19 Aug 2024
National Day Rally 2024 Commentary: Top Takeaways and Analysis
Property Insight

During the National Day Rally 2024, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong addressed critical issues in Singapore’s housing market, highlighting the rise in housing prices due to the disruption in the construction industry during the Covid-19 pandemic. This disruption led to a bottleneck in the supply of new residential units, driving up prices. The median price of four-room HDB resale flats relative to median annual household income currently stands at 4.8, similar to 2014 levels. While high, this ratio is still lower compared to other global cities like London, Sydney, and Hong Kong.

To address these challenges, the Government has implemented cooling measures to stabilize the market and ramped up the supply of new housing. The Ministry of National Development has committed to launching 100,000 Build-To-Order (BTO) flats between 2021 and 2025, with over 80,000 units already launched as of December 2024. Efforts are also underway to reduce waiting times for BTO projects to less than three years.

Despite rising HDB resale prices, most transactions remain within affordable levels. Million-dollar transactions represent only 3.0% of all HDB resale transactions in the first half of 2024, with 41.7% priced between $400,000 and $600,000. This reflects ongoing affordability for the majority of buyers.

Prime Minister Wong announced a new flat classification system, replacing the current mature and non-mature estate categories with Prime, Plus, and Standard classifications. Flats in desirable locations will fall under Prime and Plus categories with stricter resale conditions, while Standard flats will remain more flexible. Additional subsidies will be provided to maintain affordability.

For the elderly, the government will expand Community Care Apartments (CCA), designed with senior-friendly features and integrated care services. For singles, a policy shift in 2025 will grant them similar priority access as married couples for BTO flats near their parents, recognizing the importance of family support networks.

The government also plans to increase the Enhanced CPF Housing Grant for first-time buyers, particularly those from lower-income groups, to alleviate the financial burden of homeownership.

Urban planning in Singapore continues to focus on social integration through a balanced mix of public and private housing. The government is making prime locations more inclusive by introducing public housing options in traditionally private developments. The vision for Singapore’s future cityscape includes waterfront revitalization projects such as the Kallang Alive Masterplan, Nicoll, Kampong Bugis, Marina South, and the Greater Southern Waterfront. These projects will introduce new residential and recreational spaces, making central living more accessible.

These developments are part of long-term strategic plans to enhance the quality of life and ensure Singapore’s continued success on the global stage.

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Prepared By: 

Mohan Sandrasegeran 

Head of Research & Data Analytics  

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Property Insight
15 Apr 2026
Developer Sales Jump to 1,937 Units in March 2026 on Surge in New Launches

Developer sales staged a strong recovery in March 2026, with a total of 1,937 units sold including Executive Condominiums (ECs), a significant increase from the 266 units transacted in February. This marks the first time this year that monthly sales have crossed the 1,000-unit threshold, signalling a meaningful pickup in primary market activity following the seasonal lull during the Chinese New Year period.

The rebound in sales was largely driven by a corresponding increase in new project launches. Developers released 1,615 units in March, a substantial rise from the limited supply seen in February. Key projects such as Pinery Residences, Rivelle Tampines and River Modern were major contributors, collectively accounting for about 76.9% of total transactions. This highlights a clear trend in the current market environment where buyer demand remains intact, but is closely tied to the timing, quality and positioning of new launches.

The strong performance of these projects reflects how well calibrated offerings continue to resonate with buyers. In particular, Pinery Residences and Rivelle Tampines each recorded over 500 units sold, underscoring the continued strength of demand in the Outside Central Region (OCR), where pricing remains relatively accessible and is supported by first time buyers and upgraders. At the same time, River Modern’s robust take up, with 416 units sold at a median price of about $3,220 psf, points to sustained interest within the Core Central Region (CCR). 

Looking ahead, the momentum observed in March is expected to carry into the coming months, supported by a pipeline of upcoming launches such as Vela Bay and Tengah Garden Residences. As more projects enter the market across both established and emerging precincts, transaction volumes are likely to remain supported by genuine demand, albeit at a more calibrated pace.

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Prepared By:

Mohan Sandrasegeran

Head of Research & Data Analytics

Email: mohan@sri.com.sg

Property Insight
15 Apr 2026
Hoi Hup Tops Miltonia Close EC Site at $732 psf ppr

The tender for the Executive Condominium site at Miltonia Close has concluded with a total of 3 bidders, with Hoi Hup Realty Pte Ltd emerging as the top bidder with an offer of $340.9 million, translating to $732 psf ppr. While the number of bidders is more selective compared to some earlier tenders, it continues to reflect steady developer interest in well located EC sites, particularly within established residential areas.

The top bid is about 7.8% lower than the recently awarded Woodlands Drive 17 GLS site, which achieved $794 psf ppr. Rather than signalling a pullback, this difference points towards a more measured and calibrated approach by developers. With a growing pipeline of EC sites in the North, including parcels in Woodlands, Sembawang, Canberra Drive and Sembawang Drive, developers are likely pacing their land acquisitions more carefully. This reflects a more forward looking strategy, where developers are balancing immediate opportunities with the need to remain competitive within an expanding supply landscape. 

At the same time, the Miltonia Close site presents a compelling proposition from a locational and lifestyle perspective. Situated near Lower Seletar Reservoir and within a quieter residential enclave, the site is well positioned to appeal to buyers who prioritise a more tranquil and nature oriented living environment. This suggests that the future development may attract a more defined buyer profile, particularly families and genuine owner occupiers, rather than those driven primarily by proximity to MRT connectivity or commercial nodes.

From a broader market perspective, the EC segment continues to be supported by a stable base of upgrader demand, especially from HDB households seeking to transition into private housing in a more accessible manner. This underlying demand has remained resilient, as seen in recent launches such as Rivelle Tampines, which recorded strong take up rates when projects are well positioned in terms of pricing and attributes.

Looking ahead, the EC market is entering a phase of greater supply visibility, following the ramp up in Government Land Sales supply. This is a positive development for the market, as it supports a more balanced and sustainable environment. With a more consistent pipeline of projects, price movements are likely to become more measured and closely aligned with underlying demand fundamentals, rather than being driven by supply constraints.

Overall, the tender outcome reflects a market that is evolving in a more balanced and sustainable manner. While developers remain active, there is a greater emphasis on discipline, positioning and long term planning. At the same time, demand fundamentals for ECs remain intact, supporting the outlook for steady absorption in well located and appropriately priced developments such as Miltonia Close.

 

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Prepared By: 

Mohan Sandrasegeran 

Head of Research & Data Analytics 

  

  

Email:

mohan@sri.com.sg

  

Property Insight
15 Apr 2026
Kallang Close GLS Draws 4 Bidders with Top Bid of $1,415 psf ppr

The Government Land Sales tender for the Kallang Close site has closed with Frasers Property and Mitsubishi Estate (via MJR Investment) emerging as the top bidder at $1,415 psf ppr, narrowly ahead of City Developments Limited. The relatively tight spread between bids reflects a broadly aligned view among developers on the site’s underlying value and long-term potential. In total, the site attracted 4 bidders, with the outcome broadly in line with recent GLS tenders, including the Tanjong Rhu site which was awarded at $1,455 psf ppr. 

The results point to continued confidence in well-located city fringe sites, although developers remain measured in their bidding approach. The ongoing ramp-up in the GLS programme has contributed to a more visible supply pipeline, allowing developers to adopt a more disciplined stance without the need to bid aggressively for individual sites.

At the same time, rising construction costs driven by geopolitical developments, particularly increases in diesel and bitumen, are beginning to influence development considerations. This has likely been factored into bids, especially for sites like Kallang Close which come with additional infrastructure and placemaking requirements. The presence of joint venture participation also reflects a growing trend of developers partnering to manage costs and risks more effectively. 

Looking ahead, the site is expected to yield about 470 residential units and could tap into underlying demand in the Kallang and Boon Keng area, where new private housing supply has been relatively limited. Over time, the development may contribute to the transformation of the Kallang River corridor into a more vibrant waterfront residential cluster. 

Click

here

for the full report:

Prepared By:

Mohan Sandrasegeran

Head of Research & Data Analytics

Email: mohan@sri.com.sg