The final Build-To-Order (BTO) launch of 2025 has drawn strong interest, with 31,095 applications received as of 5pm on Wednesday (Oct 22) — more than three times the 9,144 flats available.

In a Facebook post, National Development Minister Chee Hong Tat said the ongoing sales exercise, which began on Oct 15, will close at 11.59pm on Wednesday. The Housing and Development Board (HDB) launched 10 projects in this round, including the first flats in two new estates — Mount Pleasant in Toa Payoh and Berlayar on the former Keppel Club site in Bukit Merah. Other launch sites include Ang Mo Kio, Bedok, Bishan, Redhill, Jurong East, Sengkang and Yishun.

Rising Interest and Application Rates

Compared to July’s BTO exercise — which attracted about 22,000 applications for 5,547 flats — demand in October rose sharply. As of Wednesday evening, HDB data showed the median application rate for three-room and larger flats stood at 1.7 for first-timer families and 14.8 for second-timers, up from 1.4 and 11.7, respectively, in the previous round.

Property analysts attribute this rise to the increased quota for second-timer families introduced in July and the presence of projects in highly desirable mature estates such as Bishan, Bukit Merah and Toa Payoh.

Bukit Merah, Bishan and Toa Payoh are popular for its million-dollar resale flats. The BTO buyers might be hoping for a windfall when they sell it after 5-years MOP.

Prime BTO Locations See Healthy Demand

Four-room flats at Bishan Terraces and Mount Pleasant Crest emerged as top choices among first-timer families, with application rates of 3.1 times. Both are Prime Location Public Housing (PLH) projects with subsidy clawback rates of 10 and 12 per cent, respectively.

Similarly, the Prime projects Berlayar Residences and Redhill Peak in Bukit Merah recorded a combined first-timer application rate of 2.9. 

Berlayar Residences carries the highest clawback rate to date — 14 per cent — which may have moderated demand.

Standard Projects and Singles’ Demand

In Yishun’s Chencharu Grove, a Standard project, five-room flats saw first-timer application rates of 3.4, likely driven by larger flat sizes and proximity to an upcoming mixed-use development near Khatib MRT station.

Minister Chee highlighted that most three-room and larger flats have first-timer application rates of 2 and below, meaning “many first-timers have a good chance of securing a flat.” Median application rates for first-time families this year have generally moderated, ranging between 1.1 and 1.7 — lower than 2024’s range of 1.6 to 2.6.

Meanwhile, strong demand persisted among singles for nearly 3,000 two-room flexi flats. At Teban Heights in Jurong East, the median application rate reached 18.6, fuelled by its proximity to the future Pandan Reservoir MRT station on the Jurong Region Line.

Overall, however, the median rate for singles fell to 7, down from 8.8 in July.

Family Care Scheme and Upcoming Launch

The October exercise also marked the debut of the Family Care Scheme (Joint Balloting), allowing parents and their children — regardless of marital status — to jointly apply for two flats within the same project offering two-room flexi or three-room units.

The next BTO launch will take place in February 2026, featuring about 4,600 flats across six projects in Bukit Merah, Sembawang, Tampines and Toa Payoh. Around 3,000 Sale of Balance Flats (SBF) will also be released.

“We will continue to provide a strong supply of flats and a good mix of housing options to meet the needs of Singaporeans,” Minister Chee said.