Seoul New Home Loans Plunge 60.65 Million Won as National Drop Hits Record
New mortgages in Seoul plunged 60.65 million won in Q2 2026, driving the largest national drop on record, while borrowers in their 30s hit a record share.
AI PRISM
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Non-Homeowner Tax Break at Center of Korea's Property Tax Overhaul
Korea weighs raising the property tax deduction for single-home owners who don't live in their home to 1.2 or 1.4 billion won, a decision headed to…
Korea's Ruling Bloc Revisits Property Tax Reform 20 Days After Unveiling
Korea's ruling bloc is revisiting its property tax reform 20 days after unveiling it, weighing a higher deduction for single non-resident homeowners.
Korea PM Vows 'All Available Means' to Speed Up Housing Supply
Korea's PM vowed to use all means to speed up housing supply as bank delinquency hit 0.56%, the highest since 2016, and producer prices fell.
Ruling, Opposition Parties Agree to Pass Urban Redevelopment Bill Next Week
Korea's rival parties agreed to pass an urban redevelopment bill next week, raising density caps for private projects as high-end Gangnam prices correct.
Korea Household Debt Tops 2,000 Trillion Won for First Time
South Korea's household debt topped 2,000 trillion won for the first time in the second quarter, raising repayment pressure as the Bank of Korea signals…
COFIX Rises for 4th Straight Month, Lifting Korea Mortgage Rates From the 19th
Korea's COFIX rose for a fourth straight month to 3.18%, pushing bank mortgage rates up to as high as 5.89% from the 19th.
Gwangmyeong Haan Jugong Rebuilding Drives Prices Up 200-300 Million Won
Gwangmyeong's Haan Jugong complexes are moving to rebuild at once, driving prices up 200-300 million won and cutting listings to 2-3 per complex.
Korea to Free Greenbelt Land for 73,000 Homes Near Gangnam
Korea will release greenbelt land near Gangnam for 73,000 public housing units, with candidate sites due in early October as mortgage rates and capital…
Korea Tax Overhaul Cools Gangnam, Fuels Mid-Priced Districts
Korea's tax overhaul cooled prices in Gangnam and Seocho while mid-priced Seoul districts rose, and new lending rules will block jeonse loans for…
"Hands Tied" Landlords Flood Seoul With Homes as Triple Curbs Freeze Sales
Seoul apartment listings surged past 64,000 after the Aug. 3 tax reform, but triple curbs on sales, financing and leasing are freezing transactions.
10,000 'Two-Plus-Two' Jeonse Leases Expire as Landlords Move to Reclaim Homes
About 10,000 'two-plus-two' jeonse leases expire in Seoul by year-end as landlords reclaim homes, squeezing rental supply and lifting deposits.
Tax Overhaul Hits Gangnam Rebuild Market as Prices Slide
Korea's Aug. 3 tax overhaul triggers fire-sale listings in Gangnam redevelopment complexes as asking prices drop up to 700 million won, while Daejeon…
Ruling Party Moves to Ease Tax Overhaul After Backlash
Korea's ruling Democratic Party will revise its property tax overhaul by end-August after 4,700 comments, as elderly owners cut prices and landlords face…
Housing Supply Measures Stall for Second Month as Party-Government Faces Backlash
Korea's party and government weigh tax reform revisions amid public backlash, while Hana Bank halts variable-rate mortgages and Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon clashes over housing supply policy.
Gangnam, Ultra-Premium Single-Home Owners Hit by 'Tax Bomb'; Oh Se-hoon Fires Back
Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon criticized the government's plan to strengthen property holding taxes, warning it will only push up jeonse and monthly rents while failing to rein in home prices.
Additional Housing Supply Plan of '50,000 Units Plus' Coming Next Week
Korea's government will unveil a third metropolitan housing supply plan of over 50,000 units next week, restarting urban public housing projects and expanding PF financing support.
Simultaneous Property and Capital Gains Tax Hikes Freeze Home Sales
Korea's tax reform plan simultaneously raises property holding and capital gains taxes, freezing home sales as buyers shift to the 2 billion won range near subway stations.
Homes Over 2 Billion Won to Face Property Tax, Non-Resident Burden to Quadruple
Korea's 2026 tax reform expands the comprehensive real estate tax to homes over 2 billion won, quadrupling the burden on non-residents and raising rates on homes above 3.2 billion won.
28% of May Seoul Apartment Deals Exceeded 1.5 Billion Won
The share of Seoul apartment transactions exceeding 1.5 billion won hit a yearly high of 27.9% in May, as high-end home sales surged ahead of a heavier capital gains tax taking effect.
Seoul Apartment Supply Cliff Looms as Completions Plunge 52%
Seoul housing completions plunged 52.1% to 15,160 units in H1, signaling a structural supply cliff, while June production, consumption, and investment posted a triple increase.
Jeonse Prices Surge Nationwide as Gangbuk Mid-Size Units Hit 1 Billion Won
Seoul apartment jeonse prices rose 6.27% this year, over five times last year's pace, as a Gangbuk mid-size unit hit 1.03 billion won amid property tax hikes and rising rates.
Seongsu 81-Story Mixed-Use Complex to Rise by 2032 as Seoul Forest Landmark
The Sampyo Remicon site in Seoul's Seongsu-dong will become an 81-story mixed-use complex by 2032, with 403 apartments and 608.1 billion won in public contributions confirmed.
Seoul Home Deals Hit Yearly Low as Tax Reform Looms
Seoul apartment sales hit a yearly low of 5,065 in June as tax reform looms, with July land permit applications down 14.7% and housing affordability burden at a 3-year high.
Ultra-Premium Single Homes Face Up to 36% Property Tax Jump at 3 Billion Won Threshold
A government plan to heavily tax single homes over 3 billion won in published price could raise Seoul Gangnam apartment property taxes by up to 36.4%, with Acro River Park facing 6.01 million won more.
Korea Overhauls Property Tax After Four Years, Shifts to Value-Based Criteria
Korea's government is overhauling its comprehensive real estate tax, shifting from a per-home basis to aggregate value, with a new ultra-high-end bracket for assessed values above 3-4 billion won.
Korea Eases Group Loan Caps, Cuts Jeonse Guarantee Ratio to 70%
Korea's FSC to exempt group loans from household loan caps and cut jeonse guarantee ratios to 70% on the 30th, as metro area redevelopment could add 232,316 homes.
Lee Jae-myung Signals Tripling Property Holding Tax, Eases Exit for Multi-Home Owners
President Lee Jae-myung said holding taxes must be tripled to reach advanced-nation levels, while easing capital gains tax to give multi-home owners an exit route amid a balloon effect in non-regulated areas.
As Home Prices Rise, Only 'Cash-Rich' Buyers Purchase; Seoul Mortgage Ratio Drops 7.3%p
Seoul's mortgage ratio in property transactions fell 7.29 percentage points to 45.67% in one year, as loan curbs leave only cash-rich buyers in prime areas amid a lending shutdown spreading to state banks.
Apgujeong Hyundai Tops 10 Billion Won Again; Shinhyundai 12 Sets 11.25 Billion Won Record
Apgujeong ultra-high-end apartment prices rebound as Shinhyundai 11 sells for 10.5 billion won and Shinhyundai 12 sets an 11.25 billion won record, despite Gangnam transactions halving ahead of Korea's tax reform.
Standard Chartered Korea Halts Mortgages as Housing Burden Hits 17-Year High
Standard Chartered Korea halted mortgage applications as Seoul's housing affordability index hit 187.1, a 17-year high, with rising loan rates and home prices squeezing borrowers.
Seoul Apartment Prices Rise for 75th Straight Week, 4 Days Ahead of Property Forum
Seoul apartment prices rose for the 75th straight week ahead of President Lee Jae-myung's property forum on the 23rd, with policy proposals surpassing 1,600 and banks tightening household loans.
Korea Raises Rate After 3.5 Years, Starting Tightening Cycle
The Bank of Korea raised its base rate by 0.25 percentage point to 2.75% on the 16th, its first hike in 3.5 years, signaling the start of a tightening cycle amid inflation and household debt pressures.
Fast-Track Reconstruction Reviews Become New Normal; Relocation Remains a Challenge
Eunma Apartment's 40-day reconstruction approval triggers a rush of applications across Seoul, while COFIX returns to the 3% range after 17 months and Gangnam sales prices face upward pressure.
Even Ultra-High-End Single Homes to Face Higher Property Tax
President Lee Jae-myung signals higher comprehensive real estate tax on ultra-high-end single homes, with a 5 billion won market-value threshold emerging as the leading option in Korea's upcoming tax reform.
Korea to Ease Income Rules for Newlywed Mortgages to Fix "Marriage Penalty"
Korea will temporarily ease income rules for newlywed mortgages to fix the "marriage penalty," as Hanwha Galleria buys a 236.7 billion won Gangnam site and I-Park wins the Taepyeong District 3 redevelopment.
Tax Overhaul Targets "Premium Single Home" as Gwangju Airbase Listings Dry Up
Korea's government plans to cut comprehensive real estate tax deductions for non-resident and ultra-high-priced homes late this month, while Gwangju Airbase listings dry up amid an 800-trillion-won semiconductor cluster.
Nationwide 3 Billion Won Loan Cap Hits Homebuyers; Private Bonds Surge
KB Kookmin Bank's 3 billion won nationwide mortgage cap leaves Korean homebuyers scrambling for balance payments, while builders' private bond issuance surges to 9.468 trillion won.
Seoul Home Ownership Now Demands 1 Billion Won in Equity as Mortgage Caps Bite
Seoul home buyers now need 1 billion won in equity as KB Kookmin and Shinhan cap mortgages, while a balloon effect spreads to Suwon Yeongtong and holding tax may top 10 trillion won.
Insurers Halt Lending as Mortgage Curbs Spread, Homeownership Gets Harder
KB Kookmin Bank cuts its nationwide mortgage limit to 300 million won as insurers halt lending, raising concerns homeownership will get harder for end-users.
Housing Supply Floods Southern Gyeonggi as Prices Surge: 23,485 Units
Korea's metropolitan area faces a flood of 23,485 presale units in July-August 2024, up 97.5% year-on-year, with southern Gyeonggi leading amid surging home prices.
As Jeonse Fades, Seoul Monthly Rents Above 1 Million Won Top 40%
Seoul's apartment monthly rent share rose to 49.8%, nearly matching jeonse at 50.2%, with high-priced rents above 1 million won reaching 41.6% as rental listings shrink.
Buyers in Their 30s Set Record for Seoul Apartment Purchases at 41%
Buyers in their 30s purchased 14,103 Seoul apartments from January to May 2024, a record 40.9% of transactions, surpassing the COVID-era debt-fueled buying peak.
Seoul Halves Public Contribution to Ease Northern District Development
Seoul halves public contribution ratios and raises residential ceilings to 90% for northern district sites, reviving stalled projects like the 454.5 billion won Eunpyeong site.
Seoul Fast-Tracks Eunma Reconstruction as Gangnam Standard Model
Seoul approves Eunma Apartment reconstruction plan after 25 years, setting a Gangnam standard model. Dongtan regulations spur nearby price surges, while OECD urges a shift to holding taxes.
Seoul Presale Sells Out at 2.76 Billion Won as Subscriptions Surge
Seoul's Noryangjin and Jangwi New Town presales drew strong subscriptions despite high prices, with Depine Artia reaching 16.5-to-1 even as its top price hit 2.76 billion won.
No Homes, But People Keep Coming: Seoul's Supply Cliff Becomes Reality
Seoul apartment completions plunged 53.3% in May while demand rose, as the government reviews raising the comprehensive real estate tax and imposes triple regulation on Dongtan, Giheung, and Guri.
Semiconductor Boom Stirs Gwangju Property Market
Korea's semiconductor mega-projects are reviving regional property markets, with Gwangju's Cheomdan 3 District seeing negative premiums vanish and subscription rates hit 7.7 to 1.
Money Made in Stocks Ends Up Buying Apartments: Bank of Korea's Warning
Households' stock capital gains hit 429 trillion won last year, flowing into Seoul's property market as the KOSPI surged nearly 100%, with the Bank of Korea warning of deepening asset polarization.
Fixed-Rate Share of Mortgages Plunges 19 Points in Two Months
The fixed-rate share of new bank mortgages plunged 19.2 points to 41.6% in two months as the gap with variable rates widened to 0.21 points, while the KOSPI shed 425 trillion won in a day.