New House, New House!

Maybe five days ago or so I signed the contract for my new house! Hooooraaaay!

It's in Gangnam, so it's closer to my school. It's also an apartment building, so the 관리비 (base fee in your monthly utility bill that covers security and maintenance) is less than what it would be in an officetel. A lot of the officetel-style buildings had their 관리비 between 80,000 and 120,000 won!! That's just too much for me. I'm not making mad dollahs or anything so sweet yet. Especially when you consider that it's a little tough to find a place in Gangnam for less than 600,000 won a month. And that really isn't bad at all, but you're looking at older, very tiny, one room living spaces for that price. For an officetel it's around 800,000, I've found.

I will live by Gangnam Station, so that area isn't bad. I wanted to live around Seolleung Station because it's ridiculously close to my school and also faster to get to other places around Seoul, but on one side of Seolleung Station is Daechi-dong. And you can't find a nice place for 900,000 won or less (total with rent and 관리비) in Daechi-dong. Sooo, I put my tail between my legs and looked elsewhere.

My new place isn't bad at all, though. It's a lot smaller than where I'm living now, and the view isn't very good, but it will do. Although... The bathroom concerns me. I remember writing about it in an email to my grandfolks, haha. You can use the toilet, and you can use the sink. That is what there is room for.

I'll start moving in next week, so I'll have to take a picture of it and post it. I think this is going to be a true test of how high-maintenance I am.

So why did I do it?! Why did I pick the place with the tiny bathroom and the tiny, yippy dog living across from me? Becaaaaause...it has a closet. Well, it has a really tiny room with a wardrobe in it that can hold, like, six or seven jackets. Or dresses if that's what you have more of. But I don't. So several of my jackets will go in this petite wardrobe. However, the most important thing about this wardrobe is that it can be moved OUT. Out of the tiny room! And you know what that leaves me with? An art space.

It has windows on two of the four walls, and an actual door. So even if I'm using turpentine in the summer, I can set up a fan, open the windows, and not have my entire apartment dishing out headaches. It means I can tape paper to the wall and draw to my hearts content in my own little isolated corner of the world.

And that is why I did it.

I actually wouldn't have even thought of it if my boyfriend weren't there with me. It was his brilliant idea to move the stupidly tiny wardrobe out. I thought the thing was stuck in there. Poor guy went around with me to house after house after house, and sometimes until quite late. I'm so, so thankful for his help as well as the help of my family and friends who were all so supportive.

Ah. ** There is one thing I'd like to add. I don't know if this is a Gangnam thing, or an everywhere thing, but you don't need the full deposit when you sign the contract. Just 10%. So, since my deposit is 10,000,000 won, I only needed to pay 1,000,000 won when I signed the contract. The rest, plus one month rent, is then paid when moving in. So when I move in next week, I'll pay 9,700,000 won.

Therefore, I would advice any of you house-hunters to check in with the realtor you're using and see when the full amount is due. It could mean the difference between getting the house you want and being too late!


직방
Also, here's the website version of the mobile app I used to find places up for rent. I spent way too much time on this thing, but it's helpful. If you know Korean... Unfortunately there is no English version, but it's still very easy to use. You can look by type of house, deposit and rent parameters, location... Everything. And it tells you when the house was listed, too, along with what appliances are inside. I, for one, refused to consider one that lacks a washing machine. But that's up to you~

I feel like I've been plugging this app so much I should be getting paid.



Anywho, feel free to ask me questions, as always :)

xoxox