HDB BTO

The Housing Development Board (HDB) has launched a total of 4,989 BUILD-TO-ORDER (BTO) flats across 7 housing projects in 5 estates on Wednesday.

This was the third sales event of the year, with a typical wait period of little more than four years for apartments to be finished.

 

Queens’s Arc BTO at Queenstown

Queen’s Arc in Queenstown – one of the most sought-after senior housing estates in Singapore’s oldest town – is a highly anticipated BTO project, with 610 three-room and four-room apartments spread over two blocks.

The property is located adjacent to Alexandra Hospital and is bordered by Queen’s Crescent and Queensway Drive.

This is the first time in 9 years that new apartments have been built in Queenstown.

The most recent BTO project to be launched there was the 1,179-unit Ghim Moh Edge project in November 2012, which is next to the future housing land parcel that will be carved out of Dover Forest.

Prices for a three-room apartment began at S$310,000 without grants, and S$450,000 for a four-room unit.

According to official HDB statistics, at least seven apartments in Ghim Moh Edge have changed hands for more over S$1 million. In April of this year, a five-room apartment was purchased for S$1.07 million.

Prices at Queen’s Arc begin at S$382,000 for a three-room apartment without grants and S$540,000 for a four-room flat, putting them as the most expensive units in a mature estate in this launch.

Buyers will also have to wait more than five years for these apartments, which are expected to be finished in the third quarter of 2027, the longest delay in this launch.

According to HDB, the lengthy delay is attributable mostly to extra site preparation work as well as the project’s design.

“With 39 storeys, one of the residential blocks inside the project is higher than the majority of the other BTO buildings. As a result, a lengthier building period is needed “HDB said.

Prior to the Covid-19 epidemic, the average wait period for a typical BTO flat was three to four years.

 

Toh Guan Grove BTO @ Jurong

For the first time in ten years, the Jurong East non-mature estate will get new apartments.

Toh Guan Grove offers 569 two-room flexi, three-room, and four-room apartments near the future Toh Guan MRT station on the Jurong Region Line.

Prices for a three-room apartment start at S$237,000 and go up to S$347,000 for a four-room unit.

The anticipated completion date is in the first quarter of 2026, meaning purchasers will have to wait for their houses for around four years.

Teban View, Jurong East’s most recent BTO launch, was in September 2011, with 518 three- and four-room apartments for sale.

Prices began at S$158,000 for a three-room apartment and S$271,000 for a four-room unit at the time.

 

Tampines GreenQuartz and Tampines GreenJade BTO at Tampines

There are two BTO projects in Tampines’ mature estate in the current August launch.

Tampines GreenQuartz, a larger project, offers 1,613 two-room flexi, three-room, four-room, and five-room apartments on a site near the Tampines West MRT station on the Downtown Line.

Prices start at S$244,000 for a three-room apartment, S$352,000 for a four-room apartment, and S$485,000 for a five-room apartment.

These apartments are expected to be completed in less than four years, in the second quarter of 2026.

Tampines GreenJade, a smaller project, offers 546 four- and five-room apartments on a lot adjacent to the Bedok canal and overlooking the Bedok Reservoir.

Prices for a four-room apartment start at S$342,000 and go up to S$475,000 for a five-room home.

The waiting period is about 3.5 years, since these apartments are scheduled to be completed in the third quarter of 2025.

 

Towner Residences BTO at Kallang

Towner Residences in the mature estate of Kallang/Whampoa is the smallest BTO project in this launch.

A total of 316 three- and four-bedroom apartments are available on a plot along Towner Road, near the Central Expressway (CTE).

Another block of rental apartments will be added to the project.

Prices for a three-room apartment start at S$336,000 and go up to S$500,000 for a four-room unit.

These apartments are scheduled to be completed in little under four years, in the fourth quarter of 2026.

 

Kovan Wellspring and Hougang Citrine BTO at Kovan

There are two BTO projects available in Hougang’s non-mature estate.

Kovan Wellspring is a modest project that offers 586 two-room flexi, three-room, and four-room apartments. It will work in tandem with the new Paya Lebar Kovan Community Club.

It is situated near the Heartland Mall and the Kovan MRT station on the North-East Line.

Prices for a three-room apartment start at S$289,000 and go up to S$413,000 for a four-room unit.

Buyers will have to wait about 4.5 years for these apartments, which are expected to be finished in the third quarter of 2026.

Hougang Citrine is the larger project, comprising 749 two-room flexi, three-room, four-room, and five-room apartments along Hougang Avenue 3.

Prices for three-room flats start at S$199,000, four-room flats at S$324,000, and five-room units at S$392,000, making them the most inexpensive in this sales exercise.

Buyers would also have to wait the least amount of time for these apartments, which are expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2025.

The HDB flat site will end applications for the apartments next Tuesday, August 17, at 11:59 p.m. Ballots will be used to assign the apartments. Apply here on HDB Website.

 

HDB BTO in the Pipeline

4,400 apartments will be available in Choa Chu Kang, Hougang, Jurong West, Kallang/Whampoa, and Tengah in November.

Another 2,000 to 3,000 apartments will be available in Geylang, Tengah, and Yishun in February of next year.

The precise location of the projects inside the estate, as well as the number of apartments at each site, will not be revealed until three months before the project’s debut.

 

HDB Rental continue its Uptrend

Separately, according to SRX flash statistics published on Wednesday, rentals for HDB apartments have continued to rise.

Rents for HDB apartments increased for the 13th month in a row in July, up 0.6% over June. While HDB rentals were 8.4% higher than in July 2020, they were still 7.7% lower than in August 2013.

Rents for all HDB flat types increased in July, with units in non-mature estates increasing by 1.2% and those in mature estates increasing by 0.1%.

Private apartment rents were unchanged in July compared to the previous month.

Condo rentals were steady last month after increasing for six months in a row. Rents were up 7.6 percent year on year from July 2020, but still down 10.9 percent from their high in January 2013.

According to SRX statistics, more condominium units and HDB flats were rented in July than the previous month.