This study aims to analyze structural changes in Seoul’s apartment sales market before and after the COVID-19 pandemic and to empirically verify the dynamic effects and volatility structure of housing market consumer sentiment and macroeconomic vari...
This study aims to analyze structural changes in Seoul’s apartment sales market before and after the COVID-19 pandemic and to empirically verify the dynamic effects and volatility structure of housing market consumer sentiment and macroeconomic variables—including interest rates, money supply, and inflation—on apartment sales prices. The pandemic triggered abrupt shifts not only in the psychology and behavior of housing market participants but also in the macroeconomic environment, particularly in interest rates, liquidity conditions, and inflation dynamics. Against this backdrop, this study conducts a comparative time-series analysis of causal relationships and dynamic interactions among key variables across the pre- and post-pandemic periods, while also examining housing market volatility over the entire sample period.
The dependent variable is the Seoul apartment real transaction price index, and the explanatory variables include the housing sales market consumer sentiment index, mortgage loan interest rates, money supply, and the consumer price index. Monthly data from July 2011 to November 2024 (161 observations) were obtained from official statistics published by the Bank of Korea, the Korea Research Institute for Human Settlements, and Statistics Korea.
The empirical methodology is structured along two analytical dimensions. First, VAR and VECM models are applied separately to the pre-pandemic period (July 2011–December 2019) and the post-pandemic period (January 2020–November 2024). Impulse response analysis and forecast error variance decomposition are employed to compare the magnitude and transmission channels of shocks across periods. Second, volatility analysis is conducted for the entire sample period using GARCH and TGARCH models to test volatility synchronization effects, volatility spillovers, and asymmetric responses between consumer sentiment volatility, mortgage interest rate volatility, and housing price volatility.
The main findings are as follows. First, before the pandemic, consumer sentiment exerted a statistically significant influence on apartment prices in both the short and long run, underscoring the role of market expectations in price formation. Second, after the pandemic, the influence of macroeconomic variables strengthened markedly, indicating a structural shift from sentiment-driven dynamics to macroeconomic indicator–driven mechanisms. Third, volatility analysis reveals a significant positive synchronization effect between consumer sentiment volatility and housing price volatility, along with robust spillover effects from mortgage loan interest rates to the housing market. Fourth, TGARCH results confirm asymmetric volatility behavior, showing that positive price shocks generate larger volatility responses than negative shocks, reflecting the interaction between loss aversion and the illiquidity of real estate assets.
The academic contributions of this study are threefold. First, it systematically incorporates behavioral economic perspectives into housing market analysis by quantifying the role of consumer sentiment. Second, it empirically demonstrates structural changes in market mechanisms induced by a major external shock. Third, it identifies volatility characteristics unique to real estate markets, highlighting the need for asset-specific risk management frameworks.
The policy implications emphasize the importance of prudent policy management reflecting the heightened role of macroeconomic variables after the pandemic, the integration of behavioral indicators into monitoring systems, and comprehensive policy approaches that jointly consider macroeconomic and psychological factors during crisis periods.
In conclusion, this study demonstrates that the pandemic induced fundamental structural transformations in Seoul’s apartment sales market, where the interaction between psychological factors and macroeconomic forces reshaped market dynamics. Behavioral characteristics such as herding behavior and loss aversion are shown to exert statistically significant influences on housing market behavior, providing robust foundations for future housing policy design and risk management strategies.
Keywords: Apartment Sales Prices, Housing Market Consumer Sentiment, Macroeconomic Variables, VECM, COVID-19 Pandemic