{"id":135084,"date":"2023-03-06T08:00:36","date_gmt":"2023-03-06T01:00:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.siamlandbank.com\/propertynews\/property-news\/bto-applications-to-fall-in-august-2023-tampines-bto-residents-concerned-over-spooky-blocks-and-more\/"},"modified":"2023-03-06T16:14:23","modified_gmt":"2023-03-06T09:14:23","slug":"bto-applications-to-fall-in-august-2023-tampines-bto-residents-concerned-over-spooky-blocks-and-more","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.siamlandbank.com\/propertynews\/property-news\/bto-applications-to-fall-in-august-2023-tampines-bto-residents-concerned-over-spooky-blocks-and-more\/","title":{"rendered":"BTO Applications to Fall in August 2023, Tampines BTO Residents Concerned Over "Spooky" Blocks, and More"},"content":{"rendered":"


\n28th February to 6th March 2023
\nProperty analysts expect applications for BTO flats to drop in August 2023 when tighter rules on the non-selection of flats take effect. Meanwhile, residents at the new Tampines BTO project GreenVines were shocked by the bold colour scheme in common areas of their neighbourhood, some describing the aesthetic as \u201cspooky\u201d, \u201ccreepy\u201d and \u201cvery unpleasant\u201d.
\n\u00a0
\n1. BTO applications to fall in August 2023 amid new HDB rules on flat selection<\/p>\n

Applications for BTO flats are expected to drop in August 2023 when tighter rules on non-selection of flats take effect, property analysts told TODAY.
\nUnder the new rules, first-time applicants who do not select a flat when invited to do so will be considered second-timers during subsequent flat applications for a year, said TODAY.
\nCurrently, first-time applicants will only be considered second-timers for a year if they fail to book a unit twice.
\nWith the changes, Huttons Asia Senior Research Director Lee Sze Teck expects the number of applicants for the August 2023 BTO exercise to decline by as much as 20%.
\nOrangeTee & Tie Senior Vice-president of Research and Analytics Christine Sun said genuine applicants will have higher chances of securing a flat when the new rules kick in as those with no urgent housing needs hold back with their applications.
\n\u201cBuyers will be more selective and take time to select and apply for the most suitable projects since they may risk not securing a unit on the second attempt,\u201d she said.
\nMeanwhile, one prospective buyer said the new rules may pressure her into choosing a less-than-ideal flat than turning it down once it is offered to her.
\n\u00a0
\n2. Tampines BTO residents raise concern over \u201cspooky\u201d colour schemes at their blocks
\nNewly arrived residents at the new Tampines BTO project GreenVines were shocked upon seeing the bold colour scheme in the common areas of their homes, with some describing the aesthetic as \u201cspooky\u201d, \u201ccreepy\u201d and \u201cvery unpleasant\u201d, reported TODAY.
\nLaunched in 2018, the Tampines GreenVines BTO development features 11 housing blocks in three coloured themes: three yellow, four purplish-blue, and four red blocks. Notably, pictures and videos of block 640B have gone viral on social media for its vivid red lift lobby.
\nMinister of Parliament (MP) Mr Baey Yam Keng said he is aware of the residents\u2019 sentiment and that he has discussed with HDB a possible change to the estate\u2019s appearance.
\nWith this, HDB has arranged for the ceilings of the lift lobbies at Block 640B to be repainted white, with some of the walls also set to receive the same treatment \u201cto tone it down\u201d.
\nThe housing agency revealed that the other blocks within the development will also be repainted progressively.
\n\u00a0
\n3. The Botany at Dairy Farm sells nearly half of its units at launch
\nSource: Sim Lian Group
\nThe Botany at Dairy Farm received robust interest, with 187 units or nearly half of its 386 units sold during its launch on 4 March 2023 at an average price of $2,070 per sq ft (PSF), reported The Business Times.
\nBuyers snapped all 36 one-bedroom units at the development as well as 93% of the 104 2-bedders. Singaporeans accounted for 85% of the total buyers, with the rest made up of Singapore Permanent Residents (SPR) and foreign buyers.
\nIsmail Gafoor, Chief Executive at PropNex, said the 48% take-up rate surpassed their expectations, noting that the project\u2019s strong performance reflects the genuine demand for mass-market homes.
\n\u201cThe larger proportion of smaller units sold suggests that there is still investment demand in the market,\u201d he added.
\nLocated at Dairy Farm Walk, the 99-year leasehold project comprises five residential blocks and is expected to obtain its Temporary Occupation Permit (TOP) by 2027.
\nRelated article: Freehold Vs Leasehold Condos in Singapore: Which is Better?
\n\u00a0
\n4. HDB launches 4,428 BTO flats, including prime location units at two projects
\nFor the February 2023 BTO exercise, HDB launched 4,428 BTO flats across five projects within four housing estates: Queenstown, Kallang Whampoa, Tengah and Jurong West, reported CNA.
\nTwo of the projects \u2013 Ulu Pandan Glades in Queenstown and Farrer Park Fields in Kallang Whampoa \u2013 are designated as Prime Location Housing (PLH) model projects.
\nHDB noted that those who want to move into their new homes sooner can apply for flats at Jurong West Crystal and Brickland Weave in Tengah as these projects have shorter waiting times of 3.9 years and four years, respectively.
\n\u201cAdditionally, with at least 95% of the 4-room and bigger flats set aside for first-timer families, applicants can look forward to a higher chance of securing flats in these projects,\u201d it added.
\nMeanwhile, OrangeTee sees strong demand for the BTO flats in Kallang Whampoa, particularly those in the Farrer Park Field project, said Singapore Business Review.
\nIt also predicts a healthy take-up for the Jurong West flats due to their high accessibility.
\n\u201cWe expect healthy take-up given the site\u2019s good location and connectivity. As few units (271 units) are offered for this site, the application rate may be high due to the lower base,\u201d said OrangeTee\u2019s Senior Vice-president of Research and Analytics Christine Sun.
\n\u00a0
\n5. Measures to help first-time HDB flat buyers to kick in from August 2023<\/p>\n

The recently announced measures aimed at helping first-timer families to secure a new flat will take effect starting from the August 2023 BTO sales exercise, said National Development Minister Mr Desmond Lee.
\nThe measures include an additional ballot chance for first-timer families with children and married couples aged 40 and below.
\nMr Lee also revealed that more BTO flats within the mature estates will be offered by HDB this year, reported CNA.
\nThis comes after many young couples have expressed their desire \u201cto live near their parents for mutual care and support and have been trying for BTO flats in mature estates\u201d.
\nHowever, the minister noted that these estates are generally more built up with existing facilities, residential blocks and transport infrastructure. As such, it will take more time to prepare such sites, he said.
\n\u201cMore care and planning are needed to ensure that works are carried out safely, in line with regulatory requirements, and with minimal disruption to the community living nearby,\u201d explained Mr Lee.
\nRelated article: BTO Application Rates are High, Here are 6 Ways to Improve Your Chances
\n\u00a0
\n6. Buyers of the delayed Punggol BTO project to receive about $5.1 million in compensation
\nNearly 900 buyers of the Punggol BTO project, Waterway Sunrise II, will get an estimated reimbursement of $1,000 to $10,500, with households receiving an average of $5,750, reported CNA.
\nThis comes after the project, which was launched in February 2017, exceeded its Delivery Possession Date (DPD) by more than a year.
\nSet for completion in mid-2021 with a DPD of between March and June 2022, the project\u2019s construction timeline was pushed back due to its original contractor\u2019s failure as well as the supply disruptions and labour shortage brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic.
\nHDB revealed that all seven blocks at Waterway Sunrise II have been completed and that the total reimbursement amount for all 896 buyers is around $5,156,700.
\n\u00a0
\n7. Land Betterment Charge (LBC) LBC rates marginally increase for residential use groups, unchanged for commercial and industrial uses
\nThe Singapore Land Authority (SLA)\u00a0has unveiled the revised LBC rates for the period 1 March 2023 to 31 Aug 2023, with a marginal increase seen for non-landed and landed residential uses as well as for hotel use.
\nThe LBC rate for landed residential use was raised by an average of 0.4%, while that for non-landed residential use increased by an average of 0.3%.
\nEdmund Tie, Head of Research and Consulting Lam Chern Woon said the minimal increase came on the back of a \u201cfew factors such as the cooling measures of September 2022, fairly limited and moderate land bids (Government Land Sales (GLS) Programme\u00a0or collective sales), revisions to Gross Floor Area (GFA) definitions, and the recent Buyer\u2019s Stamp Duty increases in Budget 2023\u201d.
\nThe LBC rate for hotel use, on the other hand, was raised by an average of 1%, while the rates for commercial and industrial use groups were left unchanged.
\nTricia Song, CBRE\u2019s Head of Research for Southeast Asia, said the chief valuer could have decided to retain the LBC rates for commercial use given the absence of big-ticket transactions.
\n\u00a0
\n8. Minister Desmond Lee\u00a0emphasises the need for caution amid risks to the Singapore property market
\nMr\u00a0Lee\u00a0has highlighted the need to remain cautious when managing the housing demand and supply in Singapore, despite the cooling measures and subsidies put in place by the government.
\nThis comes as there are still risks to the property market, such as the war in Ukraine and the supply chain disruptions brought about by the pandemic, he told CNA.
\n\u201cTherefore, even as we tackle the challenges that come with supply and demand imbalance, leading to this heightened property market situation, I think all of us need to be mindful of what\u2019s happening in other parts of the world, where property markets are falling and falling quite rapidly,\u201d explained Mr Lee.
\nHe also noted the importance of homeownership for Singaporeans, who consider their home not just as a place of shelter but also as an asset.
\n\u00a0
\n9. Singapore ranked sixth for super-, ultra-prime property transactions<\/p>\n

Singapore has been ranked sixth among the top 10 markets for prime, super-prime and ultra-prime residential properties globally, reported Singapore Business Review citing Knight Frank.
\nThe city-state, along with Hong Kong, were the only markets within Asia to make it to the top 10 list \u2013 which was led by London.
\nIn 2022, Singapore registered 121 super-prime residential property transactions and 18 ultra-prime transactions.
\nKnight Frank noted that a US$1 million (S$1.35 million) can purchase a 34 sq m prime property, making it one of the priciest markets for prime residential properties.
\nThe property consultancy expects prime property prices within the city-state to continue on an upward trend this year, likely rising by 4%.
\n\u201cThe rising number of wealthy individuals is fuelling upward pressure on prime property prices,\u201d said Nicholas Keong, Head of Private Office at Knight Frank Singapore.
\n\u00a0
\n10. Eco-friendly \u2018tiny houses\u2019 at Lazarus Island to open for booking from April
\nFrom\u00a0April 2023, visitors to Lazarus Island can book eco-friendly \u201ctiny houses\u201d for their overnight stay, reported CNA.
\nDubbed Tiny Away Escape @ Lazarus Island, the five standalone units \u2013 which span between 150 sq ft and 170 sq ft \u2013 will be the first of its kind on the island. They will be operated by Big Tiny, a homegrown firm that designs compact homes on wheels and places them in scenic settings.
\nThe units will use sustainable composite materials while utilising solar energy as their main source of power. They will also feature a \u201chigh-tech\u201d recycling system which converts food waste to compost on-site in 24 hours.
\nOther amenities and leisure activities, such as overnight glamping, convenience store and non-motorised water activities will also be launched around June.
\n\u201cSentosa Development Corporation (SDC) will be making our Lazarus Island a light-touch destination over the next three years, where visitors can experience its rustic charm while minimising (their) impact on biodiversity and the environment,\u201d said Minister of State for Trade and Industry Mr Alvin Tan.
\n
\nSource : proppertyguru.com.sg\/Property Market
\nRead more…BTO Applications to Fall in August 2023, Tampines BTO Residents Concerned Over “Spooky” Blocks, and More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

28th February to 6th March 2023 Property analysts expect applications for BTO flats to drop...<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":135085,"comment_status":"false","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"spay_email":"","footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false,"jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-135084","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-property-news"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.siamlandbank.com\/propertynews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/singapore-hdb-landscape-1.jpg?fit=820%2C410&ssl=1","jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p75ss1-z8M","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":72375,"url":"https:\/\/www.siamlandbank.com\/propertynews\/property-news\/overall-subscription-rate-for-bto-flats-down-in-november\/","url_meta":{"origin":135084,"position":0},"title":"Overall subscription rate for BTO flats down in November","date":"November 21, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"\r Tampines GreenCourt is nestled within the tranquil living environment of Tampines North, with several nearby parks. Despite the robust demand seen for three- and four-room flats in Tampines and Geylang, the overall subscription rate for Build-to-Order (BTO) flats continued to fall during the November sales exercise, reported Today Online.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Property News"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":121390,"url":"https:\/\/www.siamlandbank.com\/propertynews\/property-news\/hdb-launches-4989-bto-flats-more-than-half-in-mature-estates\/","url_meta":{"origin":135084,"position":1},"title":"HDB launches 4,989 BTO flats, more than half in mature estates","date":"August 12, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"\r Applicants can expect to wait between 37 to 67 months for the seven projects in the August 2021 BTO launch to\u00a0be completed. A total of 4,989 Build-To-Order (BTO) flats across seven projects in Jurong East, Hougang, Queenstown, Kallang Whampoa and Tampines were launched for sale by the Housing and\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Property News"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/www.siamlandbank.com\/propertynews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/AUGUST-BTO-2021.jpg?fit=820%2C410&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":89032,"url":"https:\/\/www.siamlandbank.com\/propertynews\/property-news\/hdb-launches-6992-flats-in-may\/","url_meta":{"origin":135084,"position":2},"title":"HDB launches 6,992 flats in May","date":"May 22, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"\r Artist\u2019s impression of the Kim Keat Beacon BTO project in Toa Payoh. (Photo: HDB) The Housing and Development Board (HDB) launched 6,992 flats for sale on Tuesday (22 May) under its May exercise. This comprises 3,970 Build-To-Order (BTO) and 3,022 balance flats. More: 1,500 HDB Flats Launching In Tengah\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Property News"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/www.siamlandbank.com\/propertynews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/May-2018-BTO-prices.jpg?fit=893%2C714&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":118234,"url":"https:\/\/www.siamlandbank.com\/propertynews\/property-news\/all-flats-in-hdbs-latest-bto-exercise-oversubscribed\/","url_meta":{"origin":135084,"position":3},"title":"All flats in HDB\u2019s latest BTO exercise oversubscribed","date":"August 14, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"\r HDB has received a total of 17,947 applications a day after launch.\u00a0 The 7,862 new flats launched by the Housing and Development Board (HDB) on Wednesday (12 August) received robust interest from buyers, with all flats types being oversubscribed. As of 11am on Friday (14 August), the two-room flexi\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Property News"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":114363,"url":"https:\/\/www.siamlandbank.com\/propertynews\/property-news\/larger-bto-flats-most-popular-among-home-seekers\/","url_meta":{"origin":135084,"position":4},"title":"Larger BTO flats most popular among home seekers","date":"February 18, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"\r Canberra Vista, the Build-To-Order (BTO) project in Sembawang saw over 10 applicants competing for each of the 266 units of five-room and three-generation flats. Bigger flats proved to be most popular among home buyers at this year\u2019s first sales exercise which concluded on 17 February. Canberra Vista, the Build-To-Order\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Property News"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":71759,"url":"https:\/\/www.siamlandbank.com\/propertynews\/property-news\/hdb-launches-8230-flats-in-november\/","url_meta":{"origin":135084,"position":5},"title":"HDB launches 8,230 flats in November","date":"November 14, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"\r Artist\u2019s impression of the Tampines GreenCourt BTO project. Source: HDB A total of 8,230 flats were launched for sale on Tuesday (14 November) by the Housing and Development Board (HDB) in its latest sales exercise. This comprises 4,829 Build-To-Order (BTO) units and 3,401 balance flats across 25 estates. The\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Property News"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.siamlandbank.com\/propertynews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/135084"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.siamlandbank.com\/propertynews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.siamlandbank.com\/propertynews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.siamlandbank.com\/propertynews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.siamlandbank.com\/propertynews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=135084"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.siamlandbank.com\/propertynews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/135084\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.siamlandbank.com\/propertynews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/135085"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.siamlandbank.com\/propertynews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=135084"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.siamlandbank.com\/propertynews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=135084"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.siamlandbank.com\/propertynews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=135084"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}