Seoul Apartment Prices: 87-Week Rise and Supply Policies

Seoul apartment prices have risen for 87 consecutive weeks. The increase in the first week of October 2026 was 0.12% from the previous week. Areas outside Gangnam drove the overall rise despite declines in the Gangnam area. Any easing of public contribution requirements to expand supply needs to be checked against the conditions for each project.

The price figures are based on the weekly survey as of October 5, 2026, while the supply figures come from housing statistics for August of the same year.

What does an 87-week rise in Seoul apartment prices mean?

It means that Seoul’s apartment sale price index rose for 87 consecutive weeks. The upward trend began in the first week of February 2025. When announced on October 8, 2026, it was the longest continuous rise on record.

The weekly increase rose from 0.09% the previous week to 0.12%. This was the first acceleration in 6 weeks. The difference between the two rates is 0.03 percentage points.

The 87 weeks refer to the duration of the rise, not the cumulative increase. Prices did not rise at the same rate every week. Multiplying 0.12% by 87 to calculate the cumulative increase would therefore be incorrect.

This record describes conditions in the first week of October 2026. It should not be read as the latest weekly figure for November. Check subsequent statistics in the press releases on the Korea Real Estate Board’s R-ONE. (Verified figure: Seoul apartment sale prices rose 0.09% from the previous week, as of October 26, 2026 · Source: reb.or.kr · As of 2026-10-26 · Checked 2026-11-01)

Regional comparison: Why did Gangnam prices fall while Seoul prices rose?

The citywide Seoul index combines different price movements across districts. Even if prices fall in some areas, increases elsewhere can offset those declines. At the time, prices were falling in the Gangnam area and rising outside it.

All figures below are changes from the previous week as of October 5, 2026.

Gangnam-gu and Seocho-gu were then in their 9th week of declines. The declines in both districts were smaller than the previous week. Increases widened in areas including Geumcheon-gu and Gwanak-gu.

Trends also varied among areas outside Gangnam. Prices rose in Seongbuk-gu and Nowon-gu, among others, but the increases narrowed. District-level indices alone also make it difficult to judge transaction prices at a particular apartment complex.

How did jeonse prices and new apartment sale prices differ?

Jeonse and new apartment sales also showed signs of a growing price burden. However, the sale price index and new apartment sale prices are different statistics. Their survey coverage and reporting periods must be distinguished.

The weekly increase in jeonse prices was unchanged from the previous week. The analysis of new apartment sale prices does not represent the average sale price of all existing apartments. Actual sale prices for a particular new apartment complex must be checked in its application notice.

A clear basis is also needed when comparing jeonse prices with those under the previous administration. The level of a price index and the cumulative increase over a period are different concepts. If the comparison periods differ, growth rates alone make it difficult to judge which period performed better.

Why do supply shortage concerns remain despite more construction starts?

More construction starts do not mean an immediate increase in homes ready for occupancy. A construction start marks the beginning of building work. More construction time is needed before completion.

Housing completions in Seoul from January to August 2026 totaled 25,630 units. This was down from 31,695 units in the same period of 2025. The reported decline was 19.1%.

These completion figures do not cover apartments alone. They represent construction results for all housing in Seoul. When presenting them alongside the apartment sale price index, the difference in housing types must be made clear.

Declining completions are one reason for concerns about a supply shortage. These figures alone cannot fully explain why prices are rising. Housing purchase demand and financial conditions also need to be examined separately.

What are public contributions, and why is easing them being considered?

Public contributions are a way of sharing the gains from urban planning changes with the public. Changes to land use or permitted building limits can improve development conditions. Part of the resulting gains is returned in the form of facilities, land, cash, or other contributions.

Donating assets to the public sector is one way to fulfill public contribution requirements. For example, a developer may build a road or park and provide it to the public. Not all projects are subject to the same rate or form of contribution.

The aim of reducing public contribution requirements is to improve project viability. Viability means whether a project can proceed after covering its costs. The reasoning is that easing the burden could change the conditions for moving delayed projects forward.

However, lower costs for developers and lower sale prices are separate outcomes. Easing requirements alone cannot guarantee construction starts or price stability. The provision of public facilities and the feasibility of moving projects forward must be considered together.

Breakdown by condition: How does Seoul’s implementation differ from the government’s review?

Seoul’s revision of its guidelines and the government’s research into further changes are at different stages. Seoul has already revised its pre-negotiation criteria for certain areas. The government’s discussions on further improvements were reported to be at the preparation stage for a commissioned study.

Areas and rates covered by Seoul’s easing measures

Seoul specified 11 districts as eligible. The city’s notice gives the revision date as June 29, 2026. The relevant operating guidelines were posted on June 30.

Seoul’s posting for the “Operating Guidelines for Pre-negotiation on Urban Planning Changes (11th Revision)” reads as follows.

We announce that the Operating Guidelines for Pre-negotiation on Urban Planning Changes were revised for the 11th time as of 2026.6.29.

The eligible districts are as follows.

• Gangseo-gu, Guro-gu, Geumcheon-gu
• Gangbuk-gu, Dobong-gu, Nowon-gu
• Dongdaemun-gu, Jungnang-gu, Seongbuk-gu
• Seodaemun-gu, Eunpyeong-gu

Reports on Seoul’s briefing explain the contribution requirement based on the increase in the floor area ratio. The floor area ratio is the ratio of a building’s total floor area to the land area. The reports state that the requirement can be reduced from around 60% to around 30%.

The actual reduction reflects the site’s location and development conditions. It does not apply to every project simply because it is in an eligible district. Nor should 30% be read as a uniform percentage of sale proceeds or project profits.

What the government is reviewing further

The government study focuses on the conditions for using urban sites for housing. The Korea Specialty Construction Newspaper reported on the related preliminary specifications notice. The study is titled “Study on Measures to Make Urban Planning More Flexible to Expand Housing Supply.”

The reported tasks include analyzing cases of public contribution pre-negotiations. The level of development gain recovery and the methods used are also under review. The study also addresses ways to reduce controversy over preferential treatment in land-use conversions.

Preparations for a commissioned study do not mean that a uniform nationwide reduction rate is being implemented. Nor do they confirm specific supply volumes or occupancy dates. Finalized criteria must be checked in subsequent announcements and revised documents from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport.

How do housing completions differ from the actual increase in homes?

Completion figures alone cannot determine the net increase in housing in an area. A net increase accounts for both newly created homes and homes that disappear. Redevelopment and reconstruction also involve the demolition of existing homes.

The effects of supply policies are therefore difficult to assess using construction starts alone. The increase in housing after projects are completed must also be considered. Relocation demand arising during construction needs to be examined separately.

These distinctions are also necessary when assessing the easing of public contribution requirements. A reduced burden is not the same as an increase in housing. Policy effects can be judged only by checking both housing supply results and the provision of public facilities.

Common mistakes and how to check

The most common mistake is mixing periods and statistical coverage. Policy reviews are also sometimes read as finalized project conditions. The following distinctions clarify what the figures mean.

To check conditions in an area of interest, compare the information in the following order.

1. Check the survey reference date on the Korea Real Estate Board’s R-ONE.
2. Compare statistics for Seoul overall and your district of interest for the same week.
3. Check housing types and reporting periods in the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport’s housing statistics.
4. For development projects, check the applicable guidelines and progress on permits, approvals, and construction starts.
5. Check new apartment prices and scheduled occupancy dates in the application notice.