HDB launches nearly 5,000 BTO flats, including 2 projects in Bukit Merah

SINGAPORE - The Housing Board launched a total of 4,993 Build-To-Order (BTO) flats for sale on Tuesday (Aug 30), including two projects in Bukit Merah under the prime location public housing (PLH) model, which comes with a 6 per cent subsidy clawback upon their sale.

The units are spread across seven housing projects in six estates in the third sales exercise of the year.

The two projects in the mature estate of Bukit Merah under the PLH model come with stricter buying and selling conditions.

The smaller of the two is Alexandra Vale, with 782 three-room and four-room flats on offer across two blocks on a site next to Redhill MRT station. One of the blocks will house some rental flats.

Prices for this project range from $385,000 to $477,000, without grants, for a three-room flat, and $547,000 to $705,000 for a four-room flat.

Buyers will have to wait about 61 months - five years - for these flats, as the project is estimated to be completed in the second quarter of 2028.

The bigger PLH project is Havelock Hillside, with 869 three-room and four-room flats on offer across two blocks on a site along Havelock Road, within walking distance to Tiong Bahru MRT station. It will also be served by the upcoming Havelock MRT station on the Thomson-East Coast Line.

Prices for this project range from $370,000 to $515,000 for a three-room flat, and $531,000 to $730,000 for a four-room flat.

Buyers will have to wait about 68 months - 5.6 years - for these flats, as the project is estimated for completion in the fourth quarter of 2028.

The previous Bukit Merah BTO project launched in May was also under the PLH model and drew considerable buyers' interest due to its proximity to both Redhill and Tiong Bahru MRT stations.

Flat owners of both Bukit Merah BTO projects in this launch will have to pay 6 per cent of the resale price or valuation, whichever is higher, to HDB when they sell their home on the open market for the first time.

The subsidy clawback applies to only the first resale transaction and does not apply to subsequent sales, because of the higher amount of subsidies given to the first-time owner of the flat.

Owners will also be subject to a 10-year minimum occupation period (MOP) before they can sell their flats on the open market.

Standard BTO flats come with a five-year MOP and do not have a subsidy clawback clause.

In the mature estate of Ang Mo Kio, 896 two-room flexi, four-room, five-room and three-generation flats are on sale across five blocks at Central Weave @ Ang Mo Kio.

Prices range from $535,000 to $676,000 for a four-room and $720,000 to $877,000 for a five-room flat.

Buyers will have to wait about 60 months - five years - for these flats, as the project is estimated for completion in the second quarter of 2028.

The project is bounded by Ang Mo Kio Avenue 8 and Ang Mo Kio Central 2 and 3 and is about a 10-minute walk from Ang Mo Kio MRT station on the North-South Line.

The 606 Ang Mo Kio households affected by the Selective En bloc Redevelopment Scheme (Sers) will have the option of applying for these flats.

Up to 10 per cent of the flat supply in this project will be set aside for priority allocation under the Resettlement, Relocation, Sers and Tenants' Priority Scheme.

In the mature estate of Tampines, 267 four-room and five-room flats are on offer at Sun Plaza Spring, on a site bounded by Tampines Street 41 and Tampines Street 42.

Prices start from $381,000 for a four-room and $520,000 for a five-room flat.

Buyers will have to wait about 36 months - three years - for these flats, as the project is estimated to be completed in the second quarter of 2026.

There are three projects in non-mature estates in this launch, where at least 95 per cent of the four-room and larger flats and at least 85 per cent of three-room flats are set aside for first-timer families.

In Woodlands, 630 two-room, three-room and four-room flats are on offer across six blocks at Woodlands South Plains. The site sits along Woodlands Avenue 1 and is served by Woodlands South MRT station on the Thomson-East Coast line.

Prices start from $188,000 for a three-room and $303,000 for a four-room flat.

Buyers will have to wait about 45 months - 3.75 years - for these flats, as the project is estimated to be completed in the first quarter of 2027.

In Choa Chu Kang, 987 two-room flexi, three-room, four-room, five-room are on offer at Keat Hong Grange, on a site near to ITE College West.

Prices start from $277,000 for a four-room and $390,000 for a five-room flat.

Buyers will have to wait about 43 months - 3.5 years - for these flats, as the project is estimated to be completed in the fourth quarter of 2026.

In Jurong East, 562 two-room flexi, three-room and four-room flats are on offer at Jurong East Breeze, on a site along Jurong East Centre, next to the Pan-Island Expressway.

Prices start from $194,000 for a three-room and $283,000 for a four-room flat.

Buyers will have to wait about 60 months - five years - for these flats, as the project is estimated to be completed in the second quarter of 2028.

Flat applications close on Sept 5 at 11.59pm on the HDB flat portal. The flats will be allocated through balloting.

In November, about 9,500 BTO flats will be offered in towns such as Bukit Batok, Kallang/Whampoa, Queenstown, Tengah and Yishun.

HDB said it is on track to launch up to 23,000 new flats this year.

Next February, about 2,900 to 3,900 BTO flats will be offered on Kallang/Whampoa, Queenstown and Tengah.

ALSO READ: More BTO flats in non-mature estates for first-timers

This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.