Application rates for the November 2026 Build-To-Order (BTO) exercise have climbed to their highest level since August 2022, with 35,603 applicants vying for 7,964 flats as of 5:00 pm on November 11.
Demand Shifts Under New Income Ceilings
This sales cycle is the first to operate under updated monthly household income ceilings of $16,000 for families and $8,000 for singles. The surge in interest reflects this policy change, which has expanded the pool of eligible applicants.
“This increase is not unexpected, given that more Singaporeans are now eligible to apply for BTO flats following the raising of income ceilings,” said Chee Hong Tat, Minister for National Development, in a social media post.
Lee Sze Teck, senior director of data analytics at Huttons Asia, said that the overall application rate of 4.5 applicants per flat is the highest recorded since August 2022. Lee also pointed out that the total is expected to be the highest in two years, since the October 2024 sales exercise.
While supply has increased, demand from first-timer singles remains high across the seven projects offered in Bedok, Geylang, Sembawang, Tengah, Toa Payoh, and Yishun. “Even with the increased supply, demand from first-timer singles remained strong, with a median application rate of 8.2, comparable to the application rate of 7.8 for the previous sales exercise in June,” Chee said.
A concurrent Sale of Balance Flats exercise will offer about 5,000 flats. Eligible first-timer families with children or expecting a child can look forward to additional ballot chances in both the BTO and Sale of Balance Flats exercises.
Popular Projects in Toa Payoh and Tengah
Toa Payoh Hillside and Tengah’s Plantation Dew emerged as the most sought-after projects among first-time home buyers. Toa Payoh Hillside received 5,407 applications for its 584 four-room flats, generating the highest number of applications for any town and flat-type category in HDB’s figures.
Four-room flats at the project start at S$558,000 before grants. Under Prime flat conditions, owners must meet a 10-year minimum occupation period before selling and pay HDB 11% of the resale price or valuation, whichever is higher.
In Tengah, Plantation Dew attracted strong demand, located in the Plantation precinct and bounded by Tengah Garden Avenue, Plantation Close, and the Pan Island Expressway in Tengah’s Garden District. The project offers 2-room Flexi, 3-room, 4-room, 5-room, and multi-generational 3Gen flat configurations, alongside Singapore’s first 5-room White Flats. Indicative prices for Plantation Dew start at $131,000 before grants for a 2-room Flexi flat.
At an 8:00 am snapshot on November 9, Tengah’s Plantation Dew recorded 15.3 applications from first-time singles for every 2-room Flexi flat set aside for that group. Analysts pointed to pent-up demand in the area, as the last BTO launch in Tengah occurred in October 2023.
“There may also be some pent-up demand, since the last BTO launch in Tengah was in October 2023, when Plantation Edge I and II garnered an application rate of 2.3 times,” said Kelvin Fong, chief executive of PropNex.
Other projects in the launch included Chencharu Acres in Yishun near Khatib MRT station, which offered 1,582 flats including 5-room homes, receiving 2,500 applications for 644 units. Meanwhile, Sembawang Anchor in the new Sembawang North estate featured the shortest waiting time at under three years, but its four-room and five-room flats were undersubscribed with an application rate of less than one among first-timer families.
Lee said that the project’s distance from Sembawang MRT station—about a 10-minute bus ride—combined with ample supply from earlier sales exercises, diverted buyers away.
Community Care Apartments Rebound
The Community Care Apartments (CCA) at Toa Payoh Hillside saw strong demand, with 509 applicants vying for 256 units, translating to an application rate of two. The government recently lowered the minimum eligibility age for these units from 65 to 55 and reduced basic service package fees.
“The higher take-up shows that the policy change is in the right direction,” Lee said. It was noted that many old flats in Toa Payoh mean owners may be keen to sell their existing resale flats and downsize to a smaller, cheaper CCA situated beside Caldecott MRT station.
Prospective buyers are encouraged to apply early and submit all required HDB Flat Eligibility documents by December 15, 2026. The next BTO sales exercise is set for February 2027, featuring approximately 4,300 flats across Bishan, Tampines, Tengah, and Toa Payoh.
“We will continue doing our best to offer a robust supply and good mix of public housing options, so that more Singaporeans can achieve their housing aspirations,” said Chee.
Source material reported from official HDB releases, Ministry of National Development updates, and real estate analyst commentary.