First-Home Buyer Surge: Entry Points and Activity Levels Shift Across Singapore

First-home buyers in Singapore are making their presence felt as transaction volumes in the HDB resale and executive condominium markets have climbed 18% year-on-year, signalling a shift in entry-level housing activity against the backdrop of record private condo prices.

This heightened activity comes at a critical time for young Singaporeans and families struggling to make their first step onto the property ladder. The median price for a new 99-year private condominium has hit S$1.8 million—stretching affordability and fuelling demand south and west, beyond the glitzy central districts. With a supply crunch in prime Districts 9, 10 and 11 and ongoing global economic uncertainty, the search for value is redrawing the homebuying map.

Resale HDB Flats in Queenstown and Tampines Remain Hot

Property agents say mature estates like Queenstown, with its proximity to Alexandra Technopark and good transport links, have seen first-time buyers crowding viewings for four-room flats. Over in Tampines, resale volume for five-room units climbed 25% in the first half of 2026, according to data from OrangeTee & Tie, as sellers cashed out at six-figure profits and upgraders made way for the next wave.

Interest is also swelling in Tengah and Jurong. Tengah’s HDB Build-To-Order (BTO) launches, with prices for four-room flats starting from S$390,000, have seen oversubscription rates above 8:1 in recent May balloting exercises. Jurong’s ongoing transformation into a second business district is pulling in applicants chasing future upside, especially with the new Jurong Region Line stations gradually opening.

Entry Points: Numbers and Trends

Resale HDB flats remain the most accessible entry point for many, with May’s HDB figures showing median prices of S$515,000 for four-room flats islandwide, up from S$475,000 last year. Executive condominiums, such as Altura in Bukit Batok, launched at S$1,380 per square foot on average and are nearly fully sold. Meanwhile, entry-level private condos in the Outside Central Region—such as The Myst along Upper Bukit Timah Road—now start at around S$1.52 million for compact two-bedders.

PropNex’s June report shows first-timer buyers made up 52% of resale HDB transactions in the second quarter, the highest share since 2019, with many turning to mature towns like Bishan and Ang Mo Kio as alternatives to new launches they’ve been repeatedly balloted out of.

Analysts expect activity to remain brisk for resale flats and ECs in the next quarter, especially as interest rates have stabilised since April and buyers face a tighter additional buyer’s stamp duty (ABSD) regime. For aspiring owners hoping to secure their first home in the coming months, agents recommend careful research on financing options and early HLE (Home Loan Eligibility) applications to avoid missing out during popular BTO or balance flats launches. With new supply mostly coming in Tengah, Kallang-Whampoa and Queenstown in September, competition is expected to remain high.