Villas (Low-Rise Homes) for Sale & Rent in Seoul

What is a Korean "villa"?

The word villa (빌라) is a Korean usage that means a small, low-rise apartment building — typically 3–5 floors, walk-up, with a handful of units per floor. A 연립주택 (yeollip / row house) is the same idea on a slightly larger footprint. Both are classed separately from high-rise 아파트 (apartments) and mixed-use officetels.

Villa vs apartment vs officetel

• Villa / row house — low-rise, more space per won, quieter streets; usually no elevator and fewer shared amenities.
• Apartment (아파트) — high-rise complexes with security, parking and management, at a premium price.
• Officetel — compact, central, mixed-use studios and one-bedrooms.

If you want space and value over amenities and prestige, a villa is often the smart choice.

Renting and buying a villa as a foreigner

Renting is open to everyone with no permit — choose jeonse (전세), a large refundable lump-sum deposit, or wolse (월세), a smaller deposit plus monthly rent. To buy, note that since late August 2025 every Seoul district is a Foreign Land Transaction Permit Zone: a foreign buyer of residential property must obtain a permit before signing, submit a funding plan, and after approval move in within four months and live there for at least two years, regardless of visa. Your Seoul Homes realtor can guide you through it.

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