Next year, the nationwide apartment occupancy rate is expected to decrease by about 22% compared to this year.

According to the real estate brokerage platform Zigbang, the nationwide apartment occupancy rate in 2025 is expected to be a total of 237,582 units, a 22% decrease compared to this year (304,213 units). This is the lowest quantity since 2021 (236,622 units).

The trend of nationwide apartment occupancy by year. /Courtesy of Zigbang

By region, the metropolitan area will see 110,900 units and local areas will have 126,682 units, representing a decrease of 27% and 17%, respectively. In the metropolitan area, only the occupancy rate in Seoul is increasing, with 31,334 units, which is 33% more than this year (23,507 units). Zigbang explained that occupancy is progressing primarily in large-scale establishments where maintenance projects have been completed.

By autonomous district, ▲Dongdaemun District has 9,522 units ▲Seocho District has 3,307 units ▲Songpa District has 3,054 units ▲Seongbuk District has 2,840 units ▲Seongdong District has 2,707 units in that order. In particular, large-scale establishments that will complete maintenance projects are planned to open. A total of 36 complexes are set to open, with 9 of them being large-scale complexes with more than 1,000 units. The I-Park in Imun-dong, Dongdaemun District, redeveloped from Imun 3 District, is the largest at 4,321 units and will open in November. The Maple Jaei in Jamwon-dong, Seocho District, at 3,307 units, will open in June, and the Jamsil Raemian I-Park in Jamsil-dong, Songpa District, is set to open in December.

Gyeonggi (57,475 units) and Incheon (22,091 units) will each see a decrease of 42% and 28% respectively. Move-ins are expected primarily in residential development districts such as Hwaseong, Osan, and Paju.

In Gyeonggi, the order of quantities is ▲Pyeongtaek 9,368 units ▲Gwangmyeong 9,346 units ▲Hwaseong 6,617 units ▲Paju 4,945 units ▲Osan 3,876 units. New apartment supplies are expected to continue in areas that had high occupancy this year. In Incheon, a total of 31 complexes will open in areas such as Geomdan New Town and Songdo.

Local areas will begin move-ins in Gyeongnam, Chungbuk, Chungnam, Busan, Gyeongbuk, and Daegu. While Busan and Daegu, which had high occupancy for some time, will see a decrease in occupancy, areas in Chungcheong and Gyeongnam will see an increase.

By region, the order is ▲Gyeongnam 19,237 units ▲Chungbuk 14,810 units ▲Chungnam 12,710 units ▲Busan 12,101 units ▲Gyeongbuk 11,595 units ▲Daegu 11,134 units. A total of 194 complexes are approaching completion, with 30 of them being large-scale complexes with more than 1,000 units. The largest among individual complexes is the Kimhae Yulha TheSkyCity Genesis & Prue in Sinmun-dong, Kimhae City, which has 3,764 units and will begin move-ins in February.

A representative of Zigbang noted, "As the impact of loan regulations and political uncertainties escalate, the atmosphere in the apartment transaction market is cold, and the atmosphere in the occupancy market is not expected to improve for the time being. In particular, in the metropolitan area, for complexes opening in the second half of next year, fund loans for newly built unsold apartments based on post-issuance collateral are expected to be restricted, deepening the concerns of prospective occupants ahead of occupancy."