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Foreclosures Surge in South Korea as Homeowners Struggle with Mortgage Payments

Foreclosures Surge in South Korea as Homeowners Struggle with Mortgage Payments

SEOUL, Aug. 6 (Korea Bizwire) – In a stark reversal of fortune for South Korea’s once-booming real estate market, the number of properties entering foreclosure has skyrocketed, reaching levels not seen in over a decade.  According to government data released on August 4, July saw 13,631 applications for the commencement of voluntary auction registration for real [...]

Record Surge in Reverse Mortgage Applications Amid Falling House Prices

Record Surge in Reverse Mortgage Applications Amid Falling House Prices

SEOUL, Mar. 4 (Korea Bizwire) – As predictions of declining real estate values gain momentum, the scale of reverse mortgage guarantees in South Korea is set to hit an all-time high this year, signaling an increased adoption among homeowners.  Reverse mortgages, available to individuals over 55, allow homeowners to secure a loan against their property to [...]

Rising Mortgage Delinquency Rates Among Young Homeowners Raise Concerns

Rising Mortgage Delinquency Rates Among Young Homeowners Raise Concerns

SEOUL, Dec. 12 (Korea Bizwire) – In a concerning trend, mortgage delinquency rates among homeowners in their 20s and below are surging, far outpacing other age groups. Young adults who have recently entered the workforce are finding themselves trapped in high-interest mortgages, leaving them struggling to make the monthly payments.  According to data obtained by National [...]

Borrowers Spend 60 pct of Monthly Income to Pay Back Mortgages: BOK

Borrowers Spend 60 pct of Monthly Income to Pay Back Mortgages: BOK

SEOUL, Dec. 27 (Korea Bizwire) — An increasing number of people are struggling to pay back loans with as interest rates continue to rise, a central bank report said Monday. The Bank of Korea (BOK) reported that the average debt service ratio (DSR) of mortgage borrowers in the third quarter of this year reached 60.6 [...]

Mortgage Burden Likely to Get Heavier as BOK Lifts Key Rate

Mortgage Burden Likely to Get Heavier as BOK Lifts Key Rate

SEOUL, Nov. 30 (Korea Bizwire) — Households may have to cope with higher mortgage rates as the Bank of Korea (BOK) raised its key interest rate for the first time in a year, market watchers said Friday. In a widely anticipated move to cool property prices, the BOK lifted its key rate by 25 basis [...]

Mortgage Growth Slows in Dec. Amid Interest Rate Hike

Mortgage Growth Slows in Dec. Amid Interest Rate Hike

SEOUL, Jan. 4 (Korea Bizwire) – The growth of mortgage loans in South Korea markedly slowed last month amid indications of interest rate hikes and a downturn in the real estate market, data showed Wednesday.  Outstanding home-backed loans extended by six major banks here – KB Koomin, Shinhan, Woori, KEB Hana, NH and the Industrial [...]

Population Movements Fall in June on Mortgage Regulations

Population Movements Fall in June on Mortgage Regulations

SEJONG, July 26 (Korea Bizwire) – The number of South Koreans changing their residences dropped nearly 13 percent on-year in June as the housing market showed signs of slowing, the state statistics agency said Tuesday. A total of 567,000 South Koreans changed their residences in June, down 83,000, or 12.8 percent, from a year earlier, [...]

S. Korea Banks to Tighten Mortgage Rules in Provincial Areas

S. Korea Banks to Tighten Mortgage Rules in Provincial Areas

SEOUL, Nov. 19 (Korea Bizwire) – South Korean banks will likely impose tougher rules for screening mortgages in non-capital areas starting next year, joining government-led efforts to rein in the country’s runaway household debt, industry sources said Thursday. The financial authorities have asked local banks to use the debt-to-income (DTI) ratio when they screen mortgage [...]

Discover Home Loans Poll: Buyers Believe a Home is a Good Investment but Many Are Unprepared for Mortgage Process

Discover Home Loans Poll: Buyers Believe a Home is a Good Investment but Many Are Unprepared for Mortgage Process

  RIVERWOODS, Ill. July 21, 2014 (Korea Bizwire)–Homebuying season is in full-swing and a recent independent poll  commissioned by Discover Home Loans shows that 94 percent of prospective  buyers believe they are making a good investment by purchasing a home.  Although 87 percent are confident they will find an affordable home  loan, the poll shows [...]