(Last updated: June 18)
A friend of mine spent three years watching BTO launches go by, convincing herself she'd "do it next time." By the time she finally balloted, she'd missed two rounds in estates she actually wanted. The truth is that while luck definitely plays a part in getting a BTO flat in Singapore, preparation is what gets your foot in the door. So here's a practical rundown of what's on the horizon for 2026, and what you need to do to be ready for it.
What's coming: 3 launches, 19,600 flats
HDB will launch around 19,600 Build-To-Order (BTO) flats across three sales exercises in 2026, in February, June, and October. That's a significant supply, spread across a mix of mature and developing estates. More than 4,000 of these flats will be Shorter Waiting Time (SWT) flats, with wait times of under three years. If you've been holding off because of the long wait, those are worth paying close attention to.
February 2026: Bukit Merah, Sembawang, Tampines, and Toa Payoh
The year opened with around 4,692 flats across four towns. Two of them — Bukit Merah and Toa Payoh — are among the most popular estates among applicants. Competitive? Very. But there were options.
Bukit Merah, Toa Payoh, and Tampines were among the most sought-after towns in previous launches, with first-timer application rates being up to 6.7 (heh) times oversubscribed. Sembawang, by contrast, offered more breathing room. Sembawang's Standard classification means more affordable prices, and the developments form part of a new township with emerging amenities, making it an appealing option for families looking for larger flats with good value per square metre.
The February launch has passed, but it's useful context. Particularly if you're trying to understand the pricing and competition landscape before June.
June 2026: applications are open now
This is the one most people have been waiting for. HDB launched 6,952 flats on 17 June across seven projects in Ang Mo Kio, Bishan, Bukit Merah, Sembawang, and Woodlands. Applications are open online via the HDB Flat Portal from 17 to 24 June.
Here's a breakdown of each project.
Kebun Baru Ridge and Kebun Baru Breeze (Ang Mo Kio)
Both projects in Ang Mo Kio are Plus-classified, with two-room flexi, three-room, and four-room flats on offer. Excluding grants, a two-room flexi flat starts from $191,000, a three-room from $380,000, and a four-room from $543,000. The subsidy recovery rate for both projects is 8%. Both projects sit within walking distance of Mayflower MRT station. Note that Kebun Baru Ridge also has SWT units with a wait time of just over three years, so it’s worth checking if you're hoping to move in sooner.
Lakeview Cascadia (Bishan / Upper Thomson)
This is the first time new public housing has been offered in the Upper Thomson area in over 40 years. Lakeview Cascadia is a Prime project offering two-room flexi and four-room flats, with prices starting from $216,000 and $534,000 respectively, excluding grants. The subsidy recovery rate is 10%. The project sits around 550 metres from Marymount MRT station, with planned on-site facilities including an eating house, minimart, retail shops, and a preschool. Expect it to be heavily oversubscribed.
Berlayar Rise (Bukit Merah)
Berlayar Rise is the second HDB development on the former Keppel Club site, giving buyers a rare opportunity to enter a future waterfront neighbourhood once the Greater Southern Waterfront is fully developed. It's a Prime project with 1,960 units of two-room flexi, three-room, and four-room flats. A two-room flexi starts from $247,000, a three-room from $435,000, and a four-room from $592,000, excluding grants. The subsidy recovery rate is 14% — the highest in this exercise. It's also near Telok Blangah MRT station.
Sembawang Portico and Sembawang Brook (Sembawang)
The practical choice if you want genuine affordability and a real shot at a successful ballot. Both Sembawang projects are Standard-classified, with flat types ranging from two-room flexi all the way to 3Gen units. Prices start from $139,000 for a two-room flexi, $250,000 for a three-room, $302,000 for a four-room, $420,000 for a five-room, and $468,000 for a 3Gen flat, excluding grants.
HDB highlighted that buyers who want to move in sooner should consider the 2,035 SWT flats at Sembawang Portico and Sembawang Brook, which come with wait times of less than three years. That's a compelling option if the long wait has been your sticking point.
Woodgrove Acres (Woodlands)
Another Standard project, Woodgrove Acres offers two-room flexi flats from $137,000, three-room from $260,000, four-room from $353,000, and five-room from $472,000, excluding grants. Woodlands has been quietly building a strong case for itself — the Thomson-East Coast Line now connects it to Orchard Road in around 20 minutes, and BTO pricing here still reflects something the resale market no longer offers.
What else is new in the June exercise
From this June 2026 exercise, HDB has increased the Third Child Priority Scheme allocation quota from up to 5% to up to 10%, providing greater support to families with three or more children. If this applies to your household, check your eligibility on the HDB website before submitting your application.
Among all flats launched in June, 2,300 are two-room flexi units — a deliberate move to meet the housing needs of single first-time buyers and seniors. If you're a single applying for the first time, the options in this exercise are wider than they look.
October 2026: what's coming next
The next BTO sales exercise will be in October 2026, with around 7,960 flats planned across Bedok, Geylang, Sembawang, Tengah, Toa Payoh, and Yishun. Community Care Apartments will also be offered in Toa Payoh.
Bedok and Geylang are notable additions, as they’re both established estates with strong demand. If you're eyeing either of those, start your preparation now. HDB encourages those planning to apply in October to submit their HDB Flat Eligibility letter and all required documents by 15 September.
Understanding the new flat classification: Standard, Plus, Prime
If you haven't bought a flat before, the old "mature vs non-mature estate" labels no longer apply. Since 2024, flats have been classified differently.
Standard flats sit in non-mature or developing estates, are the most affordable, and come with a five-year MOP. Plus flats are in mature estates with slightly fewer transport links or amenities than Prime locations. Prime flats are in the most sought-after areas, closest to the city centre and major transport hubs.
The catch? Plus and Prime flats come with a 10-year MOP, and when you eventually sell, you're required to return a percentage of the resale price to HDB as a subsidy clawback. The deeper the initial subsidy, the higher the clawback rate. For Bukit Merah, for example, you can expect a clawback rate of around 12 to 14% based on recent launches in that area.
That doesn't make Plus and Prime flats bad choices. It just means they're designed for long-term owner-occupation, not as a stepping stone. Go in with that mindset, and they make a lot of sense.
Grants to know about
First-timers are well-supported. The main grant for BTO buyers is the Enhanced CPF Housing Grant (EHG). For families, the EHG offers up to $120,000, tiered according to household income — meaning lower-income households receive a higher grant amount, up to $80,000 if your household income is $14,000 or below.
There's also a new Family Care Scheme (FCS) worth knowing about. Introduced from October 2025, the FCS allows parents and their children — regardless of marital status — to jointly apply for two flats in the same BTO project where 2-room Flexi or 3-room units are available, reserving up to 15% of units for each party. If you're buying near your parents, look into whether this applies to your situation.
How to get ready before the next launch
Step one, and it's non-negotiable: get your HDB Flat Eligibility (HFE) letter. All applicants must obtain an HFE letter via the HDB Flat Portal, which assesses eligibility for BTO flats, CPF grants, and HDB loans. Apply at least 1 to 2 months before a launch, as processing can take up to a month, and letters are valid for 6 months.
For the June 2026 launch, you'll want your HFE letter in hand well before the application window opens. A few other things worth doing now:
- Check your CPF Ordinary Account balance, so you know what you're actually working with
- Decide early whether you want an HDB loan (up to 75% LTV) or a bank loan, as each has different requirements
- Research your shortlisted estates properly. Drive or take the train there, walk the neighbourhood, check what's actually within reach before you commit on paper
Balloting isn't first-come-first-served. Applications are accepted throughout the launch window and then balloted, so there's no advantage to applying on the first day over the last. Take the time to think it through.
One more thing worth remembering
A BTO flat is probably the biggest financial commitment of your life. So before you fall in love with a floor plan, make sure the estate works for your actual daily life — not just on paper. How long is the commute? Are there amenities you actually use? What's planned for the area in the next 10 years? Those questions matter as much as the price.
Take it from someone who's watched friends buy flats they love, and other friends buy flats they merely tolerate. The difference almost always comes down to how much groundwork they did before submitting that application.
See you on the road,
Amanda 💙
