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Demand may be strong, but don’t overbuild 5-room BTO flats

Bigger units require more resources, and they’re not a priority amid other demands on the fiscal purse 

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Leslie Yee

Leslie Yee

Published Mon, Nov 6, 2023 · 12:45 PM
    • Arguably, HDB BTO 5-room flats should be bought mainly by larger households and not two-person households.
    • Arguably, HDB BTO 5-room flats should be bought mainly by larger households and not two-person households. PHOTO: BT FILE

    THE latest Build-To-Order (BTO) exercise in October by the Housing and Development Board (HDB) drew one of the lowest application rates in recent years.

    When applications closed at 11.59 pm on Oct 10, 10,935 applicants were vying for 6,800 flats. This translates to 1.6 applicants for each available unit. 

    However, while demand for flats in general was weak, demand for five-room units was strong. Should HDB respond by substantially increasing the number of five-room BTO units?

    HDBBTOResidential propertyResidentialSingapore residential propertyThe Level GroundPopulationSpotlight

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