HDB Launches 10,209 Flats in the July 2025 BTO and SBF Sales Exercises

SINGAPORE, 23 July 2025 – Housing and Development Board (HDB) announced the start of the July 2025 Build-To-Order (BTO) and Sale of Balance (SBF) exercises, which will see 10,209 new flats bring brought to the public housing market. This is similar to the 10,622 flats offered in February 2025 BTO and SBF exercise.

“With the addition of the July exercise, the total number of SBF flats offered in 2025 has risen to 10,252 (5,590 in February + 4,662 in July), – the highest since 2021. This reflects a strong and concerted push to ramp up public housing supply in Singapore,” said Eugene Lim, Key Executive Officer, ERA Singapore.

“The attractive Prime Flats at Alexandra Peaks, Alexandra Vista, Toa Payoh Ascent and Clementi Emerald will also see higher subsidy recovery rates of 11%-12% – double the 6% seen when Prime flats were first introduced in 2022. This would encourage long-term occupancy especially considering the generous subsidies and grants offered under the PLH model.”

“This launch, we will see the first Shorter Waiting Time (SWT) Prime Location Housing (PLH) model flats launched in Clementi, as well as changes to housing policies, such as the new Family Care Scheme. With these changes, the HDB is aiming to come up with more ways to make public housing accessible to Singaporeans.”

“Among the SBF offerings, popular estates such as Geylang and Kallang/Whampoa featured a sizeable number of 4-room and larger flats that will see five-year MOP. These units are expected to be highly contested, as such central locations would likely fall under the Prime or Plus categories under the new classification framework.”

Pioneering BTO project to be launched in Sembawang North

Sembawang Beacon, comprising 775 units, will be the first project in the newly announced Sembawang North neighbourhood. The project will feature two-room Flexi to five-room and 3-Gen layouts. As a Shorter Waiting Time (SWT) project, it is expected to be completed under three years, providing quicker access to home ownership for eligible buyers.

When fully developed, Sembawang North will provide close to 10,000 homes, comprising about 8,000 BTO flats and 2,000 private housing units. The neighbourhood will be supported by amenities such as Bukit Canberra, and integrated community hub with sports, retail and dining facilities.

While there have been recent BTO launches in the North region, such as in Chencharu (Yishun) and Marsiling (Woodlands), Sembawang has not seen a BTO launch since November 2020. This could help alleviate pent-up demand in the area.

Bukit Merah and Toa Payoh: In-demand mature estates see an injection of PLH flats

Bukit Merah and Toa Payoh are HDB towns that have seen a high number of million-dollar flat transactions, due to their advantageous central locations and amenities offered as mature estates. Both projects will be subject to the longer 10-year Minimum Occupation Period (MOP), resale buyer income cap and subsidy clawback.

Located just a 5-minute walk from Redhill MRT, the Bukit Merah project offers residents swift access to both the CBD and the Buona Vista business districts – each within a 10-minute commute.

Alexandra Vista will also feature a commercial block with a supermarket, eateries, retail shops, and a preschool, offering conveniences comparable to those found in integrated developments.

Toa Payoh is also a heavily subscribed town when it comes to BTO launches. The last project, Kim Keat Heights in May 2022, recorded a high subscription rate of 9.7. We can expect Toa Payoh Ascent to see similar interest and be one of the more contested locations this time around.

The project has strong location attributes, being within the 1km priority enrolment radius of CHIJ Toa Payoh Primary. Additionally, it is close to Caldecott MRT station, which is along the Circle and Thomson-East Coast Lines. Residents will enjoy excellent connectivity – with the city centre just 10 minutes away as well as 5 minutes to Bishan. Bishan’s development as a future town centre in central Singapore, under the Draft Master Plan 2025, could offer additional amenities and added convenience.

Clementi – the West sees its first prime SWT project

The project is near several key amenities in the area, namely Clementi Town Centre, Grantral Mall, as well Clementi MRT station and bus interchange.

The future integration with Cross Island Line also means greater connectivity and convenience for future residents. Last BTO project that was launched in Clementi was Clementi NorthArc and Clementi Peaks in the February 2017 BTO exercise. Given the long gap, it is likely that there is significant pent-up demand.

Interestingly, this is the first Prime project that features a Short Waiting Time of under three years. The compelling location attributes offered in an express timeframe should draw in considerable interest among applicants.

Tampines

The project Simei Symphony located in Tampines (Simei) is the smallest project in the July 2025 launch. While the project does not feature 3-room flat offerings, its range of larger flat types may appeal to growing families or multi-generational households seeking more spacious living in a mature estate.

However, we still anticipate keen interest. The recent June launch of Tampines GreenTopaz fetched a high application rate of 9.1 and we expect a similar demand for Simei Symphony, especially as it is the first BTO project in Simei in over a decade, signifying pent-up demand in the area.

With approximately 7,330 HDB flats and no new completions since 2011, Simei is likely to see pent-up demand emerging from limited housing supply. In addition, the upcoming project enjoys convenient access to Upper Changi MRT station and falls under the Standard, which may further heighten its appeal to buyers.

Shorter Waiting Time (SWT) Flats and SBF Timeline

This exercise, HDB is offering 2,171 SWT BTO flats with a waiting time of 3 years or less in Bukit Panjang, Clementi, and Sembawang. Additionally, 1,733 SBF flats are already completed and ready to take on new occupants. Among the SBF offerings, popular estates such as Geylang and Kallang/Whampoa featured a sizable number of 4-room and larger flats that will see five-year MOP. These units are expected to be highly contested, as such central locations would likely fall under the Prime or Plus categories under the new classification framework.

The SWT flats featured in this July BTO launch are Bangkit Breeze (Bukit Panjang), Sembawang Beacon (Sembawang) and Clementi Emerald (Clementi). With the exception of Clementi which has to conveniences and amenities of a mature estate, these are up-and-coming residential neighbourhoods, where shorter waiting times and lower property prices encourage Singaporeans to live in these new neighbourhoods.

New Changes to Support Housing Aspirations

Family Care Scheme (Proximity)

Starting from the July BTO exercise, the Family Care Scheme (Proximity) will offer married and single children priority access when applying for a flat to live with or near their parents. This could help families to stay closer to each other and make caretaking easier. Furthermore, as 2-room Flexi flats are often one of the most oversubscribed segments in BTO projects, the FCS (Proximity) scheme will make it easier for single buyers with genuine caregiving needs to secure a flat near their parents.

Increase in second-timer BTO allocation quota

Raising the allocation quota for second-timer families purchasing 3-room or larger BTO flats can be viewed as a beneficial move for the primary HDB market.

This move is mainly aimed at addressing the high second-timer demand seen in BTO exercises, which is often reflected in double-digit subscription rates. However, even with this increase, second-timers will continue to face stiff competition, particularly in more popular locations. For example, during the February 2025 BTO exercise, the median application rate among second-timers was 14.6. Given this high demand, the quota increase may not move the needle much in easing competition.

Deferred Income Assessment

This is the first BTO exercise where young couples will experience greater ease in purchasing their preferred HDB flat. Announced in March this year, the easing of HDB income assessment rules will allow young couples to defer income assessment for housing loan until they collect their keys to their flat. This is provided that one party is a full-time student or national serviceman. This could encourage younger Singaporeans to apply for their flat at a younger age and start a family earlier.

Fresh Start Housing Grant

July BTO’s exercise will also be the first time that we will see an enhancement to the Fresh Start Housing Scheme. Eligible second-timer households with children currently living in public rental housing will see their grant amount increased from $50,000 to $75,000. This is a further step towards uplifting public rental households to achieve their own homes.

 

For media enquiries, please contact:

Lisha Rodney
Public Relations Manager, ERA Singapore

Email: [email protected]

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