Fewer new condo launches in 2026, with most projects concentrated in the suburbs
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An artist’s impression of the 246-unit Newport Residences in Anson Road, a project by City Developments currently under construction.
PHOTOS: CITY DEVELOPMENTS LIMITED
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SINGAPORE – Developers are expected to roll out fewer private homes in 2026, following a surge in new home sales in 2025 that pushed transactions to a four-year high.
A 2026 market outlook report by OrangeTee, a member of Realion Group, estimated that new private condominium launches, excluding executive condominiums (ECs), will fall from 26 projects in 2025 to 17 in 2026. The number of units launched will also drop by about 29 per cent, from 11,430 units to 8,113 units.
Eight new projects will be in suburban estates such as Tengah, Tampines, Bayshore and Lakeside. The city fringe will see four new launches and the core central region (CCR) five.
Even as the supply of new launches shrinks, more homes will be completed or will obtain their Temporary Occupation Permit (TOP) in 2026, adding to the pool of completed or near-completion units that buyers can move into quickly, the report noted.
Data from the Urban Redevelopment Authority showed that the number of private homes, excluding ECs, obtaining their TOP is projected to rise from 5,249 units in 2025 to 7,006 units in 2026.
The softer launch pipeline comes as the number of launched units from the government land sales programme’s (GLS) confirmed list has declined. The Government will release land for about 4,500 private housing units on the confirmed list for the first half of 2026, down from the 4,725 units in the preceding half-year, noted OrangeTee’s report.
Ms Christine Sun, chief researcher and strategist at Realion (OrangeTee & ETC) Group, said the trend is also because some developers had brought forward their project launches to ride on the positive market momentum in 2025.
She expects total private home sales to reach about 26,300 units to 27,200 units in 2025, then ease to between 23,500 units and 25,500 units in 2026, which is still above the 10-year average of 22,678 units.
Analysts expect the market to remain stable in 2026, underpinned by lower interest rates and a steady stream of HDB upgraders and local investors.
Mortgage rates surged during the global rate-hike cycle, with banks’ fixed home loan packages hitting 4.5 per cent in 2022. Rates began easing in 2024 as inflation cooled and the US Federal Reserve’s policy shifted. By late 2025, fixed- and floating-rate bank loan packages had dropped to between 1.55 per cent and 1.8 per cent.
Lower mortgage rates are expected to be a key driver for the property market in 2026, as homes may become affordable for more buyers, said Ms Sun.
Based on historical trends, the property market was more active whenever mortgage rates fell,” she added.
“We expect market sentiment to improve, which will help to generate higher sales, especially among first-time buyers who may have been priced out of the market during periods of higher rates.”
Ms Sun noted that the biggest launch in the outside central region (OCR) will be a condominium in Tengah Garden Avenue, the first private home to be built in the Tengah estate. Others include Narra Residences at Dairy Farm Walk, and the GLS sites at Tampines Street 94, Bayshore Road and Lakeside Drive.
The OCR will also see four EC launches in 2026, marking the most projects launched in a single year over the past decade.
“We anticipate strong demand for these EC projects due to their affordability and excellent product attributes,” said Ms Sun.
In the CCR, the largest new project will be River Modern at River Valley. Other new launches include Newport Residences, One Leonie Residences and the project at Holland Link. There are four launches in the Rest of Central Region (RCR), including the former Thomson View Condominium and GLS site at Dorset Road.
Mr Marcus Chu, chief executive of ERA Singapore, said CCR homes are still likely to command a premium because of their prime locations and positioning as luxury products.
“Developers may likely set prices carefully to balance this premium with buyers’ ability to afford. Nonetheless, the higher prices seen in 2025 might establish new benchmarks in 2026,” said Mr Chu.
Wealthy Singaporeans have been reportedly snapping up bigger units in the CCR
Mr Chu added that the surge in new launches in the suburban regions in 2026 could lead to further price rises in the CCR.
Mr Mohan Sandrasegeran, head of research and data analytics at Singapore Realtors Inc, said land costs would remain an important factor in shaping launch prices.
“Developers will need to balance these cost pressures with the need to price sensitively for home buyers,” he said.
“While we may observe some price adjustments, developers know that the market remains selective and competitive. As a result, we expect pricing to stay within a sustainable range,” Mr Mohan added.
