3,664 flats for sale in 2018's first BTO exercise
Singapore
THE Housing and Development Board (HDB) on Tuesday launched 3,664 Built-To-Order (BTO) flats for sale in four estates, in its first exercise of the year.
This is the first tranche of some 17,000 BTO flats expected in 2018 and also the inaugural batch of units to be built with an open kitchen concept whenever possible.
There are five projects in the February 2018 BTO Exercise, with units ranging from two-room Flexi to five-room flats, HDB said in a statement.
Two of the projects are in the non-mature towns of Choa Chu Kang and Woodlands, while the other three are in the mature towns of Geylang and Tampines. Prices range from S$71,000 for a two-room Flexi flat in Woodlands to S$429,000 for a four-room unit in Geylang.
Starting from this BTO exercise, HDB will cease to offer the kitchen partition wall under the Optional Component Scheme as the take-up rate has been low.
However, home buyers will still have the option of installing their own partition when carrying out renovation works, HDB said.
Also on offer in this exercise are 717 flats that were not selected from the May 2017 Sale of Balance Flats and August 2017 Re-offer of Balance Flats (ROF) exercises.
They comprise 50 units of two-room Flexi, 217 units of three-room, 109 units of four-room, 331 units of five-room, three units of 3Gen and seven units of executive flats across various towns and estates.
About 80 per cent of these flats are completed and are catered for eligible families with more urgent housing needs who are less particular about location and other factors.
Prices range from S$149,000 for a two-room Flexi unit to S$585,000 for an executive flat in a mature town.
Applications for new flats launched in the February 2018 BTO and ROF exercises can be submitted online on the HDB InfoWeb from Tuesday to Monday Feb 12. Applicants can apply for a flat under either the BTO or ROF exercise.
Commenting on the BTO exercise, real estate agency ERA Realty Network noted that the most popular estates would likely be Choa Chu Kang and Geylang.
"The Choa Chu Kang flats are located beside Bukit Panjang MRT Station, and are well-served by amenities such as Hillion Mall and Bukit Panjang Plaza. Prices start from S$109,000 including grants for a three-room flat. The combination of affordability and convenience will be the main draw of the flats," said ERA's key executive officer Eugene Lim.
"The Geylang flats are located beside Ubi MRT Station. However, the majority (993 units) are four-room flats which are priced from S$424,000 including grants.
The relatively higher price may discourage some potential applicants. Nonetheless, due to its attractive location, it is still expected to be a popular option."
The next BTO exercise will take place in May, with 3,900 BTO flats in Sengkang, Tampines, Toa Payoh and Yishun expected to go on sale.
