Around 19,600 Build-to-Order flats will be launched in 2026, including more than 4,000 units with waiting times of less than three years. The announcement was made by Minister for National Development Chee Hong Tat on Jan 8.
The Housing and Development Board said the flats will be released across three sales exercises scheduled for February, June and October. According to HDB, the launches will offer a good mix of Standard, Plus and Prime flats. The projects will be spread across several locations in Singapore, including Ang Mo Kio, Bukit Merah, Sembawang, Toa Payoh, Tampines, Woodlands and Yishun.
With these upcoming launches, HDB said it remains on track to meet its target of offering about 55,000 flats between 2025 and 2027 to meet sustained housing demand.
Speaking to reporters at ParkEdge @ Bidadari, Mr Chee said the strong supply of BTO flats would help make them more accessible to buyers. He explained, “It is also important to help moderate the resale flat prices, because some of the demand that would otherwise go to the resale market can now be met through the BTO market.”
Echoing his comments, ERA Singapore key executive officer Eugene Lim said the release of new flats is expected to “help keep HDB price growth stable and sustainable, mirroring 2025”. He added that the launch of about 30,000 BTO and Sale of Balance Flats units last year “alleviated the pressure on the resale market”.
Mr Chee also said the government would continue to provide a “strong supply” of shorter waiting time flats. HDB had earlier announced a target of offering 12,000 such flats between 2025 and 2027. The number of these units has increased from 1,839 in 2022 to 4,690 in 2025.
In 2026, the 4,000 shorter waiting time flats will account for about 20 per cent of the total flat supply. Mr Chee said there will be 8,000 shorter waiting time flats in the next two years, noting that this figure is similar to the size of the entire Bidadari estate. He said, “So with these developments, we hope to make further inroads into improving accessibility and also affordability of HDB BTO flats and resale flats.”
Housing Policies Under Review
Mr Chee said the government is continuing to review housing policies, including the eligible income ceiling and minimum age for singles buying BTO flats. The current income ceiling for families and married couples is S$14,000 per month, while singles must be at least 35 years old.
He noted that raising the income ceiling or lowering the age limit could increase demand and lead to longer waiting times. “So the strategy is to increase the supply, keep up a robust supply of BTO flats to be able to meet a strong demand,” he said.
The government is also reviewing the removal of the 15-month wait-out period for private property owners who wish to buy resale flats. Mr Chee said, “The timing is important, because if you do it at the wrong time, and the resale flat prices then continue to decrease, that would not be a good outcome for the market.”
When asked about the Voluntary Early Redevelopment Scheme, Mr Chee said it is one of the tools used for the gradual redevelopment of older towns. He added that the government will continue programmes such as the Neighbourhood Renewal Programme, Silver Upgrading Programme, and will share more details on the next Home Improvement Programme tranche when ready.
Review of Housing Supply in 2025
In 2025, HDB completed about 19,600 flats across 28 projects, with a median waiting time of around four years. Three projects, Parc Clover @ Tengah, Hougang Olive and Yishun Boardwalk, were shorter waiting time projects.
Last year also marked the completion of all 12 public housing projects in the Bidadari estate, delivering more than 8,800 homes since the first projects were launched in 2015. Today, around 98 per cent of buyers have moved in or collected their keys.
There are currently 127 HDB projects under construction across Singapore. HDB said it will continue working closely with agencies so that amenities and facilities are ready for residents soon after they move in.
