Information

Quick questions and answers.
Can foreigners buy real estate in Seoul?  ->Of coures, the foreigners can buy as residents or non-residents in Korea.  How much are houses in Seoul? ->The prices are various and it really depends on which areas, types, and sizes. Is housing affordable in Seoul? ->Cannot exactly define, but we find affordable options in the budget of our clients.   Which area is cheapest to live in Seoul? ->Probably Say West side of Seoul and North East of Seoul.   Feel free to contact us for counselling.  We welcome you as our clients.  -Smile Seoul Real Estate Group.  
2023-12-19 16:39:42
Rental Housing Checklist in Korea.
Here are some lists to double check when signing a housing contract.  1. Official Property Deed (A realtor will print out and show it to you.)    - Make sure of that the name of an official owner on the deed matches with the name on the main housing contract document.  2. Permission to register your change of address to your Alien Resident Card.      - There are too many landlords wouldn't allow their tenants to register the address to Alien Resident Card.  (Foreigners who move to new places in Korea should change the address within 14days since moving in.) 3. Make sure to check the morgage of an owner to a place is less than 60% of a fair market Sale price.  The morgage amount is shown on the official property deed. (A reatlor will explain when signing the housing contract.) As you go through official realtor offcies, you will be fine.  Just recommending you not to go to an owner directly and sign a housing contract.   Will come back shortly with other good stuff.  Best regards,  Smile Realty (Global Real Estate Agency)  Worldcup Buk-ro 54gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul  /  Tel: 02-713-7756 (+82-2-713-7756) Sean Kim / Licensed Real Estate Agent (English Speaking Manager)  Kakao ID: SOOOOOA LINE ID: SEANKIM7770 CELL: 010-9261-0713 Korea/Whatsapp/Telegram : +82-10-9261-0713  
2022-04-22 12:42:44
A very useful quick information tip when you move out of your rent house.
Here are some useful infomation when you move out of your current rent place in Korea.  As expats, these are the check lists and possilbly misunderstandable when moving out.  1. Amount of your bills.     - The amount of monthly BLDG common maintenance fee and utitlies will be higher than previous months because you paid the first bill a month since you move in.  (For example, if you move in on the 15th of may, your bill from the 15th of may to the end of May will be issued in June.)    - So, please notice that your bill when moving out is for the last full month and additionally for extra days for the period in the current month .   2. The deposit of Long-term Maintenance Cost of apartment housing.     (This applies to high-rise apartment complexes and Offcetel apartment.  Not to the private villa houses.)    - There is the refundable amount that has been added to your monthly BLDG common maintenance bill. (Originally be paid by an owner. So, you need to get it back when you move out.)  Each BLDG has a different amount and the amount is little different each month depending on the repair cost for the BLDG. You can see the amount on the bill each month.  So, please don't forget to get a refund of it for the period of your tenancy. I hope that the tips above mentioned are helpful.  See you next time.  Best regards,   
2022-04-20 20:07:44
Buying a Korean Real Estate Property and getting the ownership as a non-resident in Korea.
Non-residents who buy Korean Real Estate Properties must report the amount for it to the Bank of Korea by a low of Foreign Exchange Act.      Guides of Non-Resident buyers in Korea to report to the Bank of Korea. (Shall be reported beforehand) Subjects to Report:  - Getting the ownership of a Real Estate Property by overseas wire-transfers. People to Report: - Non-Residents or Attornies (Authorized Agents). Amounts and purposes to Report:  Amount: All amounts.   Purposes: All properties.  *Notice: Properties of these specific zones/areas should get the permissions from Korean Goverment beforehand. -Military Establishments On Reservation, Cultural Properties Protection Zone, Ecological Preservation Zone, and so on.  Required documents to submit to report.  -Real Estate Accuisition Notification(Report) -Contract Documents for the Sale.  -Property Appraisals. -Identifications(e.g. Passport) -Power of attony and Identication (For Auturized personnels or attronies)   A Flow Chart for getting an owership of Korean Real Estate Property. Making a Contract for the property -> Reporting the Real Estate Aqcuisition -> Paying the amount -> Applying the owership of the Real Estate Property.  Please refer the above metioned to non-resident Real Estate Property Buyers in Korea.  Feel free to ask us at anytime if you are interested in buying Korean Real Estate Properties.   We have a lot of experiences for buying real estate property of foreign buyers. Thank you,  Best regards, 
2022-04-19 14:46:06
A good opportunity for expats in Korea to learn Korean Language for free.
Hello, People.  Here is a good chance to learn Korean Language Classes for free by Seoul Global Center.  Please take some moments to take a look at this great oppotunity and apply if you are eligible to those requirements.   Learning Korean Language is very helpful to live in Korea as you are foreigners. (Expats) You can click the attached for more details.  Good luck. Smile Seoul Real Esate Group.   
2022-02-16 19:53:55
Information for Driver's License between U.S. and Korea
Exchanging a U.S. Driver's License for a Korean Driver's License Korea is a member of the Hague Conference on Private International Law and recognizes apostilles issued by foreign authorities. Therefore U.S. citizens or Koreans with a valid U.S. driver's license can exchange their U.S. driver's license for a Korean driver's license by taking a simplified version of the written exam. (This written exam can be provided in English.) However, if your driver's license was issued by a state with reciprocity agreement with Korea, you are exempt from the written exam. If you need a details, please visit below website http://www.koroad.or.kr/en_web/index.do
2022-02-06 12:50:56
Types of Residences in Korea
I'd like to provide you some knowledge about Types of Residences in Korea. I. Types of Houses II. Types of Housing Lease Agreements 1. Jeonsei (Key money deposit lease) Jeonsei is an unique type of lease in Korea.  The tenant pays the homeowners a lump-sum security deposit and lives at home for fixed period of time.  The whole deposit is returned to the tenant after the lease has ended.  Some foreigners get confused between "Rent" and "jeonsei". 2. Semi-jeonsei (combination of jeonse and monthly lease) Semi-jeonsei refers to a type of lease by which a tenant pays a certain amount of deposit in addition to monthly rent payments.  In another type of arrangement, the homeowner receives a monthly rent by converting the increased jeonse price to a monthly rent. 3. Monthly Lease The tenant pays a certain amount of deposit and a monthly fee for the use of the property.  The amount of deposit for the monthly rent is much smaller than that of jeonse.  The security deposits and monthly rents are negotiable with the homeowner before the agreement is made. *** The tenant must pay utility bills for electricity, water supply, gas, and telecommunications services, including phones, internet connection and so on under any contract. *** Also, Please be aware of checking a Mortgage loan fon the place, reporting move-in and etc.) If you are looking for a house, office, retail property in Korea, please Do Not Hesitate to contact us.  We have a lot of careers and solutions for foreigner. Smile Seoul Real Estate (SSR) Smile Realty (미소공인중개사사무소) Certified Real Estate Agency for foreigner appointed by Seoul Rep. : Sang Kyu, Brian, Noh , CPM, CIPS, Licenced Realtor of NAR, KAR Email : realtor2013@naver.com kakaotalk : smartrealtors Whats App : +82-10-3937-5154 Manager In Charge of Foreigner : Sean Kim Email : seankim7770@gmail.com kakaotalk : soooooa Whats App : +82-10-9261-0713
2022-02-05 20:47:40
Threre are some important infomation to buy real estate properties in Korea as a Expat / Foreginer
Hello, here are some important tips to buy Korean real estates in Korea. First of all, need to check whether a place is allowed to buy by a Korean government permission.  Because there are many properties in some certain areas where engaged in high speculation and the government strictly permits.   Second of all, all amounts for buying should be wire-transfered under the exact name of a buyer by Foreign Exchage Act.  Third of all, there is no need to hire a lawyer to process and buy real estate properties in Korea. May recommend to hire a lawyer if buy a building in very high price. Mostly, realtors are the ones who check contracs and legal clerks from legal officies to process ownerships for buyers.  And lastly, we recommed to go through a good agency (Like us?) to take care of all the procedures for buying in the safe way.  Especially, Foreign Exchange Act law is very strict and complecated for buying real estate properties as a Expats (Foreginer) in Korea.  We hope these tips help you.  Thank you for reading and contact us anytime if you plan to buy real estate properties in Korea.  Smile Seoul Real Estate group. 
2022-01-19 18:20:13
First time to rent a place in Korea and afraid of signing a lease agreement?
We are seeing a lot of expats renting places for the 1st time and of course, they get suspicious and afraid of putting down a high deposit..   Today, we will let you know that there is at least one of the most important tips to check when signing contract documents.   In Korea, when you sign a contract in a reatlor office, the realtor should print out a deed(Officical titile) document from Korean Court website and show you first.   There will be a block on the doucment, mostly at the last page, showing who is the real current offiicial ower of the place.  You need to make sure that the name as the official ownership on the document should match with the name on the lease agreement.  And besides, check the owner's Photo ID to check the names.  If it doensn't match, the place will be either fraud, or sublease that still we don't let our clinets to sign up because it won't be fully safe for getting the deposit back.  Some people find their places by themselves and directly go and sign with people who call themselves the owners of the places without showing the deed (Officical titile) document.  Who could realize that the person who signed with you was the actual owner without checking that document with his or her ID?  Hopefully, you will check the above procedure just in case of you sign a place without any agent.   But, strongly recommend to use a real eatae agent to your home renting and buying.  Will contiure to other helpful tips for you.  Stay safe.     
2021-12-24 23:48:48
How to get permanent residency (F-5 VISA) in KoREA - Purchasing Signiel Residences
These days ,sine outbreaking COVID-19 pandemic, foreigners from all over the contiries are interested in getting a green card -F5 VISA for staing in Korea. They especially want to know how to get permanent residency (Green Card) in Korea. There are some ways to get a Green Card - F5 VISA in Korea, but the most simple and easiest way to get it is to buy an unit of Signiel Residences. The Signiel Residence is unique and one of the luxury apartments in Seoul. As you purchase an unit of the Signiel Residences, you will easily have an opportunity to get F-5 VISA. Lotte Co., the builder of Signiel Residences, will assist you to get F-5 VISA as soon as you buy it. You can get great place and also Permant Residency at once in Korea. It is very Easy and Simple !!! Do not miss a chace to stay permanently in Korea. If you consider to stay in Korea, please let me know at any time. Kakaotalk ID : smartrealtor Tel Phone : +82-713-7756 Cell Phone : +10-3937-5154 E-mail : cpm.sangkyu@gmail.com or realtor2013@naver.com
2020-05-04 11:23:54
The Prospect of Korean commercial real estate market with Corona 19
You can see the prospect of Korean commercial real estate market with Corona virus. The source of the information is Kookmin Securities. Please see attached file. But you should read it in Korean. :(
2020-03-19 20:59:43
How to get a CPM designation?
Some people asked me what is the CPM and how to get a CPM designation? This is a guidebook about the CPM designation. Please see attached file. If you have any questions please see IREM webiste (www.irem.org). or website of IREM Korea Chapter (www.kcpm.co.kr)  
2020-03-08 12:10:17
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