Thursday, April 10, 2008

HDB Says BTO Flats To Constitute Main Supply Going Forward

Source : Channel NewsAsia, 10 April 2008

The Housing and Development Board (HDB) said build-to-order (BTO) flats will constitute the main supply of new flats going forward.

The BTO projects will only commence when a majority of the units have been booked to avoid over-building.

HDB also said it is the norm that buyers have to wait about three years before the new flats are ready.

Between now and September, HDB plans to offer 5,000 new BTO flats in towns such as Punggol, Sengkang, Woodlands and Bukit Panjang.

This brings the total planned BTO supply for the first nine months of the year to 6,100 units, surpassing the number of BTO flats launched in the whole of last year and in 2006.

HDB also said it will refine its combined balloting/walk-in system starting July.

The supply of unsold four-room and bigger flats, currently grouped under three sectors - North and West, Northeast and established towns - will be consolidated under a single launch.

The sales exercises will also be re-structured.

The sale of three-room and smaller unsold flats will be conducted once a quarter, starting from July.

For three-room premium, four-room and bigger flats, the sales exercise will be conducted once every six months from October onwards.

With the refinements, a larger supply of unsold flats will be offered for sale under each launch.

Starting July, HDB will also offer first-timers priority status for these sales exercises, and 90 per cent of the flat supply will be set aside for first-time applicants.

First-timers will also enjoy double chances over regular applicants under the ballot to determine their queue position. - CNA/ac

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