Investors residing outside Seoul are increasingly purchasing apartments in Seoul. This trend is being analyzed as a move to secure a "smart single property" amid soaring housing prices in the capital.

According to the Korea Real Estate Board's apartment transaction data by buyer residence released on June 26, as of April, the proportion of buyers residing outside Seoul is recorded at 22.7%. This is an increase of 2.7 percentage points compared to 20% in the previous month.

As of April, the proportion of buyers residing outside Seoul is recorded at 22.7%. This is an increase of 2.7 percentage points compared to 20% in the previous month.

Looking at the apartment sales price index change rate, Seoul's cumulative increase from January to May reaches 1.95%. Compared to the nationwide and metropolitan area change rates of -0.33% and 0.26% respectively, this is an overwhelming increase.

As Seoul apartment prices have surged, more investors from other regions are entering the market. Looking at the apartment sales price index change rate, Seoul's cumulative increase from January to May reaches 1.95%. Compared to the nationwide and metropolitan area change rates of -0.33% and 0.26% respectively, this is an overwhelming increase. Even this month, as of June 16, the apartment sales price change rate in Seoul rose by 0.81%, which is higher than the 0.27% increase seen in the metropolitan area.

These investors are focusing exclusively on apartments. The proportion of investments in collective buildings?including apartments, officetels, row houses, and multiplex houses?has declined. According to the Court Registration Information Plaza, the proportion of non-local applicants for ownership transfer registration (sales) of collective buildings was recorded at 21.6%. In January this year, this proportion was 28.6%, but it has dropped by 7 percentage points in just four months.

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Kwon Youngsun, head of the Real Estate Investment Advisory Center at Shinhan Bank, explained, "The price increase rate and demand for multiplex houses or officetels are lower than for Seoul apartments, making them relatively harder to sell. From the perspective of non-Seoul investors, factors such as price growth prospects, ease of resale, and sustained demand in the Seoul real estate market are considered, which is likely to lead to a continued trend of purchasing apartments."