[비즈한국] "We were very busy until early June, but as you can see, the atmosphere has been quite calm lately."
On the 19th, the atmosphere at real estate agencies in Dongtan-gu, Hwaseong-si, Gyeonggi-do, was relatively quiet, contrary to recent news of surging house prices. Mr. A, who operates a real estate office near Dongtan Station, said, "Prices rose too much after early June when demand was concentrated, and with listings also significantly reduced, almost no one is visiting real estate agencies anymore."
After visiting around 10 real estate agencies near Dongtan Station and Dongtan Lake Park, considered the core residential areas of Dongtan-gu, it was difficult to find any visitors looking to buy a house. Real estate agents on the ground explained that purchase inquiries surged immediately after the Samsung Electronics005930 performance bonus agreement was finalized, and after a significant portion of tradeable listings were sold off in early June, the market has recently entered a lull.
According to the 'Weekly Apartment Price Trend for the 3rd Week of June 2026' released by the Korea Real Estate Board on the 18th, the apartment sale prices in Dongtan-gu, Hwaseong, jumped 2.22% compared to the previous week, marking the highest growth rate in the nation for two consecutive weeks. The cumulative rise for this year also reached 9.57%, ranking first in the country. The price hike in Dongtan-gu was led by station-area complexes in Cheonggye and Yeongcheon-dong.
The recent surge occurred as Dongtan-gu's status as a non-regulated area coincided with the finalization of Samsung Electronics' performance bonus negotiations. Because Dongtan is not designated as a regulated area, transactions are relatively easier, and as expectations for bonuses grew, buying sentiment was quickly stimulated. On top of this, anxiety over needing to buy before prices rise further led to a rush of purchase inquiries for major complexes near Dongtan Station and Dongtan Lake Park in early June. As tradeable listings were quickly exhausted, asking prices also jumped in a short period.
On-site, the demand for actual residency from semiconductor industry workers was prominent. Mr. B, a real estate agent met in Yeoul-dong, Dongtan-gu, said, "There were many inquiries from young married couples or couples-to-be working at Samsung Electronics or SK Hynix000660," adding, "Most cases involved purchasing homes based on high bonus expectations and stock market funds."
However, as prices skyrocketed in a short period, the market has recently shifted to a wait-and-see stance. Real estate agents explained that since a significant number of tradeable listings were exhausted by early June, asking prices have risen, making it difficult for buyers to keep up. Some agencies reported cases where sellers withdrew their listings or existing contracts were canceled following the sharp price rise.
In fact, prices for major complexes near Dongtan Station have jumped significantly in a short time. According to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport's actual transaction price disclosure system, a 84㎡ exclusive area unit at Dongtan Station Lotte Castle set a new record high by trading at 2.225 billion won on the 4th. Compared to the same unit size trading for 1.88 billion won four months ago, it has increased by 345 million won. Other major complexes also saw instances of units around 84㎡ trading for over 1.5 billion won, with asking prices reaching nearly 2 billion won.
The gap between the on-site atmosphere and the weekly price statistics is due to the time lag in index reflection. While the buying momentum and record-high transactions concentrated in early June were being reflected in price indices, the reality on the ground saw fewer listings and higher asking prices, leading buyers to return to a wait-and-see stance.
The real estate industry predicts that expectations for price increases in core Dongtan areas will continue for the time being. This is because the actual payment of Samsung Electronics' performance bonuses could further increase the purchasing power of semiconductor workers. Additionally, major complexes near Dongtan Station and Dongtan Lake Park possess both proximity to workplaces and living infrastructure, suggesting that the demand for actual residency will not easily wane even if prices rise.
Meanwhile, the possibility of regulation has emerged as a market variable. According to the Korea Real Estate Board's monthly housing price trends, Dongtan-gu met the quantitative requirements for designated regulated areas this month as well, following last month. Under current standards, a 'regulated area' is reviewed if the house price growth rate over the last three months exceeds 1.3 times the consumer price inflation rate, and a 'speculation-prone district' if it exceeds 1.5 times. While the consumer price inflation rate in Gyeonggi-do from March to May was 1.38%, the house price growth rate in Dongtan-gu was 3.85%.
Experts believe that designating the area as a regulated district could influence the cooling of overheated buying momentum. Nam Hyuk-woo, a real estate researcher at Woori Bank, said, "If designated as a regulated area, asking prices could be partially adjusted," adding, "Market stabilization effects may appear as loan regulations are strengthened and purchases involving jeonse (charter) become more difficult."
However, under current law, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport does not have the authority to designate a specific area within a single city or province as a land transaction permit zone, making it unlikely that a land transaction permit zone will be designated solely for Dongtan.