28 Mar 2025
Retail Property Market 2025: Trends Shaping Investor Strategies
Property Insight

Singapore's retail landscape demonstrated resilience in 2024, underpinned by a sharp rebound in international visitor arrivals and strategic investor activity. Visitor arrivals surged by 21.5%, growing from 13.6 million in 2023 to 16.5 million in 2024, with strong contributions from Mainland China, Indonesia, and India. This growth was fueled by a robust calendar of high-profile events—including concerts by global artists like Taylor Swift, Ed Sheeran, and Coldplay, as well as the Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix and Singapore Art Week—which bolstered tourism-related sectors like retail and hospitality.

Retail property transactions in 2024 moderated slightly, registering approximately 250 caveated transactions compared to 272 in 2023. Despite this moderation, District 7 (Middle Road/Golden Mile) emerged as the top-performing district with 52 transactions. This reflects investor confidence tied to the transformation of the Golden Mile Complex into The Golden Mile, integrating retail, office, and medical suites alongside the upcoming Aurea residential tower. Districts 14 (Geylang, Eunos) and 9 (Orchard, River Valley) followed with 35 and 32 transactions, respectively, underscoring demand for strategically located and historically stable commercial zones.

From a project perspective, Parklane Shopping Mall led with 12 transacted retail units, indicating sustained interest in older, strata-titled developments with flexible configurations. Far East Plaza and Sim Lim Square also recorded strong activity, each with 10 units transacted, appealing to niche businesses and tourist-centric trades.

Notably, City Developments Limited’s acquisition of Delfi Orchard for S$439 million highlighted institutional interest in Orchard Road’s rejuvenation. Other high-value deals included transactions along Irrawaddy Road, North Bridge Road, and Beach Road—signaling a preference for prime, high-footfall locations.

The leasing market also improved, with total retail rental value rising by 2.7% year-on-year from $254.5 million in 2023 to $261.2 million in 2024. Median rentals held firm across multiple regions, with the North and North-East regions commanding premium rates. Fringe and Central Areas also experienced rental recovery, reflecting sustained demand in key retail corridors.

Looking ahead to 2025, Singapore's retail sector is poised for continued growth. The Singapore Tourism Board projects 17.0 to 18.5 million visitors, generating up to $30.5 billion in tourism receipts. This optimism is supported by new attractions such as Illumination’s Minion Land at Universal Studios Singapore and the Disney Adventure Cruise Line, both expected to draw significant regional traffic.

Retail will also benefit from a vibrant MICE calendar, bringing in high-spending business travelers. Experiential retail, the integration of physical and digital commerce, and evolving consumer expectations will continue to shape leasing and investment trends. While external risks such as geopolitical uncertainties and macroeconomic fluctuations persist, the sector remains anchored by Singapore’s strong fundamentals, diversified tourism base, and investor confidence in well-located assets.

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Prepared By:

Mohan Sandrasegeran

Head of Research & Data Analytics

Email: mohan@sri.com.sg  

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Property Insight
26 Oct 2026
HDB Resale Transactions Rise 19.5% in 3Q2026 as Prices Continue to Stabilize

Singapore's HDB resale market recorded stronger transaction activity in 3Q2026, with 7,645 resale flats changing hands, representing a 19.5% increase from the 6,396 transactions in the preceding quarter. This marked the highest quarterly resale transaction volume since 3Q2024, when 8,142 transactions were registered. On a yearly basis, resale transactions increased by approximately 5.9%.

The stronger activity suggests that underlying demand for HDB resale flats remains relatively healthy despite a more measured pricing environment.

One contributing factor could be the absence of a Build To Order (BTO) sales exercise during the quarter, encouraging some prospective buyers to explore resale options. The growing pipeline of flats reaching their Minimum Occupation Period (MOP) is also expected to progressively expand resale housing availability, providing buyers with greater choice across locations, flat types and price points.

HDB resale prices moderated by 0.1% quarter on quarter in 3Q2026, marking the third consecutive quarter of price adjustments.

Cumulatively, resale prices declined by 0.5% over the first nine months of 2026, compared with a 2.9% increase over the corresponding period in 2025. This represented the weakest first nine month performance since 2018.

The moderation suggests that the resale market is gradually transitioning towards a more balanced environment following several years of sustained price appreciation.

Importantly, stronger transaction activity alongside moderating prices indicates that buyer interest remains relatively healthy, supported by improving housing availability and more measured price expectations.

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for the full report:

Prepared By:

Mohan Sandrasegeran

Head of Research & Data Analytics

Email: mohan@sri.com.sg

Property Insight
26 Oct 2026
Private Property Market Remains Resilient in 3Q2026 as Prices Rise 1.4%

Singapore's private residential market continued to demonstrate resilience in 3Q2026, with stronger price growth and relatively stable resale activity, despite a more measured pace of new home sales. The moderation in primary market transactions was largely attributable to a quieter new launch calendar rather than a fundamental weakening in underlying buyer demand.

Developers sold 1,183 new private residential units (excluding executive condominiums) in 3Q2026, compared to 2,141 units in the preceding quarter.

A total of 1,140 new private residential units were launched during the quarter, representing a 36.1% decline from 1,783 units in 2Q2026. This marked the lowest quarterly launch volume since 2Q2024. The quieter launch environment was influenced by the Hungry Ghost Festival and September school holidays, with some prospective buyers potentially deferring purchasing decisions in anticipation of upcoming developments.

Despite fewer launches, newly introduced projects continued to attract buyer interest. Lentor Gardens Residences emerged as the bestselling development with 304 transactions, followed by Dunearn House with 237 units. Together with Amberwood at Holland, these three projects accounted for approximately 47.8% of quarterly new home sales.

The private residential resale market recorded 3,801 transactions in 3Q2026, marginally below the 3,813 transactions in 2Q2026. The Outside Central Region (OCR) remained the largest contributor, accounting for approximately 52.4% of resale transactions. Both the OCR and Rest of Central Region (RCR) registered marginal increases in transaction volumes, collectively representing 82.2% of total resale activity.

This reflects continued demand for resale properties, particularly among owner occupiers, HDB upgraders and households seeking to right size their housing needs.

Private residential prices increased by 1.4% quarter on quarter in 3Q2026, compared to 0.5% in the preceding quarter, marking the strongest quarterly increase recorded so far in 2026. Cumulatively, prices increased by 2.8% over the first nine months of 2026, marginally exceeding the 2.7% growth recorded during the corresponding period in 2025.

Notably, homes priced between S$2 million and below S$5 million accounted for 68.2% of new private home transactions, compared to 49.2% in 2Q2026. This shift reflects the composition of available housing options and continued demand for properties offering desirable locations, sizes and overall value.

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for the full report:

Prepared By:

Mohan Sandrasegeran

Head of Research & Data Analytics

Email: mohan@sri.com.sg

Property Insight
16 Oct 2026
New Home Sales Rebound 93.5% in September 2026

Singapore's new private residential market recorded a recovery in September 2026, with developers selling 296 units excluding Executive Condominiums (ECs), representing a 93.5% increase from the 153 units sold in August. Sales were also 16.1% higher than the 255 units recorded in September 2025.

The improvement followed a relatively quiet August, when market activity was affected by the absence of major new launches and the Hungry Ghost Festival. Despite limited fresh project inventory in September, transactions improved across all three market segments, reflecting continued buyer interest.

The Rest of Central Region (RCR) accounted for the largest share of developer sales, with 131 units sold, representing 44.3% of the total. The Outside Central Region (OCR) followed closely with 125 units, or 42.2%, while the Core Central Region (CCR) contributed 40 units, equivalent to 13.5%.

Collectively, the RCR and OCR accounted for 86.5% of new private home sales, highlighting the continued importance of these two market segments in supporting transaction activity.

Terra Hill emerged as September's bestselling development, recording 32 transactions at a median price of $2,209 psf. This was followed by The Sen with 25 units sold at $2,386 psf.

Newly launched Amberwood at Holland recorded 24 sales at a median price of $3,021 psf, despite only a portion of its units being released during its initial launch.

Other developments, including Lentor Gardens Residences and Dunearn House, continued to register transactions following their July launches, demonstrating that buyer interest extended beyond initial launch weekends.

The anticipated improvement in fourth quarter activity should provide a more positive conclusion to the year, reinforcing the importance of project availability, location and pricing in shaping buyer demand.

Click

here

for the full report:

Prepared By:

Mohan Sandrasegeran

Head of Research & Data Analytics

Email: mohan@sri.com.sg