Apartment price gains in Seoul slowed slightly this week, but outlying districts with relatively low prices — including Geumcheon, Dobong and Nowon — posted standout increases. In Gyeonggi Province, gains widened further, led by Hwaseong's Dongtan district and Suwon's Yeongtong district. Seoul apartment sale prices rose 0.15% from the previous week, according to the weekly KB apartment market report released on the 11th by KB Real Estate, a unit of KB Kookmin Bank. The pace eased slightly from the prior week's 0.16% gain.

Geumcheon posted the largest increase among Seoul's 25 districts, climbing 0.45% over the week, followed by Dobong at 0.43%. Jongno rose 0.42%, Nowon 0.41% and Gangbuk 0.38%, all far above the Seoul average. The affluent Gangnam area was comparatively quiet. Seocho held steady from the previous week, while Gangnam fell 0.07%. In Geumcheon, steady demand for apartments priced under 1 billion won ($700,000)

pushed up sale prices, centered on major large complexes in the Doksan-dong and Siheung-dong neighborhoods. Dobong also saw more buyer inquiries, but actual transactions were limited because few units were on the market and the gap between asking and bid prices remained wide. In Gangnam, listings increased as owners cited tax burdens, but buyers stayed on the sidelines and trading failed to pick up.

Gyeonggi Province saw a clearer acceleration than Seoul. Apartment sale prices in the province rose 0.19% this week, up from 0.16% a week earlier. Hwaseong's Dongtan district recorded the steepest gain at 0.76%. Suwon's Yeongtong district followed with a 0.64% increase.

Other strong performers included Anyang's Dongan district at 0.50%, Seongnam's Jungwon district at 0.48%, Suwon's Gwonseon district at 0.42% and Yongin's Giheung district at 0.41%. By contrast, Icheon fell 0.19%, while Dongducheon and Anseong each declined 0.09%.

In Hwaseong's Dongtan district, price gains continued in the pilot complexes of the Dongtan 1 new town around Bansong-dong and the Dongtan 2 new town around Cheonggye-dong. In Suwon's Yeongtong district, buying interest cooled somewhat as asking prices climbed. The lease market also strengthened, led by major areas in Seoul and Gyeonggi. Seoul apartment jeonse prices — jeonse being a Korean lease system requiring a large lump-sum deposit instead of monthly rent — rose 0.14% from the previous week.

Gangbuk led with a 0.59% gain, followed by Geumcheon at 0.58%, Nowon at 0.43%, Gwangjin at 0.22% and Seongbuk at 0.21%. Jeonse prices fell 0.10% in Gangnam and 0.05% in Seocho.

In Gyeonggi Province, Bucheon's Ojeong district posted the largest jeonse increase at 0.55%. Yongin's Giheung district rose 0.42%, Gwangmyeong and Guri each gained 0.36%, and Hwaseong's Dongtan district and Suwon's Paldal district each rose 0.27%. Icheon fell 0.24%, Anseong 0.02% and Dongducheon 0.01%.