SINGAPORE — The Housing and Development Board (HDB) has launched 7,214 news flats for sale in the November 2018 Build-To-Order (BTO) and Sale of Balance Flats (SBF) exercise, including the first BTO project in Tengah.

Among the flats available for sale are 3,802 BTO units that are spread across five projects in the non-mature towns of Sembawang, Sengkang, Tengah and Yishun, as well as the mature town of Tampines.

Some 3,412 SBF units across various towns and estates — majority of which are reserved for first-timer families — will also be available for sale, the HDB said in a press release on Tuesday (Nov 13).

Located along the Forest Fringe in Plantation District, the BTO project in Tengah — called Plantation Grove — is the first of five housing districts to be launched in the new town.

“In keeping with the vision for Tengah as a ‘Forest Town’, it will be designed with green, sustainable and smart features, such as lush greenery, a myriad of community spaces, dedicated cycling paths, and smart lighting in the estate,” said the HDB.

Buyers of the BTO project in Tengah will also be the first in Singapore to have the option of subscribing to a Centralised Cooling System (CCS) offered by energy utilities provider SP Group in collaboration with the HDB.

“The CCS is a more energy-efficient cooling solution than conventional air-conditioning systems. Chilled water will be piped to homes from chillers installed on the rooftops of selected HDB blocks, so subscribers of the CCS will not need to install or maintain their own air-conditioner condenser units,” said the HDB.

Buyers of the BTO flats in Sembawang, Sengkang and Yishun will also be the first batch of owners to have shorter waiting times. They can expect to obtain the keys to their flats in about two to three years from the point of application, said the HDB.

“The flats with shorter waiting time will come with floor finishes, internal doors and sanitary fittings. This will reduce the renovation works required and enable home buyers to move into their new flats sooner,” said the HDB.

It added: “All units will also come with an open kitchen concept where the layout permits. With these provisions, flat buyers will no longer be required to make a selection under the Optional Component Scheme.”

The HDB also said that first-timer families will enjoy higher priority when applying for the BTO flats in Sembawang, Sengkang and Yishun, with at least 95 per cent of the four-room and larger flats set aside for them.

“This is a 10 per cent increase from the current quota of at least 85 per cent in the non-mature estates,” said the HDB.

Eligible first-timer families can enjoy up to S$80,000 of housing grants, comprising the Additional CPF Housing Grant and the Special CPF Housing Grant. With these grants, BTO buyers could pay as little as S$21,000 for their two-room Flexi flat. Prices start from S$90,000 for a three-room flat, S$191,000 for a four-room flat, and S$322,000 for a five-room flat.

For the SBF flats, including grants, those going for mature towns could expect to fork out upwards of S$105,000 for a two-room Flexi and upwards of S$363,000 for a five-room flat. In comparison, those going for non-mature towns will pay from S$77,000 for a three-room and from $278,000 for a five-room flat, inclusive of grants.

Applications for this sale exercise can be submitted online via the HDB InfoWEB from Tuesday and will end next Monday (Nov 19).

The HDB reiterated that applications are not processed on a first-come, first-served basis. Instead, they will be shortlisted via a computer ballot, so interested applicants may submit their online application any time before the closing date.

It also encouraged applicants to apply for a BTO flat in non-mature towns to enjoy a higher chance of success in securing a flat and more housing grants.

The next BTO launch will be in February next year, where the HDB will offer about 3,100 new flats in Jurong West, Kallang Whampoa and Sengkang. A concurrent Re-offer of Balance Flats (ROF) exercise will also be held, said the HDB.

Correction: An earlier version of this article said first-timer families will enjoy higher priority when applying for the BTO flats in Tengah, with at least 95 per cent of the four-room and larger flats set aside for them. This is incorrect. The higher priority for first-timer families applies to BTO flats with shorter waiting time in Sembawang, Sengkang and Yishun. We apologise for the error.