【뉴스AS】 “청년은 빌라에만 살라는 거냐” “주거사다리 기회 될 수 있어”

The recently announced "Youth Housing Opportunity Road" policy has sparked controversy, with critics arguing that it encourages young people to move into houses rather than apartments. While some understanding of the youth and low-income population's sentiment exists, the need to dispel misconceptions about the role of houses and apartment buildings as a stepping stone for young and low-income households is crucial.

The "Youth Housing Opportunity Road" policy, set to be launched next year, targets individuals under 39 years old with an annual income of no more than 7 million won who are buying a home for the first time. This temporary, one-time housing policy offers a lower loan-to-value ratio (LTV) of up to 80% and up to 2.0% points of interest rate reduction for the purchase of non-apartment properties such as houses, houses in multi-family buildings, and small houses with a floor area of 85㎡ or less.

The supply quota for this policy is capped at 3 trillion won annually, with a total of 6 trillion won over the next two years.

While some young people may express dissatisfaction with the idea that the government is pushing for the purchase of non-apartment houses, the policy is designed to provide more housing options for first-time home buyers, including single-person households and young adults living in elderly households. For those who prefer to purchase an apartment, they can still utilize existing policies such as the housing opportunity road and the first-time homebuyer loan.

However, the feasibility of this policy is limited by the reality of house prices in Seoul and the surrounding areas. For instance, the average price of houses in Seoul is around 3,796,000 won, while in Gyeonggi-do, it is approximately 1,978,000 won. To qualify for a loan of 2 million won, one must purchase a house with a purchase price of 2.5 million won, which may only be a small house in Seoul's central districts.

Despite these limitations, the "Youth Housing Opportunity Road" policy provides an opportunity for young people to use houses as a stepping stone for housing, with various conditions in place. After using this policy, buyers can still purchase another home without any restrictions on first-time homebuyer benefits, such as the lower LTV ratio (70% in the Seoul metropolitan area and 80% in other regions) and a reduced interest rate of up to 2.0%.

Additionally, if a buyer purchases a house with a market value of 5 billion won or less, they will still be eligible for the "first-time homebuyer" status when making future housing contracts, which could be beneficial in the future. This policy may also be an option for those who purchase houses in redevelopment or integrated development projects and later sell them as new apartments.