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Norwood Grand and Meyer Blue Lead October 2024 Property Market Surge

In October 2024, developer sales experienced a robust increase, with 738 units (excluding ECs) sold, an 84% surge from September’s 401 units. This growth was largely attributed to the launches of Norwood Grand and Meyer Blue, which accounted for over half of the sales at 56.4%. Norwood Grand emerged as the top seller with 292 units transacted at a median price of $2,081 psf, benefiting from its strategic location near Woodlands South MRT and proximity to schools and amenities. Meyer Blue followed with 124 units sold at a median price of $3,240 psf, appealing to buyers with its prime location in the Rest of Central Region (RCR) and freehold status. Other notable projects included Pinetree Hill and Hillock Green, with steady sales across different price segments. The data reveals strong local demand, with Singaporeans making up 88.5% of total transactions. Purchases by Singapore Permanent Residents (PRs) and foreigners increased, with PRs accounting for 8.8% of sales and foreigners contributing 2.7%. Foreign buyers showed a slight rebound, marking their highest monthly purchases since May 2023. November is set to be a dynamic month, with six new launches targeting diverse buyer needs, ranging from Chuan Park to Union Square Residences. This wave of launches aims to capture growing interest ahead of the year-end holiday season. Favourable interest rates, improved financing conditions, and strategic launch timings indicate a positive outlook for the final quarter. This surge underscores the market's responsiveness to well-located and thoughtfully developed projects. Developers’ strategic timing, coupled with improved buyer confidence, reflects a vibrant property market poised for sustained momentum.

EC Market Trends 2024: Price Growth and Investment Insights

Executive Condominiums (ECs) represent a unique segment in Singapore's housing market, appealing to both first-time buyers and upgraders due to their blend of public and private housing features and relative affordability. These hybrid developments have shown steady price growth, driven primarily by limited supply and strategic regulatory frameworks. For example, EC developers are only allowed to begin sales 15 months after securing a site or once foundation works are completed, whichever is sooner. This strategy helps prevent oversupply and supports price stability, ensuring ECs remain a resilient asset class. Over the past few years, the pricing landscape for ECs has transformed. In 2022, the average price for new ECs stood at $1,329 per square foot (psf). This rose to $1,406 psf in 2023, marking a year-on-year increase of 5.8%. In the first nine months of 2024, the average price reached $1,460 psf, reflecting a more moderate 3.8% rise. These upward trends underscore the high demand for ECs, particularly among young families and upgraders seeking a bridge between public and private housing with long-term value potential. Demand for ECs remains robust, as evidenced by impressive take-up rates in recent launches. For instance, Altura, introduced in the third quarter of 2023, reached a 95.8% sales rate. Similarly, Lumina Grand, launched in the first quarter of 2024, achieved 83.2% sales. This strong buyer interest reflects a willingness to invest at higher price points, particularly in developments that boast strategic locations and lifestyle amenities. In 2024, half of the EC units sold ranged between $1,500 and $1,600 psf, highlighting buyers' confidence in the value of these projects. The resale EC market has also gained momentum, particularly for older ECs that have attained privatized status. Units that are over ten years old saw significant price increases, with the average price rising by 15.5% year-on-year to $1,171 psf in 2024. In comparison, newer resale ECs saw a more moderate price increase of 5.7%. Some projects, like The Dew, recorded an impressive 20.2% increase, which may be attributed to nearby new launches and proximity to popular schools. This trend emphasizes the appeal of matured ECs, especially as they become available to a broader pool of potential buyers. In recent quarters, the price gap between new and resale ECs has narrowed, reflecting a difference of only 6.9% by the third quarter of 2024. Contributing factors include the limited supply of new ECs and the five-year Minimum Occupation Period (MOP) requirement before resale. This narrowing gap presents ECs as a structured, appealing investment, with the potential for value appreciation as they transition to full privatization. New developments, like Novo Place at Tengah New Town, continue to attract buyer interest. Positioned near the upcoming Jurong Region Line MRT station, Novo Place benefits from enhanced connectivity and strategic location. Given the limited EC supply and successful launches in nearby areas, this development is likely to generate significant interest among potential buyers. Overall, ECs have maintained their position as a desirable housing choice within Singapore’s real estate market. Their unique status, regulatory-backed supply alignment, and consistent demand from both new and resale markets ensure ECs remain attractive to buyers. Combining affordability, strategic location, and capital appreciation potential, ECs present an enduring appeal for many Singaporeans.

HDB Resale Prices Rise 2.7% in 3Q2024 Driven by Larger and Newer Flats

In the third quarter of 2024, the HDB resale market in Singapore experienced strong growth, driven by an increasing preference for larger and newer flats. The HDB Resale Price Index rose by 2.7% in 3Q2024, up from 2.3% in the previous quarter. This brought the total increase for the first nine months of 2024 to 6.9%, significantly higher than the 3.8% rise during the same period in 2023. The price increase was largely due to a higher proportion of transactions involving 4-room and 5-room flats, which have seen growing demand. Additionally, the increased value of newer flats with leases commencing from 2013 onwards has contributed to the overall price growth. These newer flats are commanding price premiums due to their better condition and newer age, pushing overall resale prices higher. HDB resale volume also saw positive growth in 3Q2024, with a quarter-on-quarter increase of 10.7%. The demand was particularly strong for larger flats, with 5-room flats recording a 13.9% rise in transactions, followed by a 11.8% increase in sales for 4-room flats. In total, HDB resale transactions reached 22,562 units in the first nine months of 2024, compared to 20,188 transactions during the same period in 2023, marking a notable rise in overall sales activity. The rise in HDB million-dollar resale transactions also underscored the demand for newer flats. In 3Q2024, the number of million-dollar resale flats increased significantly to 331 units, up from 236 units in 2Q2024. Notably, flats with leases commencing from 2013 and onwards accounted for 132 of these transactions, compared to just 80 in the previous quarter. This trend highlights the growing willingness of buyers to pay a premium for newer, well-located flats, further boosting the overall resale market performance. The outlook for the HDB resale market remains optimistic, supported by strong underlying demand. The October 2024 Build-To-Order (BTO) exercise saw the launch of 8,573 flats across 15 projects under the new classification framework, attracting over 35,000 applicants. With such high interest, a substantial number of potential buyers may face disappointment if they are unable to secure a flat, which could drive them to the resale market as an alternative for immediate housing needs. This spillover from the BTO exercise is expected to bolster the resale market, especially in popular estates, as unsuccessful applicants seek available units. In conclusion, the third quarter of 2024 has been characterized by rising prices and increasing volumes in the HDB resale market, driven by demand for larger and newer flats, as well as the impact of unmet demand from the BTO exercise. The outlook for the remainder of the year remains positive, with sustained interest expected to drive market activity, though the usual seasonal slowdown may lead to a more stable end to the year. Buyers are encouraged to remain cautious and balance evolving market opportunities with long-term financial sustainability to ensure prudent decision-making in an ever-changing real estate environment.