SINGAPORE: A total of 5,495 Build-to-Order (BTO) flats were launched for sale on Tuesday (May 30), spread across five projects in the housing estates of Bedok, Kallang Whampoa, Serangoon and Tengah.
Nearly 90 per cent of the BTO flats, in four of the five projects on offer, have a waiting time of less than four years, the Housing and Development Board (HDB) said in a press release.
This makes the May BTO sales exercise one of the BTO launches with the highest proportion of flats in recent years to be completed in less than four years, it said.
The median waiting time for the flats launched in May is about three years and five months, added HDB.
Those who are looking to move into their flats sooner can consider applying for the flats at Parc Meadow @ Tengah, which has a waiting time ranging from three years and one month to three years and four months.
The waiting times for the other four projects – Plantation Verge in Tengah, Bedok South Blossoms, Serangoon North Vista and Farrer Park Arena – range from three years and five months to four years.
HDB on Tuesday said another 1,500 Sale of Balance Flats (SBF) units were also being offered for sale.
STRONG DEMAND IN BEDOK AND SERANGOON
A wide selection of flats, ranging from two-room flexi units to 3Gen flats, is offered to meet diverse housing needs, HDB said of the current sales exercise.
In particular, five-room flats will be offered in the mature towns of Bedok and Serangoon, making up more than 40 per cent of the total five-room flat supply in the May BTO launch.
“As it has been several years since the last BTO launch in the towns of Bedok and Serangoon, strong demand for the BTO flats at Bedok South Blossoms and Serangoon North Vista can be expected,” HDB said.
According to Huttons Asia’s senior director for research Lee Sze Teck, the last BTO launch in Bedok South was in November 2006. With the last BTO launch in Bedok estate coming in 2016, demand is likely to be high.
“The near seven-year absence of a BTO project (in Bedok) may see higher number of applicants for Bedok South Blossoms,” Mr Lee said.
“This BTO is very near to Tanah Merah MRT where a mixed-use project Sceneca Residence is being built. Buyers of this BTO can stroll over to Sceneca Square for their amenities or take a train down to Bedok Mall, which is one stop away.”
Serangoon will likely draw similar interest, Mr Lee said.
“Back in Jan 2014, a studio apartment BTO (in Serangoon) was launched. But it is not a like-for-like comparison, hence the demand for new HDB flats at Serangoon North Vista could be large. Furthermore, this BTO project has five-room flats, which is seldom offered in mature estates … (and) Serangoon North Vista is near to Serangoon Gardens and Chomp Chomp Food Centre,” he added.
The new flats will be priced considerably lower than the transacted prices of comparable resale flats due to significant market discounts, HDB added.
Eligible first-timer families can benefit from the Enhanced CPF Housing Grant (EHG) of up to S$80,000 (US$59,165).
With the EHG, flat buyers may pay as little as S$163,000 for a three-room flat and S$290,000 for a four-room flat in the non-mature estate of Tengah, and may service their mortgage through CPF, with little to no cash outlay, HDB said.
In the mature estates where prices are higher, the prices after grants start from S$260,000 and S$403,000 for a three-room and four-room flat respectively, in Bedok.