# Higher BTO demand expected after income ceiling raised, but supply can keep pace: Chee Hong Tat

- **Source:** Channel NewsAsia
- **Published:** 2026-08-26T08:39:00.000Z
- **Author:** Darrelle Ng
- **Original:** https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/national-development-minister-chee-hong-tat-mnd-hdb-bto-housing-income-ceiling-resale-6342096
- **Topics:** HDB & Public Housing, Government & Policy, Transactions & Deals

## Featured rationale

Expanded BTO eligibility and rising resale supply may shift demand from resale flats, potentially helping stabilise resale prices while supporting broader access to subsidised housing.

## AI summary

Singapore expects higher BTO demand after raising the monthly household income ceiling from S$14,000 to S$16,000, while offering at least 55,000 flats from 2025 to 2027.

## Original article

SINGAPORE: More home buyers are expected to enter the Build-to-Order (BTO) market following the raising of public housing income ceilings , but there will be adequate supply to meet the higher demand, said Minister for National Development Chee Hong Tat. The shift towards BTO flats, coupled with a growing supply of resale Housing and Development Board (HDB) flats, could also help keep resale prices stable, he added. “When you raise the income threshold, indeed more people will be eligible. That's a good thing because then there will be more Singaporeans who can apply,” Mr Chee told CNA’s Singapore Tonight on Tuesday (Aug 25). “But what it also means is that supply must be adequate in order to meet this higher demand. (We are) continuing this approach of building more, building faster, so that we are able to meet the housing aspirations of more Singaporeans.” The government is on track to offer at least 55,000 new BTO flats from 2025 to 2027, and has previously said it would exceed this number if demand remains strong. “Looks like we likely would have to do that,” Mr Chee said. RESALE PRICES SHOULD REMAIN STABLE The higher income ceiling could also have a knock-on effect on the resale market. With more households eligible to apply for BTO flats, some demand is expected to shift away from the resale market. At the same time, resale supply is expected to increase as more flats reach the end of their minimum occupation period (MOP). “We hope that the combination of these two factors will help to keep resale prices stable,” Mr Chee said. He pointed to the stabilisation of resale flat prices as one reason the government last month removed the 15-month wait-out period for those who sell their private properties to buy an HDB resale flat.

The higher housing income ceilings were among measures announced by Prime Minister Lawrence Wong at the National Day Rally on Sunday to keep public housing affordable and accessible to Singaporeans. The monthly household income ceiling for new HDB flats was raised from S$14,000 (US$11,000) to S$16,000, while the ceiling for executive condominiums (ECs) increased from S$16,000 to S$18,000. Mr Chee said the government adjusts the thresholds from time to time as incomes rise, with the aim of ensuring that about eight in 10 Singaporean households remain eligible for subsidised housing . Another measure will give first-time families an additional ballot chance for each Singaporean child aged 18 and below from February next year. This will apply to Standard, Plus and Prime BTO flats, as well as Sale of Balance Flats. Mr Chee said the move was intended to support young families and give parents and couples who want children greater assurance of securing a flat. SUPPORT FOR LARGE FAMILIES, SINGLES During the National Day Rally, Mr Wong said he had asked Mr Chee to look at providing further housing support for larger families. Mr Chee said the ministry is studying several ways to do so, including increasing the supply of larger flats, such as five-room flats, in more towns across Singapore. “To help these large families, we will also be exploring what are some of the ways to ensure that we give them additional support to keep the prices of the larger flats more affordable,” he said.

Mr Chee also acknowledged concerns among singles who aspire to own homes, amid the additional priority being given to families with children. “I want to assure our other groups of buyers – our singles and also our seniors – that the government will continue to build flats for you too,” he said, pointing to recent changes that have expanded housing options for singles. Since 2024, singles have been able to apply for two-room Flexi BTO flats across Singapore, instead of being restricted to what were previously classified as non-mature estates. Rules were further changed last year to allow singles to qualify for priority under the Family Care Scheme if they want to live with or near their parents for mutual care and support. The government has also announced plans to increase the number of two-room Flexi flats by almost 50 per cent over the next three years, compared with the previous three-year period. Looking ahead, the government is reviewing the minimum age of 35 for singles to buy BTO flats. BTO APPLICATION RATES DOWN SHARPLY Mr Chee said the government in early 2025 caught up with all housing construction delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The increased supply of new flats has helped reduce waiting times and application rates among first-timer families, he said. In 2020, there were almost seven first-timer family applicants for each 3-room or larger BTO flat. The application rate has since fallen to about 1.3. “So, (the application rates) have come down significantly. This means higher chance of a successful ballot with shorter waiting time,” Mr Chee said. “That's why we see more people now shifting to BTO markets, and the demand for resale flats has also then sort of stabilised.” Mr Chee added that the government would continue to maintain a robust supply of new flats across Singapore, including in mature estates where people may want to live near their parents. But finding land for housing will become increasingly challenging given Singapore's limited land area, he noted. After available sites, including brownfield sites, are exhausted, the government may have to consider areas with greenery or heritage value, he added. “The approach we want to take is to try and preserve as much of the greenery and heritage as we can after doing the impact assessment,” said Mr Chee. “But we also want to make sure that we are able to develop so that we can meet the housing needs and aspirations of Singaporeans.”

## Chinese translation

> Translation model: openai_codex_cli

### 收入顶限调高后预购组屋需求预计上升，但供应可跟上：徐芳达

国家发展部长徐芳达表示，新加坡将继续“建得更多、建得更快”，以满足更高的预购组屋需求，同时更多转售供应可能有助于稳定价格。

新加坡：国家发展部长徐芳达表示，在公共住房收入顶限调高后，预计会有更多购屋者进入预购组屋（BTO）市场，但将有足够供应来满足更高需求。他补充说，需求转向预购组屋，加上建屋发展局（HDB）转售组屋供应增加，也可能有助于保持转售价格稳定。“当你调高收入门槛时，确实会有更多人符合资格。这是好事，因为这样会有更多新加坡人可以申请，”徐先生周二（8月25日）在CNA的《Singapore Tonight》节目中表示。“但这也意味着供应必须充足，才能满足这更高的需求。（我们）会继续采取建得更多、建得更快的做法，以便能够满足更多新加坡人的住房愿望。”政府正按计划在2025年至2027年期间推出至少55,000个新预购组屋单位，并曾表示如果需求保持强劲，将超过这一数量。“看来我们很可能必须这么做，”徐先生说。转售价格应保持稳定 较高的收入顶限也可能对转售市场产生连带影响。随着更多家庭符合申请预购组屋的资格，部分需求预计会从转售市场转移。与此同时，随着更多组屋达到最低居住年限（MOP）期满，转售供应预计将增加。“我们希望这两个因素的结合将有助于保持转售价格稳定，”徐先生说。他指出，转售组屋价格趋于稳定，是政府上个月取消私人住宅业主出售其私宅后购买HDB转售组屋须等待15个月规定的原因之一。

较高的住房收入顶限，是总理黄循财周日在国庆群众大会上宣布的措施之一，旨在让公共住房对新加坡人而言保持可负担和可获得。新HDB组屋的每月家庭收入顶限从14,000新元（11,000美元）提高至16,000新元，而执行共管公寓（EC）的顶限则从16,000新元提高至18,000新元。徐先生表示，随着收入上升，政府会不时调整门槛，目标是确保约八成新加坡家庭仍符合购买受补贴住房的资格。另一项措施将从明年2月起，为首次购屋家庭中每名18岁及以下的新加坡籍孩子提供一次额外抽签机会。这将适用于标准、优选和黄金地段预购组屋，以及剩余组屋销售。徐先生表示，此举旨在支持年轻家庭，并让有子女或想要孩子的父母和夫妇更有把握获得组屋。支持大家庭和单身人士 在国庆群众大会上，黄先生表示他已请徐先生研究为较大家庭提供进一步住房支持。徐先生表示，国发部正在研究几种做法，包括在新加坡更多市镇增加较大组屋单位的供应，例如五房式组屋。“为了帮助这些大家庭，我们也会探讨有哪些方法，确保给予他们额外支持，使较大组屋的价格更加可负担，”他说。

徐先生也承认，在为有子女家庭提供额外优先权之际，渴望拥有住房的单身人士存在担忧。“我想向其他买家群体，也就是我们的单身人士和年长者保证，政府也会继续为你们建造组屋，”他说，并提到近期已扩大单身人士住房选择的调整。自2024年以来，单身人士已可在新加坡各地申请二房式灵活预购组屋，而不再局限于此前被归类为非成熟市镇的地区。去年规则进一步调整，允许单身人士若希望与父母同住或住在父母附近以便相互照顾和支持，可在家庭关怀计划下符合优先资格。政府也宣布计划在未来三年把二房式灵活组屋数量增加近50%，与前一个三年期相比有所提高。展望未来，政府正在检讨单身人士购买预购组屋的最低年龄35岁规定。预购组屋申请率大幅下降 徐先生表示，政府已在2025年初赶上所有因COVID-19疫情造成的住房建设延误。他说，新组屋供应增加有助于缩短等候时间，并降低首次购屋家庭的申请率。2020年，每个三房式或更大预购组屋单位几乎有7个首次购屋家庭申请者。申请率此后已降至约1.3。“所以，（申请率）已经显著下降。这意味着中签机会更高，等候时间更短，”徐先生说。“这就是为什么我们看到现在有更多人转向预购组屋市场，而转售组屋的需求也因此算是稳定下来。”徐先生补充说，政府将继续在新加坡各地维持稳健的新组屋供应，包括在人们可能希望住在父母附近的成熟市镇。但他指出，鉴于新加坡土地面积有限，寻找住房用地将变得越来越具有挑战性。他补充说，在可用地段，包括棕地用地耗尽后，政府可能不得不考虑具有绿化或历史文化价值的地区。“我们希望采取的做法，是在完成影响评估后，尽可能保留更多绿化和历史文化遗产，”徐先生说。“但我们也要确保能够发展，以满足新加坡人的住房需求和愿望。”