Seoul apartment sales prices based on actual transactions rose 2.50% month over month in June, exceeding the 2.44% increase recorded during the housing boom in June 2021 and marking the sharpest monthly gain in five years. Prices were up 13.79% from a year earlier. The index, analyzed by the Seoul Metropolitan Government using Korea Real Estate Board data released on the 21st, covers the full universe of reported contracted prices rather than asking prices or sample-based surveys. The Northeast district recorded the largest gain at 2.74%, followed by the Northwest at 2.73%, Southeast at 2.52% and Southwest at 2.41%; the Central district, including Jongno, Jung and Yongsan, rose 0.57%. Mid-to-large apartments measuring 85 to 135 square meters led by unit size, climbing 3.05%, while units larger than 135 square meters fell 0.33%. As of the 18th of July, homes priced at 1.5 billion won (approximately $1.1 million) or less accounted for 81.2% of sales transactions, up from 76.3% in June and 72.5% in May, as lending limits curbed high-priced purchases and supported end-user demand for more affordable homes. Seoul apartment sales volume totaled 5,234 units, down 0.6% from the previous month, although the figure may rise before the reporting deadline. The jeonse market (large-deposit rental system) also remained under pressure, with actual transaction prices increasing 1.28% in June for a fourth consecutive month of gains in the 1% range. July rental activity weakened, with jeonse transactions down 0.2% to 8,204 and monthly rent transactions down 20.2% to 8,082. The data point to broad-based price gains across Seoul, alongside a transaction market increasingly concentrated in homes priced at 1.5 billion won or less.