Regulations & Policy

Gilstead Court en bloc: why this S$198 million Novena site keeps failing to sell

Gilstead Court's fourth en bloc attempt in 18 years is struggling because its low plot ratio of 1.4 allows only about 98 new flats, spreading development costs across too few units despite the site's freehold status and District 11 location. A nearby government land sale at Peck Hay Road shows almost the same price per square foot but yields nearly four times as many homes with clean title and no owner consent needed, undermining the case for Gilstead Court's asking price.

Sarah Chen·1 Sept 2026

En bloc reform could drive more collective sale activity, especially for elderly owners of ageing properties

En bloc reform in Singapore targets the collective sale committee and objection timeline to speed up consent, not the consent percentages or sale prices themselves, so more deals are expected but not a repeat of the 2017-2018 boom. For elderly owners, age-based loan tenure and LTV caps mean sale proceeds are heavily reduced after mortgage discharge and CPF refunds, often forcing a drop from 75% to 55% LTV; however, the scrapped 15-month wait-out period now lets private owners buy HDB resale flats immediately, often without needing a loan.

Sarah Chen·28 Aug 2026

Chee Hong Tat says HDB can build fast enough. The real question is whether supply catches up with demand.

Minister Chee Hong Tat says HDB can build BTO flats faster and expects more resale flats to enter the market, but whether this actually keeps pace with demand from a higher income ceiling remains uncertain. Signals such as the removal of the resale wait-out period and record resale prices, including a S$1,150,000 Pasir Ris DBSS flat, suggest demand pressure may be outrunning supply in the near term. Because the income ceiling change is also tied to marriage and family-formation policy goals, the government is unlikely to reverse it even if resale prices stay elevated.

Sarah Chen·27 Aug 2026

Cash versus MSR: what scrapping the HDB wait-out period changes for financed buyers

Sarah Chen·25 Aug 2026

Same flats, bigger queue: what the $16,000 BTO and $18,000 EC ceilings mean for competition

From 24 August 2026, Singapore's BTO income ceiling rises to S$16,000 for families and S$8,000 for singles, while the EC ceiling rises to S$18,000. Financing rules like MSR and TDSR are unlikely to block most newly eligible buyers, but the wider ceilings intensify competition for higher-priced Prime and Plus BTO flats and full-price ECs, where demand from newly eligible upper-income households concentrates, rather than for non-mature BTO flats where affordability was already comfortable.

Sarah Chen·24 Aug 2026

CEA's new agent rules, and what they don't fix

CEA's new rules, effective 1 January 2027, require agents to complete at least three qualifying transactions or pass a refresher exam every three years to renew their licence, or else exit and requalify. This filters out inactive agents but does not measure the quality of an agent's advice, does not distinguish between property segments, and does not change the commission incentive structure that rewards agents for speed and higher sale prices.

Sarah Chen·14 Aug 2026

En bloc at 70%: what the proposed consent thresholds mean for your mortgage

Sarah Chen·5 Aug 2026

The en bloc window reopened for older condos. Here is which sites actually sell.

Two collective sales closed in 2026, and a revised ABSD timeline for developers now gives larger projects six to seven years to complete and sell. Deals tend to go through on sites that are freehold, built 20 to 40 years ago, under 200 units, near an MRT station, and with a significant gap between current and maximum allowable plot ratio. Buying an older condo as an en bloc bet is speculative, and the mortgage obligation is real whether or not a collective sale ever materialises.

Sarah Chen·4 Aug 2026

If singles could buy HDB before 35: the math before the policy

A potential policy change could allow singles to buy HDB flats before age 35, but eligibility is not the same as affordability. The real constraints are loan quantum under TDSR and MSR, downpayment savings, and limited supply of 2-room flats. Until the policy details and supply response are confirmed, singles should focus on understanding their borrowing limits and building their savings.

Sarah Chen·30 Jul 2026

New CEA rules from 2027: what tougher agent standards mean for buyers

From January 2027, CEA rules require property agents to complete at least three transactions every three years to renew their licence, or pass a refresher exam. A new listing verification platform will reduce fake and duplicate entries, and commission data collection will improve transparency around agent fees. These changes improve the quality of information and agent competence around your transaction, but do not affect stamp duties, eligibility rules, or what you can buy.

Sarah Chen·29 Jul 2026