As housing prices in Seoul continue to surge rapidly, the phenomenon of people leaving Seoul is accelerating. In the pre-sale market, there is a growing trend of interest in apartment complexes in Gyeonggi Province that offer excellent accessibility to Seoul.
According to the Korea Real Estate Board, as of the end of June this year, apartment sale prices in Seoul rose by 0.4% compared to the previous week. Since the upward turn in early February, prices have been rising for 22 consecutive weeks.
In May, the average home price in Seoul surpassed 1 billion won for the first time. According to KB Real Estate statistics, the average sale price for homes in Seoul (including apartments, detached, and multiplex houses) in May 2025 was 1,039.98 million won. This represents a 1.16% increase from the previous month (992.46 million won), marking the highest price since KB Kookmin Bank began tracking housing prices.
As soaring housing prices in Seoul have become burdensome, more buyers are turning to neighboring areas such as Gyeonggi Province. According to Statistics Korea's domestic migration data, a total of 132,341 people left Seoul in the first quarter of this year, an increase of more than 20% compared to the fourth quarter of last year (110,075 people). During the same period, the number of people moving from Seoul to Gyeonggi Province increased from 69,574 to 75,180.
In the increasingly polarized pre-sale market, apartment complexes in Gyeonggi Province near Seoul are gaining popularity. For example, 'Prestige Xi' in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province, near Seocho-gu, Seoul, recorded an average competition rate of 58.68 to 1 for first-priority subscriptions in October last year. Similarly, 'Harrington Square Sinheung Station' in Seongnam, which offers convenient access to Gangnam and Songpa, closed its first-priority subscription with an average competition rate of 23.72 to 1.
An industry insider commented, "With the continued rise in Seoul housing prices, the popularity of Gyeonggi Province pre-sale complexes is expected to increase further. Recently, the development of transportation infrastructure such as the GTX is blurring the boundaries between living areas in Seoul and Gyeonggi, making it important to carefully select premium complexes."
Against this backdrop, Hyundai Engineering & Construction's 'Hillstate Hoeryong Station Park View,' scheduled for pre-sale in July, is attracting attention for its excellent accessibility to Seoul. The complex will be located at 281-21 Howon-dong, Uijeongbu-si, Gyeonggi Province, just about 3 kilometers in a straight line from Seoul.
For public transportation, residents can enter Seoul (Dobongsan Station) in just two stops via Hoeryong Station on Subway Line 1 and the Uijeongbu Light Rail. From Hoeryong Station, major business districts in both northern and southern Seoul, such as City Hall Station and Gangnam-gu Office Station, can be reached within approximately 40 minutes. The complex is also close to major road networks such as the Seoul Metropolitan Area First Ring Expressway and the Dongbu Expressway, offering excellent accessibility by car.
Transportation conditions are expected to improve further in the future. At Uijeongbu Station, one stop from Hoeryong Station, the GTX-C line (scheduled to open in 2028) is under development. Once completed, it will take about five stops and around 20 minutes to reach Samseong Station, greatly improving access to Gangnam.
In addition, projects such as the undergrounding of the Dongbu Expressway (Phase 1 scheduled for 2029, Phase 2 for 2034), Hoeryong IC (tentative name, scheduled to open in 2027), and the Seoul-Yangju Expressway (scheduled to open in 2030) are underway, which are expected to further enhance transportation conditions in the future.
The educational environment is also favorable. Howon Elementary and Howon Middle Schools are adjacent to the complex and within walking distance, while Hoeryong Elementary, Hoeryong Middle, Howon High School, the Howon-dong academy district, and the Nowon (Seoul) academy district are also nearby. If more than half of the residents agree, a public daycare center will be established within the complex, allowing young children to use it safely. In addition, a memorandum of understanding (MOU) has been signed with Avalon Education, which boasts 26 years of educational expertise, to provide English education programs and tuition discounts for residents.
Furthermore, major shopping facilities such as Shinsegae Department Store, Lotte Mart, Rodeo Street, and Costco, as well as the Hoeryong Station neighborhood commercial area, are within walking distance. Uijeongbu Arts Center, City Hall, and the Information Library are also nearby. Residents can enjoy a pleasant living environment thanks to the abundance of natural surroundings such as Dobongsan, Sapaesan, Suraksan, the Jungnangcheon riverside park, and the Bukhansan Dulle-gil trail.
The model home for 'Hillstate Hoeryong Station Park View' will be located in Howon-dong, Uijeongbu-si, Gyeonggi Province, and is scheduled to open in July.
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