SINGAPORE - About 77 per cent of new two-room flats were allocated to singles between 2013 and 2014, even though only a third of these flats were set aside for them, said Minister of State for National Development Maliki Osman on Thursday.
He was replying in Parliament to a question from Nee Soon GRC MP Lee Bee Wah, about whether the ministry can consider allocating a higher flat quota for singles.
Since July 2013, singles aged 35 and above, earning up to $5,000 a month and buying property for the first time, have been allowed to buy new two-room flats in non-mature estates. A third of the flats are set aside for them, and the rest for families.
"So even if the quota today stays at 30 per cent, the actual numbers that were taken up or allocated to singles is much higher," Dr Maliki added.
"If the demand from first-timers as well as families are coming down we will consider the possibility of increasing the quota. But we'll continue to monitor the situation."
Since 2013, about 18,300 singles have applied for two-room Build-to-Order flats, with about 9,000 able to select a flat. Application rates for singles have also fallen, from a high of 58 applicants to one flat in July 2013, to 13 applicants to one flat in November 2014, said Dr Maliki.
