2026 Outlook

What's next for property, and the top stories of 2025

- Ng Keng Gene Correspondent and Grace Leong Senior Correspondent

More clarity on the rollout of the Voluntary Early Redevelopment Scheme (VERS) as well as an update on housing supply were among the key housing updates given in 2025.

More may also qualify to buy new flats soon, after the Government said the eligibility criteria for buyers can be tweaked if there is enough supply to meet demand.

Here are the top housing stories of 2025, and what could come in 2026:

UPCOMING FLAT SUPPLY

Some 55,000 Build-To-Order (BTO) flats would be launched between 2025 and 2027, said National Development Minister Chee Hong Tat in August, months after he took over the portfolio in May.

The figures were a 10 per cent increase over the 50,000 flats that his predecessor Desmond Lee who is now Education Minister had announced in January.

In 2025, 19,723 of these flats were launched. This means that between 2026 and 2027, around 35,300 BTO flats are slated to be launched.

That equates to an average of about 17,600 flats to be launched each year about 2,000 fewer than the 19,600 launched in 2024, and 19,700 in 2025.

Of the flats to be launched in 2026 and 2027, about 4,000 per year will be units with waiting times of under three years, which HDB refers to as shorter waiting time flats.

The first of the upcoming BTO flats, numbering about 4,600, will be launched in February in towns such as Bukit Merah, Sembawang, Tampines and Toa Payoh.

About 3,000 units will also be put up for sale under a concurrent Sale of Balance Flats exercise.

As for flats with shorter waiting times, the 4,000 per year figure is at least one-third more than the Government's previous commitment of 2,000 to 3,000 flats per year.

Mr Chee said such flats offer a closer substitute for resale flats, and can help moderate prices.

REVIEW OF ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR NEW FLATS