Why This New HDB Rule Is A Big Win For Singles (After Years Of Being Overlooked)
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Ryan J
- November 10, 2024
- 4 min read
4 min read
Caring for singles is caring for seniors.
Which is why I like the new family care scheme, starting in mid-2025. Under new rules coming next year, singles applying for BTO flats will get priority, so long as their intended home is near their parents. This is regardless of marital status, so it also benefits singles who can’t be legally married for some reason (e.g., the LGBTQ+ community at present, or couples set apart for family reasons).
The new Family Care Scheme (FCS) also has a Joint-Balloting component, to allow parents and children to apply for two units in the same BTO project. All of these changes will supersede the existing Married Child Priority Scheme, Senior Priority Scheme, etc. Not an issue, since the new schemes serve the same purpose but with better benefits anyway.
The changes will be phased in gradually, as it also requires a shift in application processes, so we won’t know the full details until later. We still don’t know, for example, the number of flats reserved for singles balloting under this scheme. But a comment was made by the government, that this move is to better support intergenerational living.
Which is a thing that’s always bugged me: singles who can’t easily get a flat near their parents have a much harder time taking care of them. My own parents are also ageing, and as I grow older, I realise the number of trips I make to their place has more than quadrupled.
Earlier on in your adulthood, it’s little things like heading back to help with emergencies. Then it’s for more mundane things they can no longer do on their own: cleaning in certain areas, disposing of heavy old furniture. Then over time, it extends into taking them to medical appointments, getting their prescriptions filled, helping them set up on New Year or Christmas, etc.
For those who are in their forties and fifties, who still look after parents, you’ll know it can go way past this. I have friends who need to drop by multiple times a day, to help their parents dress, wash-up, etc. (Not everyone is happy to put their parents in a home, or pay for one.) And while there’s a good degree of government aid, you can’t replace the simple human touch of being there with them.
One obvious alternative is to all just live together; but not everyone (including parents themselves) are comfortable with that. Also, large residential properties are harder to afford these days.
So as Singapore “greys,” it becomes more vital than ever to help singles: if we can make it easier for them to look after their own parents, we also ease the burden on our social workers and healthcare system. And giving them a home nearby is a huge deal, more so than things like vouchers or some subsidies.
It also means singles get to stay in places familiar to them
There’s something evil about telling someone “Oh, if you can’t find a place in Bedok, then just go live here in Jurong West lah.”
I know all the usual arguments: Singapore is so small, it’s not like having to go to another state, being able to choose your home is so entitled, and so on and so forth. And sure, there’s definitely merit to some of those arguments.
But it’s also true that it makes Singapore a better place to live, if singles can continue hanging out where they’re used to, have the same clique of friends, and maintain some kind of ritual and familiarity. We acknowledge that it’s important for the elderly, so I don’t see why it isn’t for young singles too.
Meanwhile in other property news…
- Open-concept living and being one with nature: here’s how to do it in your home
- Look out for some interesting BTO launch sites in February 2025, including one impressive location in Queenstown.
- Four-bedder condos under $1.6 million: they still exist in the resale market.
- Nava Grove is an up and coming new launch, but how will it hold up to nearby alternatives like Pinetree Hill?
- Don’t mind living on the ground floor? Then here are some humongous options starting from as low as $1.36 million.
Weekly Sales Roundup (28 October – 03 November)
Top 5 Most Expensive New Sales (By Project)
| PROJECT NAME | PRICE S$ | AREA (SQFT) | $PSF | TENURE |
| 32 GILSTEAD | $14,488,320 | 4219 | $3,434 | FH |
| MEYER BLUE | $6,460,000 | 1905 | $3,391 | FH |
| WATTEN HOUSE | $5,022,000 | 1539 | $3,263 | FH |
| PINETREE HILL | $4,488,000 | 1733 | $2,590 | 99 yrs (2022) |
| THE RESERVE RESIDENCES | $4,159,900 | 1625 | $2,559 | 99 yrs (2021) |
Top 5 Cheapest New Sales (By Project)
| PROJECT NAME | PRICE S$ | AREA (SQFT) | $PSF | TENURE |
| KASSIA | $1,023,000 | 474 | $2,160 | FH |
| THE LAKEGARDEN RESIDENCES | $1,348,300 | 527 | $2,556 | 99 yrs (2023) |
| HILL HOUSE | $1,372,000 | 431 | $3,187 | 999 yrs (1841) |
| ONE BERNAM | $1,493,520 | 452 | $3,304 | 99 yrs (2019) |
| HILLHAVEN | $1,534,941 | 678 | $2,263 | 99 yrs (2023) |
Top 5 Most Expensive Resale
| PROJECT NAME | PRICE S$ | AREA (SQFT) | $PSF | TENURE |
| BEVERLY HILL | $9,250,000 | 3778 | $2,448 | FH |
| SILVERSEA | $5,150,000 | 2530 | $2,036 | 99 yrs (2007) |
| PARK INFINIA AT WEE NAM | $5,000,000 | 2756 | $1,814 | FH |
| LEONIE GARDENS | $3,900,000 | 2573 | $1,516 | 99 yrs (1990) |
| MAYFAIR GARDENS | $3,610,000 | 1733 | $2,083 | 99 yrs (2018) |
Top 5 Cheapest Resale
| PROJECT NAME | PRICE S$ | AREA (SQFT) | $PSF | TENURE |
| SUITES @ TOPAZ | $668,000 | 474 | $1,410 | FH |
| KINGSFORD WATERBAY | $710,000 | 484 | $1,466 | 99 yrs (2014) |
| THE WATERLINE | $720,000 | 517 | $1,394 | FH |
| CANBERRA RESIDENCES | $755,000 | 614 | $1,231 | 99 yrs (2010) |
| TREASURE AT TAMPINES | $800,000 | 463 | $1,728 | 99 yrs (2018) |
Top 5 Biggest Winners
| PROJECT NAME | PRICE S$ | AREA (SQFT) | $PSF | RETURNS | HOLDING PERIOD |
| PARK INFINIA AT WEE NAM | $5,000,000 | 2756 | $1,814 | $2,783,200 | 19 Years |
| LEONIE HILL RESIDENCES | $3,380,000 | 1389 | $2,434 | $1,880,000 | 21 Years |
| THE WINDSOR | $2,450,000 | 1550 | $1,581 | $1,670,000 | 25 Years |
| KING’S MANSION | $3,450,000 | 1604 | $2,151 | $1,650,000 | 14 Years |
| THE BALMORAL SPRING | $2,700,000 | 1119 | $2,412 | $1,573,000 | 25 Years |
Top 5 Biggest Losers
| PROJECT NAME | PRICE S$ | AREA (SQFT) | $PSF | RETURNS | HOLDING PERIOD |
| LINCOLN SUITES | $1,185,000 | 484 | $2,446 | -$242,801 | 12 Years |
| POLLEN & BLEU | $2,430,000 | 1206 | $2,016 | -$155,700 | 8 Years |
| ONE BERNAM | $1,138,000 | 441 | $2,579 | -$95,000 | 3 Years |
| MARTIN MODERN | $1,970,000 | 764 | $2,578 | -$79,000 | 4 Years |
| THE WATERLINE | $720,000 | 517 | $1,394 | -$10,400 | 12 Years |
Transaction Breakdown
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