Seoul apartment gap investments surge 54.6%, with people in their 30s leading purchases

An estimated 6,680 Seoul apartment purchases were made through gap investment in the year before the capital was designated a land transaction permit zone, a 54.6% increase from the previous year.

The figures cover transactions from November 2024 through October 2025. Gap investment was identified through funding plans that listed both a tenant’s rental deposit and financial institution loans as sources of purchase money, while stating that the buyer planned to rent out the property rather than move in.

By district, Seongdong had the highest number of estimated gap investment transactions, with 728. Gangdong followed with 656, and Mapo with 630. Based on year-on-year growth, Jongno recorded the sharpest increase at 200%, followed by Dongjak at 142.8%, Gwanak at 132.2%, Mapo at 121.1% and Jung at 117.5%.

People in their 30s accounted for the largest number of transactions by age group. The data came from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and was provided to Moon Jin-seok, a Democratic Party lawmaker on the National Assembly’s Finance and Economy Planning Committee.