4 Key Trends Reshaping Singapore’s New Launch Condo Market In 2026
As 2025 draws to a close, the new launch market can look forward to a bit of a breather – at least for the buyers’ side of the market. The private residential market appears to be entering a more measured phase after two consecutive years of rising prices.
Even though we have fewer GLS sites in the pipeline, the secondary market is projected to record 13,000 to 14,000 resale transactions. New home sales, in the meantime, are projected to stay at a healthy 9,000 to 10,000 units.
It may also be good news to some that the bumper crop of CCR projects may slow down, with relatively more new launch options lined up in the OCR and RCR in the coming year. Coupled with a more stable interest rate environment, and more projects being completed next year, we may see a more measured pace of growth in the private residential market.
First, let’s look at what we learned from new launches in 2025
The main trends we saw in new launch projects in 2025 can be summarised as:
- An emphasis on quantum, or absolute price, instead of $PSF
- Developer confidence rose, which impacted land bids
- A shift in layout preferences, in some cases returning to previous trends
1. An emphasis on quantum instead of $PSF
One of the best examples of this pricing strategy was The Sen. A median price of $2,200 psf doesn’t sound low until you consider that the quantum for a one-bedder at that development could be below $1 million (around $993,900), while a typical family-sized three-bedder managed to stay below $2 million (around $1.93 million).
Likewise, we saw a similar pricing approach at River Green. On a $PSF basis, the pricing was upwards of $2,800+ psf, which seems high. But the one-bedders in that condo started at around $1.2 million, while three-bedders were about $2.25 million; relatively low for a project right next to Great World MRT station.
While this often translates into smaller-sized units, the market gave a strong signal of acceptance for this pricing approach. River Green, for instance, sold out 88 per cent of its units at launch. We also saw this with Skye at Holland, which averaged $2,598 psf, but kept its one-bedders at around $1.51 million and two-bedders at around $2.4 million. Skye at Holland sold out almost completely, moving over 98 per cent sold, on its launch weekend.
To be clear, at least part of this is due to Gross Floor Area (GFA) harmonisation
Post-GFA harmonisation condos don’t add non-livable spaces such as air-con ledges, or strata void spaces, to the square footage count of the unit. This also shrinks the overall size of the units on paper, by around eight per cent on average.
However, that alone doesn’t change the fact that developers are building relatively smaller-sized units, and buyers seem to approve given their response in the primary market this year. Anecdotally, this can be largely attributed to a price point of $1.8 million to $2 million as the ideal budget for most HDB upgraders. This will be as relevant in 2026 as it was this year.
2. Developer confidence rose, which impacted land bids
Developers were cautious prior to 2025, but sentiment has turned much more positive this year. According to market research by SRI, by end-2025, we saw average land bid prices rise across all three regions:
- CCR: ↑ 7.9% to $1,521 psf ppr
- RCR: ↑ 8.3% to $1,234 psf ppr
- OCR: ↑ 26.6% to $1,140 psf ppr
The number of bids per site also increased:
- CCR: from 3.0 in 2024 to 6.8 in 2025
- RCR: from 2.0 to 5.0
- OCR: from 3.3 to 4.9
This was especially relevant in the CCR. In April 2023, the additional buyer’s stamp duty (ABSD) on foreign buyers – who tend to contribute a large portion of transactions in the CCR – doubled from 30 per cent to 60 per cent. This resulted in a period of hesitation, as the market was uncertain how the market for CCR properties would respond.
But throughout 2025 we saw a successful pivot to the CCR, which allayed the concerns of some developers that Singaporeans could, and would, buy private properties there; albeit under the conditions of an affordable quantum (see point 1).
Even beyond the CCR, developers are no longer holding back when it comes to adding more sites to their landbank. Relatively higher land prices and more competitive bids from developers for GLS sites are expected to underpin the primary market in the year ahead. We’ll look more at this below when we examine the changes to come.
3. A shift in layout preferences, sometimes reverting to previous trends
When we examine the trend of shrinking unit sizes (see point 1), we also note that small families are now willing to accept two-bedders for own-stay use, or some variant of it like a 2+Study. However, this is conditional on improved layout efficiency.
One continuing trend, which we expect to see in 2026 and beyond, is the use of dumbbell layouts. These are layouts where bedrooms flank the living / dining area, thus removing the need for a connecting hallway. We saw dumbbell layouts in several top sellers like Lentor Modern, Lentor Central Residences, and Emerald of Katong.
Conversely, one area of the home that reverted to older trends is the enclosed kitchen. This was one of the reasons we pegged 8@BT as having one of the best layouts, or Midtown Modern where the kitchens can be enclosed with a bit of work. We have an extensive description of the reasons here.
Perhaps the biggest change in 2025, however – and one that will thankfully carry forward – is that developers will generally move away from including under-utilised spaces like big air-con ledges, bay windows, and planter boxes. With the recent GFA harmonisation, these are no longer “free” areas that can be used to inflate size and price.
Which changes will we see in 2026?
Some of the features in the new launch market that we’ve mentioned so far, such as smaller sizes and a more affordable quantum, or dumbbell layouts, are going to carry forward in 2026. However, 2026 will also bring some changes to the new launch market. These are some of the main ones to watch:
- A less CCR-centric pipeline of projects
- An overall catch-up in private residential housing supply
- Relatively higher land prices will continue to inform future launch prices
- A softening interest rate environment
1. A less CCR-centric supply
In 2025, around a quarter (23 per cent) of new launches were in the CCR. It was in fact the highest supply of new projects in the CCR since 2021.
However, this concentration in the CCR is unlikely to persist into 2026. Based on current supply pipelines, the upcoming year will see a much heavier skew toward the RCR and OCR. Market research by Realion (OrangeTee & ETC) Research, notes that around 64 per cent of all private homes launched in 2026 will be in the OCR, with 22 per cent in the RCR.
This shift is largely a function of land availability and development cycles. Most of the significant GLS sites awarded in recent years, such as in Lentor, Tampines, Bayshore, Chencharu, Tengah and Upper Thomson, are now approaching their launch window. In contrast, the pipeline of CCR sites is thinning with fewer large plots available.
In practical terms, this means the 2026 market is a return to a norm where mass market projects generally comprise a larger portion of the new launch market.
While the CCR will still see buying activity, it’s broadly characterised by smaller, boutique developments. For example, some of the upcoming CCR launches listed are Dunearn Road (380 units), Holland Link (230 units), and Sophia Meadows (41 units).
2. An overall catch-up in supply
The overall supply of sites on the GLS programme is also expected to slow in 2026. The first half of 2026 will yield just 4,575 private residential units, down from 4,725 units in the second half of 2025.
Over the next few years, projects reaching TOP will also increase. The number of private homes reaching completion is projected to increase from about 5,249 units in 2025 to around 7,006 units in 2026, and this is likely to climb even further in 2027. This stems from the pipeline of some projects that took longer than expected to complete during the post-Covid-19 pandemic when construction activity rebounded, which are now approaching completion.
This gradual catch-up in supply is expected to moderate price growth. Buyers will generally have more alternatives, including resale alternatives to a new launch.
In this sense, the market is entering a phase of rebalancing. While developers continue to face higher land costs, the increasing volume of completed homes can help to temper their pricing. The end result is still rising prices, but perhaps at a steadier, more manageable pace.
3. Higher land prices will continue to impact launch prices
As mentioned above, rising developer confidence has also contributed to more competitive land bids.
Based on current land price benchmarks and land sales data compiled by Realion (OrangeTee & ETC) Group, average new launch prices in 2026 are expected to approach:
- Around $3,500 psf in the CCR
- Around $2,600 psf in the RCR
- Around $2,400 psf in the OCR.
Given that developers are moving back into the OCR and mass-market properties, they will have to be mindful of affordability. But the trend of higher land prices may limit developers’ wiggle room for further discounts, so we wouldn’t be too optimistic about aggressively low pricing.
But as a caveat, we should point out the relationship between land prices and new launch prices are not exact
A clear example of this is when a developer is able to buy land for less. If $2,400 psf becomes an accepted norm in the OCR, for instance, then a developer may go ahead and price at this level, even if they bought the land for cheaper than average. Likewise, some developers may accept a lower margin if they see other projects being launched nearby at the same time.
4. A softening interest rate environment
This is not specific to new launches, but it does impact the entire property market including new private home sales. The US Federal Reserve cut interest rates in September 2025, which had a knock-on effect on Singapore mortgages – in some cases loan rates fell to slightly below two per cent, according to a market report by Huttons Asia.
We even saw some HDB flat owners refinance into bank loans, because the rates were so comparatively lower. For more details on how interest rate drops can affect your monthly repayments, this article remains relevant.
Do note, however, that the floor rate of four per cent per annum is still used for the purposes of calculating the Total Debt Servicing Ratio (TDSR). So even if the real interest rate is much lower, financing requirements remain just as tight for buyers.
Also note that new launch buyers are, in a very short term, less concerned by interest rates due to Progressive Payment Schemes. But most buyers will probably have their confidence buoyed by lower rates.
Finally, let’s look at what’s coming in 2026.
The confirmed list of the recent GLS programme has a pipeline of roughly 4,500 to 5,000 new homes, in locations from Bayshore to Holland Plan. We have a rundown of each of the sites here, and we’ll continue to update you as the developments come up.
Also worth taking note are five upcoming Executive Condominium (EC) sites: Rivelle Tampines, Senja Close, Woodlands Drive, Semawang Road, and Miltonia Close. We have a profile of each of the sites here.
In many ways, 2026 appears to be a return to normalcy
There’s more supply coming online and more options are again in the OCR. Buyers are likely to have more choice and feel slightly pressed to make their purchasing decisions. And while land costs remain elevated, developers are still careful to watch the quantum and affordability of most local homebuyers.
Looking ahead, price increments in the new launch market are likely to be less aggressive compared to the past two years. We foresee a market that feels more balanced, which is a healthy state for both buyers and developers.
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