- This Year, 54% of Subscription Applicants Are Aged 30 or Younger... Increase Compared to Same Period Last Year
- Competition Rate and Price Increase of Apartments Under 59㎡ Outperform Medium and Large-Sized Units
As housing prices have recently been on the rise, the age range of market participants is gradually getting younger. The subscription market, once led by the 30s and 40s age groups, is now expanding its influence to the 20s and 30s age groups. The government's reform of the subscription system, including the expansion of special supply opportunities, combined with the upward trend in housing prices originating from Seoul, has encouraged younger demand groups to actively pursue 'owning a home.'
According to the 'Subscription Applicant Information by Age Group' released by the Korea Real Estate Agency, from April to July, when the subscription system reform was fully implemented, there were a total of about 1 million apartment subscription applicants nationwide. Among them, those aged 30 and below accounted for 543,561, which is 54% of the total applicants. This means that about 5.5 out of every 10 applicants are aged 30 or younger. Considering that the proportion of applicants aged 30 and below was 53% during the same period last year, this represents a 1 percentage point increase, while the proportion of applicants in their 40s decreased by 1 percentage point (from 27% to 26%) compared to last year.
The expansion of influence among the 20s and 30s age groups is attributed to the relaxation of the subscription system. In March of this year, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport introduced reforms aimed at resolving disadvantages in housing subscription due to marriage, combining subscription account periods for couples, easing criteria for multi-child families, and expanding special supply opportunities for households with children. It is analyzed that the 20s and 30s age groups, who gained more chances to win subscriptions after the government's reform, have entered the subscription market.
Additionally, the recovery trend in housing prices in the metropolitan area this year is considered sufficient to support the recent trend. According to data from Real Estate R114, the apartment sales price increase rate in the metropolitan area from January to August this year was 0.76%, ending the two-year consecutive decline seen in 2022 (-4.8%) and 2023 (-3.92%) and turning to an upward trend. As the theory of housing price bottoming gains weight, buying sentiment is spreading among younger demand groups who had less presence in the real estate market until now.
Given this situation, small apartment subscriptions are also strong. According to the Korea Real Estate Agency's Subscription Home data from April to the end of August, the nationwide subscription competition rate by apartment size was 37.47 to 1 for small units under 60㎡, significantly surpassing the medium-sized units of 60~85㎡ (15.85 to 1) and large units over 85㎡ (8.29 to 1). It is analyzed that the lower actual financial burden compared to medium and large apartments led to the high competition rate.
Price increases for small apartments were also prominent in the sales market. According to Real Estate R114 data, from April to August, the nationwide price increase rate for small apartments was 0.68%, the highest among sizes, while medium and large apartments recorded 0.59% and 0.35%, respectively, showing that the smaller the size, the higher the increase rate. In the metropolitan area during the same period, small apartments rose by 0.88%, the highest, with medium and large apartments at 0.77% and 0.49%, respectively, highlighting the noticeable price increase for small apartments.
Meanwhile, a 100% small apartment complex, preferred by the 20s and 30s age groups, is about to be launched. The GS Construction consortium plans to sell 'Bucheon Aterazai' in B2 Block of Bucheon Goean Public Housing District, Goean-dong, Sosa-gu, Bucheon City, in September. This complex will consist of two buildings from basement level 2 to ground level 20, with a total of 200 households of exclusive areas 50㎡ and 59㎡. Since it is a complex introduced on public land subject to the price ceiling system, it is expected to be priced at a reasonable level.
Bucheon Aterazai offers a double living zone location that enjoys both Seoul and Bucheon. The complex faces the Hang-dong District in Seoul, allowing residents to enjoy various living infrastructures of both Hang-dong District and Bucheon’s original downtown. In particular, Yangji Elementary School is located directly opposite the complex, enabling safe commuting for children, and the nearby academy districts of Hang-dong and Ok-gil provide an excellent educational environment.
Moreover, parks such as the Blue Arboretum, Seoul's first public arboretum spanning about 200,000㎡, and Goean Sports Park are within walking distance. Cheonwang Mountain and Cheonwang Mountain Family Camping Site are also nearby, offering a pleasant residential environment.
Additionally, the complex is close to Yeokgok Station on Line 1, providing easy access to major business areas in Seoul such as Jongno, G-Valley (Seoul Digital Industrial Complex), Yeouido, and Gangnam. It is also adjacent to road networks like Bugwang-ro and Sosa-dong-ro, facilitating smooth vehicle access, and is near major arterial roads such as Gyeongin-ro and the Metropolitan Area 1st Ring Expressway, enabling easy travel to Seoul’s main business districts and surrounding areas.
The interior features a 3-4 Bay slab-type cross-ventilation structure (in some types), offering excellent lighting and ventilation. Additionally, some types include a multipurpose space in Bedroom 2 that can be used as a bedroom, dressing room, or study according to lifestyle patterns, and an efficient kitchen layout with an 'L'-shaped kitchen connected to a utility room, enhancing space utilization.
A promotional center is currently operating in Yeokgok-dong, Wonmi-gu, Bucheon City (within the Yeokgok E-Class High-End complex commercial area), and the model house is scheduled to open in September in Sang-dong, Bucheon City (within the Bucheon Video Culture Complex).
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