare bottle of ice wine I still have. Also, this building and the one that turned me down on monday both face each other so the two "house mothers" might actually know each other