More condo and HDB units leased in January as rents rise: SRX

[SINGAPORE] The climb out of the pandemic-induced rut appears to be on track with rental volume for both Housing Board flats and condominium units recording another month of increases in January this year.

Condo rentals rose 11.3 per cent last month to an estimated 4,747 units, compared with 4,266 units in December last year, according to flash data from real estate portal SRX Property released on Wednesday.

This represented a 10.4 per cent increase from the same month a year ago. Leasing were also 8.5 per cent higher than the five-year average volume for the month of January.

HDB rental volume climbed 14.6 per cent month on month to an estimated 1,912 flats in January, compared with 1,668 units in December.

Of the 1,912 flats, 36.6 per cent are four-room units, 34.5 per cent are three-room, 23.1 per cent are five-room and 5.6 per cent are executive apartments.

Year on year, HDB leasings were up 8.5 per cent from January 2020.

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Christine Sun, OrangeTee & Tie's senior vice-president of research and analytics, said it is not surprising to find rental volumes rebounding, with the Covid-19 situation improving in Singapore and progressive changes being made to reopen the country for international travel.

"More Singaporeans and permanent residents have been returning to Singapore and many require short- to mid-term accommodation," she said.

There have also been more inbound travellers, such as students, work pass holders and long-term visit pass holders looking for rental units in recent months, she added.

"Many of these people are looking for accommodation near their schools and workplaces, which help to prop up leasing demand for HDB resale flats and private homes in the city fringe and suburban areas."

As more travel restrictions continue to be lifted, rental demand may continue to improve in the coming months, Ms Sun noted.

Condo rents, meanwhile, resumed their recovery from a four-month slide last year when the pandemic saw weak hiring prospects and foreigners lose their jobs. Ms Sun had previously said the coronavirus seemed to have reversed a decade of rampant growth in rental demand.

They rose 1.6 per cent in January from the previous month, after dipping in December.

Year on year, condo rents are up 0.3 per cent, but still 15.1 per cent lower than their peak in January 2013. 

Rents in the core central region rose 2 per cent month on month. Rents in the outside central region also increased, by 1.7 per cent, while those in the rest of central region went up by 1.1 per cent.

HDB rents rose for a seventh straight month, climbing 0.9 per cent in January from December.

Rents in mature estates rose 1.4 per cent, while those in non-mature estates increased by 0.4 per cent.

Year on year, overall rents increased by1.7 per cent,  though they are still 12.1 per cent off their peak in August 2013.

THE STRAITS TIMES