SINGAPORE - Demand is high for the Housing Board's (HDB) latest Build-To-Order (BTO) exercise, with flats in both mature and non-mature estates in Geylang and Woodlands being heavily oversubscribed just one day into their one-week launch for sale.
As of Thursday (Aug 13) evening, there were on average more than two applicants for each of the 7,862 flats available at this sales exercise, even after HDB said some of the flats in this launch may take up to five years to build due to construction safety measures introduced since Covid-19.
Among the most in-demand units were larger flats in mature estates. There were 2,400 applicants for 334 four-room flats in the Dakota One project in Geylang, while 1,180 applications were received for 140 five-room flats in Ang Mo Kio's Kebun Baru Edge.
The Dakota One flats are walking distance from Dakota MRT station and the Old Airport Road Food Centre. The Kebun Baru Edge project is located on a site near Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park.
Also popular were five-room flats in Urbanville @ Woodlands, which had 1,838 applicants vying for 438 units in the non-mature estate. Similarly, there were 1,024 applications for the 325 five-room flats in Costa Grove in Pasir Ris. The Woodlands development is slated to be completed in the second quarter of 2026, while the one in Pasir Ris is estimated to be complete in end-2025.
Meanwhile, 652 applicants are vying for 272 four-room flats in Bishan Towers - the first time in 14 years that new units are being built in the mature estate.
A total of 11 housing projects were launched for sale, including flats spread across the mature town of Tampines as well as the non-mature towns of Choa Chu Kang and Tengah. Applications for these flats, close on Aug 18. The flats will be allocated through balloting.
Some of the projects were originally slated to launch in May but were postponed due to the extension of the circuit breaker.
There is no Sale of Balance Flats exercise this round.
The sales exercise is the second BTO launch of the year, following February's sales exercise where bigger flats in Sembawang and Toa Payoh were heavily oversubscribed by 10 and seven times respectively.
In November, HDB will offer about 5,700 flats in Bishan, Sembawang, Tampines, Tengah and Toa Payoh.
Another 3,550 flats in Bukit Batok, Tengah, Kallang Whampoa and Toa Payoh (Bidadari) will be launched in February next year.
