HDB resale prices hit new record high with 2.7% rise in Q3: flash data

[SINGAPORE] The resale prices of Housing Board flats climbed for the sixth consecutive quarter to exceed their previous peak in the second quarter of 2013 by 0.7 per cent, flash estimates showed on Friday.

HDB resale prices for the the July-September period rose 2.7 per cent over the previous three months, slightly lower than the 3 per cent increases recorded in the first and second quarters of 2021. Year on year, prices are up by 12.3 per cent.

Defying the economic slowdown brought about by Covid-19, prices have risen strongly this year, in part due to delays in the completion of new HDB flats as the pandemic caused manpower shortages, supply chain disruptions and forced some construction firms out of business.

Lee Sze Teck, senior director for research at Huttons Asia, noted that HDB resale prices have increased by 8.9 per cent so far this year, 14 per cent since the circuit breaker in the second quarter of 2020 and 15 per cent since the bottom in the second quarter of 2019.

Christine Sun, OrangeTee & Tie senior vice-president of research and analytics, said the current housing boom is largely fuelled by couples turning from the Build-To-Order (BTO) market to the resale market, and upgraders who are buying bigger flats.

"More couples are opting for completed homes in the secondary market amid growing uncertainty about the completion dates of new BTO flats," she said.

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"As private home prices have been rising and private home supply is dwindling in the suburban areas, some flat owners have chosen to upgrade to bigger flats which are still relatively more affordable than private housing. They may need more space as their families have expanded or to work more comfortably as the work-from-home or hybrid work may become a norm."

HDB also announced on Friday that it will offer next month about 4,400 BTO flats in Choa Chu Kang, Hougang, Jurong West, Kallang Whampoa and Tengah.

The projects are under review, and more details will be announced when ready.

HDB said it is on track to launch about 17,000 BTO flats in 2021, which is higher than the 14,600 flats launched in 2019 and the 16,800 flats launched last year.

The BTO flat supply will be supplemented by balance flats which are offered via the Sale of Balance Flats exercises and open booking, HDB added.

In February next year, HDB will offer about 2,000 to 3,000 BTO flats in Geylang, Tengah and Yishun.

The supply is also subject to review and more details will be firmed up closer to the launch date.

More information on the BTO flats is available on the HDB InfoWEB.

"HDB will continue to monitor the housing demand and make adjustments where necessary," it said.

THE STRAITS TIMES