August 2025 turned out to be a landmark month for Singapore’s private housing market, with developers’ sales climbing to their highest level in nine months. A series of high-profile project launches across different regions powered the surge, while healthy mass-market demand and a recovering luxury segment gave the primary market fresh momentum.
Table of contents
- New home sales in August hit new heights
- OCR new launch condos led the charge
- Luxury market in the CCR saw strong rebound
- RCR sales moderated with fewer transactions
- Only 73 unsold EC units after Otto Place launch
- Price sensitivity and the “quantum play”
- Market momentum and buyer profile
- Outlook: A pause before another push
New home sales in August hit new heights
According to the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA), developers sold 2,142 new private homes (excluding executive condominiums, or ECs) in August. This represented a sharp 128% jump from July’s 940 units and a dramatic recovery compared to the mere 211 units sold in August 2024.
| Project | Region | No. of Units Sold | Median Price PSF (S$) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Springleaf Residence | OCR | 884 | 2,166 |
| River Green | CCR | 451 | 3,111 |
| Promenade Peak | RCR | 333 | 2,919 |
| Canberra Crescent Residences | OCR | 211 | 1,991 |
| Bloomsbury Residences | RCR | 25 | 2,565 |
| UpperHouse | CCR | 22 | 3,353 |
| Artisan 8 | RCR | 15 | 2,386 |
| The Robertson Opus | CCR | 15 | 3,308 |
| One Marina Gardens | RCR | 13 | 2,909 |
| Lentoria | OCR | 12 | 2,291 |
| Grand Dunman | RCR | 11 | 2,571 |
The bulk of the sales — about 88% — came from five new projects launched during the month: River Green, Promenade Peak, Canberra Crescent Residences, Springleaf Residence, and Artisan 8. These developments collectively accounted for 1,894 transactions, demonstrating how new supply continues to be the main driver of primary market activity.
On the supply front, developers launched 2,496 units in August, well above the 1,675 units released in July. The combination of fresh launches and pent-up demand helped propel sales to levels last seen in November 2024, when a flood of new projects also hit the market.
Read more: 6 new condo launches in November 2024, lowest price at S$1,489 psf
OCR new launch condos led the charge
The Outside Central Region (OCR), often viewed as the bellwether of housing demand among HDB upgraders and price-conscious buyers, saw particularly strong activity. Developers sold 1,153 OCR units in August, a stark contrast to just 70 transactions in July when no major launches were available.
The clear standout was Springleaf Residence along Upper Thomson Road, which sold 884 of its 941 units (94%) at a median price of S$2,166 psf. This made it not only the top-selling project in the OCR but also across the entire market for the month. Another OCR launch, Canberra Crescent Residences, transacted 211 units (56% of its total) at a median price of S$1,991 psf.
Both projects benefited from strategic locations, accessible price quantum, and proximity to established residential estates, making them attractive to families and first-time private homebuyers.
Luxury market in the CCR saw strong rebound
The Core Central Region (CCR) also saw a significant rebound in activity, with 513 new homes sold — the strongest monthly sales in more than four years, since March 2021. This represented a 44% increase from July’s 357 units, underlining renewed appetite for luxury homes despite cooling measures such as the Additional Buyer’s Stamp Duty (ABSD).
The biggest CCR success was River Green, which sold 451 units at a median price of S$3,111 psf. Another high-profile development, UpperHouse at Orchard Boulevard, moved 22 units at a median of S$3,353 psf. Together, these projects have already sold more than two-thirds of their inventory, pointing to strong buyer confidence in prime district living.
Notably, two of the priciest transactions in August also occurred in this segment. At 21 Anderson, a freehold luxury project, units fetched S$52.25 million and S$21.06 million, underscoring the continued appeal of ultra-luxury homes among high-net-worth buyers.
RCR sales moderated with fewer transactions
In the Rest of Central Region (RCR), 476 new units were sold in August, slightly lower than the 513 in July. The market was led by Promenade Peak, which moved 333 units (56% of its 596 total) at a median of S$2,919 psf. Other contributors included Bloomsbury Residences with 25 units and Artisan 8 with 15.
Although sales moderated, the RCR is expected to regain traction later this year. Several large-scale launches are lined up, including The Sen, Zyon Grand, and Penrith at Margaret Drive, which together will bring over 1,500 units to the market.
Only 73 unsold EC units after Otto Place launch
The EC market, which blends private condo living with government subsidies, saw a pullback in August compared to July, when Otto Place was first launched. Developers moved 196 EC units, down 47% from July’s 371.
In August, Otto Place EC continued to dominate, selling 191 units at a median price of S$1,760 psf after sales opened to more second-timer buyers. As of the end of August, the 600-unit project was already 90% sold, highlighting the enduring popularity of ECs among families seeking affordability.
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The EC pipeline remains thin, with just 73 unsold EC units left in the market. This limited supply is expected to support strong take-up for upcoming launches such as Coastal Cabana EC in Jalan Loyang Besar and an EC at Tampines Street 95, both anticipated around Q1 2026.
Interested in the upcoming EC launches? See the complete 2025/2026 list here.
Price sensitivity and the “quantum play”
One striking feature of August’s sales was how developers calibrated pricing to fall within buyers’ comfort zones. Based on caveat data, 79% of units sold across the five new launches were priced below S$2.5 million. At OCR projects like Canberra Crescent Residences and Springleaf Residence, 98% and 82% of sales, respectively, were concluded below the threshold.
Wong Siew Ying, Head of Research & Content at PropNex, noted that “developers’ pricing strategy for new launches will be driven by quantum play, as they seek to keep an ample portion of units within the pricing sweet-spot of between S$1.5 million and S$2.5 million.”
Median transaction values also reflected this pricing strategy. Across the first eight months of 2025, the median price of non-landed new private homes (ex. EC) stood at S$2.01 million, slightly below the 2024 average of S$2.09 million.
Market momentum and buyer profile
The August rally contributed to a strong showing in 2025 so far. From January to August, developers sold 7,669 new homes, already surpassing the annual totals achieved between 2022 and 2024. Wong projects that 9,000 to 10,000 units could be sold by year-end, revising earlier forecasts upward.
The buyer mix also reinforced the dominance of local demand. Singaporeans accounted for 90.6% of transactions, while Permanent Residents made up another 8%. Foreign buyers were minimal, at just 1.4% or 30 transactions, mainly in CCR projects like River Green and UpperHouse.
This aligns with expectations that high ABSD rates continue to suppress foreign investment, leaving Singaporeans and PRs to drive the bulk of primary sales.
Outlook: A pause before another push
While August was exceptional, the market is set for a quieter September. The “ghost month” in the lunar calendar traditionally slows property activity, as developers hold back on launches and some buyers delay purchases.
Momentum is expected to return in the fourth quarter, when several major launches are slated. Beyond the RCR projects already mentioned, the market will also see the 666-unit Skye at Holland in the CCR and 399-unit Faber Residence in the OCR. Collectively, more than 2,500 new units are expected to hit the market across sub-regions, offering buyers a wider choice.
See the full list of new launch projects in 2025 here.
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