25 Jun 2024
The Office Segment: Market Dynamics and Outlook
Property Insight

Overview of the Singapore Office Market

The office market in Singapore is a vital component of the national economy, functioning as a hub for business operations, professional services, and corporate headquarters. In recent years, the market has undergone significant changes driven by economic shifts, technological advancements, and evolving work patterns. Singapore's dynamic and globally connected city environment continues to attract multinational corporations and startups, fostering a vibrant business ecosystem.

Impact of the Global Pandemic

The global pandemic accelerated the adoption of flexible work arrangements, leading companies to reassess their office space requirements. This has influenced the demand and supply dynamics of office spaces. Additionally, government initiatives, such as the decentralization strategy and the enhancement of business districts, have impacted the office market.

Economic Growth and Sector Performance

In Q1 2024, Singapore's economy grew by 2.7% year-on-year and 0.1% quarter-on-quarter. The real estate sector, specifically, showed a year-on-year growth of 0.6%. Significant growth was observed in sectors such as Information & Communications (6.3%) and Finance & Insurance (6.5%), driven by increased demand and higher transaction volumes.

Office Space Prices and Transactions

Office space prices showed signs of moderation, with the URA office price index indicating a reduction in the rate of price adjustments. Key transactions in the first four months of 2024 included significant deals such as the $33.3 million sale of a 21st-floor office unit at Vision Exchange in Jurong Gateway. This building is notable for its high-quality specifications and modern amenities.

Office Rentals and Vacancy Rates

The URA office rental index showed a moderation in office rents in the Central Region, with a slight decrease in Q1 2024. However, median monthly rentals increased in the Central Area and Outside Central Region. The volume of office rental transactions grew by 9.5% quarter-on-quarter, with a significant increase in the total leasing value. The island-wide vacancy rate for office space tightened from 9.9% in 4Q2023 to 9.6% in 1Q2024.

Future Outlook and Strategic Shifts

Businesses are exploring strategies such as moving out of prime locations, repurposing buildings, or investing in tech-enabled work environments. According to the Business Expectations Survey, business outlook remains positive, with a notable improvement in hiring demand. The number of business entities grew by 4.0% in the first four months of 2024.

Flexible Work Arrangements

Starting from December 2024, all employers in Singapore must consider formal requests for flexible work arrangements (FWAs). These guidelines aim to promote work-life balance while acknowledging that not all roles are suitable for FWAs. Employers are not obligated to approve every request, and the guidelines are not intended to influence business decisions regarding hiring practices or locations.

Conclusion

The report provides valuable insights into the current state and future outlook of the Singapore office market. It highlights the importance of understanding market dynamics, economic growth, rental trends, and policy impacts for strategic decision-making in the evolving office landscape of Singapore.

This summary aims to equip stakeholders with crucial information to navigate the office market effectively, ensuring informed business planning and investment decisions.

 Click here for the full report   

Prepared By: 

Mohan Sandrasegeran 

Head of Research & Data Analytics  

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Singapore Office Market Review 1H2026: Improving Fundamentals Support Recovery

Singapore’s office market showed early signs of recovery in the first half of 2026, supported by improving economic fundamentals, resilient occupier demand and firmer investor sentiment. The price index for office space in the Central Region increased by 0.5% in 1H2026, reversing the -1.2% moderation recorded in 1H2025. While the improvement remains modest, the return to positive growth suggests that office capital values are beginning to stabilize. 

The improvement comes alongside stronger economic conditions, with Singapore’s economy expanding by 5.9% year on year in 2Q2026. Sustained demand for digital solutions, banking and insurance activities, as well as professional and technical services, has provided a supportive backdrop for office leasing demand.

Although 99-year leasehold properties continued to dominate strata office transactions with a 66.2% share in 1H2026, this was lower than 74.5% a year earlier. Meanwhile, the combined share of freehold and 999-year leasehold properties increased from 25.5% to 33.8%, indicating stronger interest in assets offering longer-term value preservation.

Leasing fundamentals continued to provide an important source of support. The Central Region office Rental Index increased by 0.6% in 1H2026, compared with no growth in 1H2025. The simultaneous improvement in rents and capital values suggests that the recovery is being supported by genuine occupier demand, with stronger rental income helping to underpin asset valuations and investment returns.

Looking ahead, Singapore’s office market is expected to remain on a stable footing in the second half of 2026. Resilient economic growth, healthy labour market conditions and continued expansion across office-intensive industries should support occupier demand. While investment activity may remain selective amid geopolitical uncertainty and disciplined capital deployment, improving leasing fundamentals are expected to continue supporting rental and capital value stability. 

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here

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Prepared By:

Mohan Sandrasegeran

Head of Research & Data Analytics

Email: mohan@sri.com.sg

Property Insight
07 Aug 2026
Singapore Shophouse Market 1H2026: Higher Value Deals Drive Investment Growth

Singapore's shophouse market in 1H2026 demonstrated continued resilience despite a moderation in transaction volumes, with investment activity increasingly concentrated in higher-value assets. While the number of caveated shophouse transactions declined from 34 deals in 1H2025 to 25 deals in 1H2026, the total transaction value increased by 14.9% year-on-year, rising from $234.7 million to $269.5 million. This suggests that investors remained willing to deploy significant capital into larger, well-located and higher-quality conservation assets, reinforcing confidence in the long-term fundamentals of the shophouse sector.

Investor preference continued to favour longer-tenure properties. Freehold shophouses accounted for 76.0% of total transaction value in 1H2026, broadly unchanged from the previous year, while transaction value within this segment increased substantially from $176.7 million to $224.0 million. Although 99-year leasehold properties recorded a higher share of overall transactions compared to a year ago, demand remained firmly concentrated in freehold and 999-year leasehold assets, which together represented 84.0% of total transaction value. This reflects continued demand for scarce commercial assets that offer long-term capital preservation, stable rental income and limited exposure to lease decay.

Looking ahead, investment demand is expected to remain resilient through the second half of 2026, supported by Singapore's healthy economic performance, lower interest rate environment and the structural scarcity of conserved shophouses. Investors are likely to continue prioritising well-located assets offering resilient rental income, asset enhancement opportunities and long-term capital appreciation. The combination of limited supply, heritage value and stable income-generating potential is expected to provide continued support for transaction values and reinforce the long-term attractiveness of Singapore's shophouse market.

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Prepared By:

Mohan Sandrasegeran

Head of Research & Data Analytics

Email: mohan@sri.com.sg

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07 Aug 2026
Berlayar Drive GLS Attracts Sole Top Bid of $576.8 Million

The Berlayar Drive Government Land Sales site attracted a sole bid of $576.8 million, equivalent to $1,515 per square foot per plot ratio, from a joint venture between Intrepid Investments Pte. Ltd. and GuocoLand (Singapore) Pte. Ltd. The bid underscores the developers’ continued conviction in the long-term potential of the Greater Southern Waterfront and their commitment to establishing a presence within one of Singapore’s most significant waterfront transformation precincts. 

Although the site received only one bid, this should not necessarily be interpreted as weak confidence in its prospects. Instead, it reflects increasingly disciplined land-acquisition strategies amid a larger GLS pipeline and more selective capital deployment. With a wider range of sites available, developers are likely to prioritise parcels that best complement their existing landbanks, development pipelines and risk profiles.

Berlayar Drive is the second private residential parcel within the new estate, following the Telok Blangah Road site. A further residential parcel at Berlayar Close is expected to be launched in December. This phased release reflects the Government’s measured approach to developing the Greater Southern Waterfront, allowing future housing supply to be introduced progressively rather than all at once.

The Berlayar Drive site is expected to yield approximately 415 residential units. Its smaller project scale should require a lower upfront capital commitment and reduce construction, financing and market-absorption risks compared with larger developments. The site also carries a maximum building height of five storeys, creating the potential for a distinctive low-rise residential offering focused on privacy, greenery and resort-style living.

Future residents are expected to benefit from proximity to Telok Blangah MRT station, VivoCity, Sentosa, the Southern Ridges and Labrador Nature Reserve. This combination of connectivity, retail and lifestyle amenities, waterfront surroundings and access to nature is likely to support healthy long-term owner-occupier demand.

Click

here

for the full report:

Prepared By:

Mohan Sandrasegeran

Head of Research & Data Analytics

Email: mohan@sri.com.sg

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