Song Hee-gu suggests Daechi-dong large units over Banpo for certain investors

Author Song Hee-gu advised two-home owners in Bangbae and Bundang to prioritize purchasing Eunma Apartment in Daechi-dong for large-sized units upon reconstruction rather than moving to 25-pyeong new builds in Banpo. During a KB Real Estate TV presentation, he also recommended newlyweds with a 1 billion won budget consider the transforming Imun–Hwigyeong area or Gwangmyeong.

For those in their 50s approaching retirement, real estate is a core asset that determines life in old age beyond being a mere residential space. As retirement nears, the nature of one's housing must also change. In "Generous Hee-gu Season 3" presented by KB Real Estate TV, author Song Hee-gu provided analyses on various real estate concerns, ranging from housing setups for retirement to relocation strategies for multi-homeowners and locations for newlyweds' first homes.

"Retirement preparation should involve setting up housing that generates monthly rent"

Those in their 50s preparing for retirement need to restructure the "income structure" of their housing. Song Hee-gu advised that as retirement approaches, one should switch to a housing setup that generates monthly rental income. If the current setup is focused on Jeonse, the key is to gradually lower the deposit and increase the monthly rent to secure a stable cash flow.

Strategies for efficient asset management were also presented during this process. The explanation is that maximizing asset efficiency involves settling in a relatively inexpensive home to reside in, while keeping assets in expensive areas to receive higher monthly rents. Additionally, regarding the impact of new supply through reconstruction on stabilizing house prices, Song emphasized the importance of continuous supply, stating, "If reconstruction is delayed and supply becomes insufficient, the prices of new builds will instead skyrocket and pull up surrounding market prices."

The redevelopment area of Banghwa-dong was mentioned as a regional case. In the video, the area west of Ellavin in District 5 and the area north of the Gonghang Sinyoung Area within the large-scale Banghwa-dong redevelopment zone were identified. Song noted that these two locations should be watched as they have completed management disposition authorization. Specifically, citing that the sale prices for Ellavin were in the 1.7 to 1.8 billion won range, he predicted that future sale prices in this area would be even higher. However, he cautioned that the extent of market price increases in the area may vary depending on the ratio of rental units, noting that while a rental ratio in the mid-10% range is acceptable, it may be difficult to follow market prices if it exceeds 20%.

"Two-home owners in Bangbae and Bundang should focus on large units in Daechi-dong"

Specific alternatives were provided for a couple in their 40s holding apartments in Bundang and Bangbae, respectively, who are contemplating relocation. For those torn between the burden of capital gains tax and expectations for reconstruction, Song suggested paying attention to Eunma Apartment in Daechi-dong. While moving to a 25-pyeong new build in Banpo using available funds of approximately 3.5 billion won is one method, his analysis suggests that the strategy of purchasing Eunma Apartment to be allocated a large-sized unit (40–50 pyeong range) upon future reconstruction may be more effective.

Song evaluated that "Daechi-dong is already a top-tier location, and once Eunma Apartment is reconstructed, it will form a massive residential complex along with surrounding Singyeong, Mido, and Ssangyong Apartment," adding, "Considering the Samseong-dong station area development and the best school districts, the value of Daechi-dong is very high." However, he added the outlook that if Banpo and Daechi are compared in the future, Banpo, which possesses the Han River line, will hold the advantage. He analyzed that the Han River line, stretching from Apgujeong to Banpo, Hannam-dong, and Ichon, will be the core area, and it will be difficult for even new builds to surpass the status of this line.

"Newlyweds with a 1 billion won budget should look at the 'transforming' locations in northeastern Seoul"

For newlyweds with a budget of 1 billion won who wish to commute via Line 7, advice was given to pay attention to the changes in northeastern Seoul. Song identified the Imun–Hwigyeong area, where the neighborhood's appearance is completely changing due to the Imun–Hwigyeong New Town development, as a promising area.

In particular, he mentioned Imun Ssangyong Apartment, which has development news for the Imun District 4, and the nearby Hankuk University of Foreign Studies Station Jungang I-tz as specific candidates. He predicted that since the two complexes move in similar market price trends, one should choose based on available listings, and that the large-scale development of Imun District 4 will act as a boon for surrounding complexes. Additionally, he analyzed that the Sinseok reconstruction complex in Wolgye-dong is also highly likely to stand out as a "hidden gem" in the future in conjunction with the Kwangwoon University station area development. Hanjin Grandville, Hyundai, and Doosan Apartment near Seokgye Station were also presented as options to consider.

Gwangmyeong was also presented as an attractive option. Compared to Seoul, it has the advantage of allowing one to choose a larger size (30-pyeong range) with the same budget. Song advised, "Rather than being trapped in the perception that it must be Seoul, decisions should be made by looking at the surrounding location and product quality," explaining that even in Gyeonggi Province, one can obtain sufficient value if they choose locations with good positioning, such as Districts 11 and 12 near Cheolsan Station or Cheolsan Jugong Complexes 12 and 13.

In fact, he explained that depending on the location conditions of Gwangmyeong, there is a possibility that prices could become higher than the Imun–Hwigyeong area in Seoul.

Meanwhile, practical advice was given regarding precautions when choosing a house. Song said, "It is more important to verify the actual owner and the contracting party than the public credibility of the certified copy of the register," adding, "In this era, we are not in a time of forging official documents, so focus on verifying the owner." Regarding defect issues, he explained, "If a leak is at a level where water is dripping rather than just condensing, it should be avoided, but such cases are rare in recent older buildings," and "Since many cases of mold can be resolved through ventilation and dehumidification, an investment perspective of increasing value through interior design is needed rather than worrying excessively."

Source: original video (YouTube)