[Untact, Changing Homes] More Comfortable Than Transportation... Living in a 'Sopse-gwon' Area

Moving to Suburbs Seeking Medium to Large Homes in the City
Duplex Townhouses with Gardens Gain Popularity

[Asia Economy Reporter Onyu Lim] Philosopher Aristotle said, "Man is a social animal." However, in the era of COVID-19, social face-to-face interactions have become difficult. Office workers have adopted remote work, and students have shifted to online classes, making social distancing a daily routine. As the number of 'Homo Untact' (people living without direct contact) choosing connection over face-to-face meetings increases, changes have begun in residential spaces as well. With the center of work shifting to home, more people are moving their nests from urban centers to outskirts, from small to medium-sized homes, and from stationside to forestside locations.

#. Kim Ji-hye (32, pseudonym), a graphic designer working at a company in Seoul, recently moved to an apartment in Namyangju, Gyeonggi Province. Kim said, "Thanks to the normalization of remote work, I decided to live in a three-room apartment on the outskirts instead of a cramped officetel in the heart of Seoul." Due to tight finances and a preference for forestside living, she had no choice but to choose an older apartment, but she put effort into remodeling it. The key point was the 'role change between the large room and the small rooms.' For someone who wrestles with two PC monitors and a tablet all day, what was most needed was a spacious workspace. She set up the large room as a workspace, small room 1 as a bedroom, and small room 2 as a dressing room. Kim said, "I gained the freedom to work comfortably in a wide space and walk the forest path wearing slippers," adding, "Moving was a very good choice."

◇The new standards of housing changed by COVID-19... Comfort over transportation = Recently, in the real estate market, more people are prioritizing comfortable locations over transportation or security when choosing a residence. According to a survey by the real estate platform Zigbang, after COVID-19, the most important factor when selecting a home was 'comfort' (near parks and green spaces) (31.6%). Next were △extra spaces such as balconies, terraces, yards, and attics (22.8%). Comfort and extra space have emerged as more significant considerations than △convenience facilities (13.1%) and △transportation (12.7%).

Additionally, many people have considered moving after COVID-19. When asked if they had considered moving to a place closer to work due to the expansion of remote work, 48.6% answered 'yes.' Among them, 'comfortable living environment' (41.7%) was cited as the biggest reason, followed by 'lack of space' (19.9%) and 'preparing work/study space' (14.2%). Ham Young-jin, head of Zigbang Big Data Lab, said, "If flexible and remote work styles become established, there will be high demand to move out of large cities, leading to significant regional changes in residential spaces."

Townhouse 'Foret de Yongin'

◇Even prices of previously overlooked townhouses are rising = The rising popularity of townhouses and terrace houses, which were not highly regarded in the past, also reflects the preference for comfortable spaces. These residential spaces are ideal for those wanting to escape the cramped apartment life. Typically located near forests, townhouses and terrace houses offer ample service spaces such as terraces, duplexes, and gardens, allowing flexible use of space.

Accordingly, the notion that 'townhouse prices do not rise' is also being challenged. According to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport's real transaction price disclosure system, the actual transaction price of Hanshin The Hue Terrace 11, 84㎡ (exclusive area) in Unyang-dong, Gimpo, Gyeonggi Province, rose from 600 million KRW in December last year to 840 million KRW in April this year. Nearby, Xi The Village Urban 5, 84㎡, which was sold for 570 million KRW in 2017, was transacted at 880 million KRW in November last year and currently has a listing price soaring up to 1.1 billion KRW.

◇Apartment communities with office spaces are emerging = Of course, the vast majority still prefer apartments with abundant infrastructure. Recently, the concept of 'one-mile apartments' has emerged. These are complexes where all infrastructure such as transportation, convenience, and culture can be accessed within a 1-mile radius from home, and their prices have risen further in the COVID-19 era when movement is difficult. Changes in trends can also be seen in apartment community facilities. After the 1990s, when children's playgrounds and senior centers were the norm, the 2000s saw the introduction of fitness centers amid the wellness trend, and in the 2010s, cultural spaces for mothers and children began to appear. During the COVID-19 period, when outdoor activities are restricted, community facilities are evolving once again. Han Jung-min, manager at Real Today, explained, "Some complexes are even incorporating office spaces within their premises."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.