Yup, the results for the HDB BTO February 2022 launch are in, along with the average application rate for each estate’s project. The competition was mad stiff for that recent launch, with the hot favourites being Dakota Crest in Geylang and King George’s Heights in Kallang/Whampoa.
While some of us would fight tooth-and-nail for flats in a more central location, there are also HDB BTO flat applicants who just want a place ASAP. For some, maybe they’re tired of repeatedly trying for a BTO flat. And to succeed, perhaps the best chance is to ballot for a project in an estate with a low application rate.
So which are the easiest estates to get an HDB BTO flat in?
Related article: HDB BTO Prices Sorted by Estate and Price of Rooms in Singapore (from 2019 to Feb 2022)
HDB BTO Feb 2022 Application Rates: How Were They Like?
Before we dive into this topic, let’s take a look at the February 2022 application rates. Flat types in all estates saw competition in varying doses.
HDB BTO Feb 2022: Average Application Rate
|
Estate |
Project(s) |
No. of Units (3-, 4- and 5-Room) |
No. of Applicants (Non-Elderly) |
Avg. Application Rate (Non-Elderly) |
|
Tengah (Non-Mature) |
Parc Flora @ Tengah / Plantation Creek |
85 (3-room) 570 (4-room) 517 (5-room) = 1,172 |
362 (3-room) 1,813 (4-room) 2,406 (5-room) = 4,581 |
4.3 (3-room) 3.2 (4-room) 4.7 (5-room) = 3.9 |
|
Yishun (Non-Mature) |
Yishun Boardwalk / Grove Spring @ Yishun |
162 (3-room) 686 (4-room) 613 (5-roo) = 1,461 |
808 (3-room) 2,187 (4-room) 2,018 (5-room) = 5,013 |
5.0 (3-room) 3.2 (4-room) 3.3 (5-room) = 3.4 |
|
Geylang (Mature) |
Dakota Crest |
80 (3-room) 242 (4-room) = 322 |
833 (3-room) 6,961 (4-room) = 7,794 |
10.4 (3-room) 28.8 (4-room) = 24.2 |
|
Kallang/Whampoa (Prime Location Housing Model) |
King George’s Heights |
104 (3-room) 294 (4-room) = 398 |
661 (3-room) 5,140 (4-room) = 5,801 |
6.4 (3-room) 17.5 (4-room) = 14.6 |
Source: HDB
Figures released by HDB showed that the Feb 2022 HDB BTO Geylang launch, Dakota Crest, saw a whopping application rate of 24.2 for 3- and 4-room flats, much higher than the runner-up King George’s Heights in Kallang/Whampoa with 14.6 people competing for a 3- or 4-room unit each.
Note: The highest chance of success is to ballot for a flat type in a project in which the average application rate is 1. This means the number of applicants is the same as the number of units available, so you’re sure to get a ballot number. Looking at this average application rate, we can kinda find out which estates are the easiest to get a BTO flat in.
Related article: BTO Application Rates in 2021 Are High: Here’s How to Improve Your HDB BTO Application Ballot Chances
November 2021 vs Feb 2022 PLH BTO Flats
River Peaks I & II, the November 2021 PLH BTO flat offering. Source: HDB
HDB Prime Location Housing model or PLH flats are a new category of flats. In a way, these are the crème de la crème of HDB flats as these public housing projects sit on prime land.
And owing to their premium location, there are of course more restrictions in place. Such as a Minimum Occupancy Period (MOP) of 10 years (up from the usual five), disallowing the rental of the entire flat, and limiting the pool of eligible resale buyers for these PLH flats.
In November 2021, the first batch of PLH flats launched in Rochor, River Peaks I & II. The 960 3- and 4-room units available saw a total of 7,843 applications, at the average application rate of 8.2.
Related article: Prime Location Public Housing Nov 2021 Rochor BTO Flats: 6 Singaporeans Answer Why They Did or Did Not Apply
King George’s Heights, the Feb 2022 PLH BTO flats. Source: HDB
On the surface, the application rate for the February 2022 PLH model flats at Kallang/Whampoa (King George’s Heights) seems to be more popular, with an average application rate of 14.6. However, the total number of applicants is less than that of the Rochor PLH BTO flats – 5,801 (King George’s Heights) versus 7,843 (River Peaks I & II).
There are possibly a few factors at play here. The first is that there are just 398 three- and four-room flats available at King George’s Heights, compared to the 960 three- and four-room units at the larger River Peaks I & II development. This lower supply would definitely make demand higher, even if the number of people keen on getting a PLH flat doesn’t change.
While both PLH projects are actually within walking distance of each other (although classified under different estates) and hence should have similar amenities, we feel the River Peaks I & II has an edge as it will be directly connected to Jalan Besar MRT station. Those staying in King George’s Heights are sorta in-between 2 MRT stations, Jalan Besar and Lavender.
No matter which is the more “popular” PLH flat thus far, it can be ascertained that based on their average application rate, getting a unit at either is really up to your luck of the draw.
HDB BTO Application Rate: Which Estates Have Highest Chance of Getting Ballot Number
Let’s go back to the crux of this article, which is to suss out which estates have the highest chance of balloting and getting a successful queue number. We’ll look at recent data, namely, that of the HDB BTO launches since 2020, sans May 2020 as that was deferred to August 2020 which saw a bumper crop.
HDB BTO Average Application Rate: February 2020
|
Estate |
Project(s) |
No. of Units (3-, 4- and 5-Room) |
No. of Applicants (Non-Elderly) |
Avg. Application Rate (Non-Elderly) |
|
Sembawang (Non-Mature) |
Canberra Vista |
124 (3-room) 385 (4-room) 266 (5-room/3GEN) = 775 |
847 (3-room) 3,048 (4-room) 3,738 (5-room/3GEN) = 7,633 |
6.8 (3-room) 7.9 (4-room) 14.1 (5-room/3GEN) = 9.8 |
|
Toa Payoh (Mature) |
Toa Payoh Ridge / Kim Keat Ripples |
102 (3-room) 1,211 (4-room) = 1,313 |
935 (3-room) 11,684 (4-room) = 12,619 |
9.2 (3-room) 9.6 (4-room) = 9.6 |
HDB BTO Average Application Rate: August 2020
|
Estate |
Project(s) |
No. of Units (3-, 4- and 5-Room) |
No. of Applicants (Non-Elderly) |
Avg. Application Rate (Non-Elderly) |
|
Choa Chu Kang (Non-Mature) |
Keat Hong Verge |
118 (3-room) 290 (4-room) = 408 |
263 (3-room) 683 (4-room) = 946 |
2.2 (3-room) 2.4 (4-room) = 2.3 |
|
Tengah (Non-Mature) |
Parc Residences @ Tengah |
99 (3-room) 281 (4-room) 184 (5-room) = 564 |
363 (3-room) 1,436 (4-room) 1,284 (5-room) = 3,083 |
3.7 (3-room) 5.1 (4-room) 7.0 (5-room) = 5.5 |
|
Woodlands (Non-Mature) |
UrbanVille @ Woodlands / Champions Bliss |
144 (3-room) 706 (4-room) 438 (5-room) = 1,288 |
896 (3-room) 4,125 (4-room) 4,297 (5-room) = 9,318 |
6.2 (3-room) 5.8 (4-room) 9.8 (5-room) = 7.2 |
|
Ang Mo Kio (Mature) |
Kebun Baru Edge |
240 (4-room) 140 (5-room) = 380 |
2,568 (4-room) 3,006 (5-room) = 5,574 |
10.7 (4-room) 21.5 (5-room) = 14.7 |
|
Bishan (Mature) |
Bishan Towers |
80 (3-room) 272 (4-room) = 352 |
319 (3-room) 1,689 (4-room) = 2,008 |
4.0 (3-room) 6.2 (4-room) = 5.7 |
|
Geylang (Mature) |
Dakota One |
87 (3-room) 334 (4-room) = 414 |
787 (3-room) 6,394 (4-room) = 7,181 |
9.0 (3-room) 19.1 (4-room) = 17.3 |
|
Pasir Ris (Mature) |
Costa Grove |
160 (3-room) 373 (4-room) 325 (5-room) = 858 |
436 (3-room) 1,771 (4-room) 2,369 (5-room) = 4,576 |
2.7 (3-room) 4.7 (4-room) 7.3 (5-room) = 5.3 |
|
Tampines (Mature) |
Tampines GreenCrest / Tampines GreenOpal / Tampines GreenGlade |
182 (3-room) 871 (4-room) 717 (5-room) = 1,770 |
486 (3-room) 1,864 (4-room) 1,402 (5-room) = 3,752 |
2.7 (3-room) 2.1 (4-room) 2.0 (5-room) = 2.1 |
HDB BTO Average Application Rate: November 2020
|
Estate |
Project(s) |
No. of Units (3-, 4- and 5-Room) |
No. of Applicants (Non-Elderly) |
Avg. Application Rate (Non-Elderly) |
|
Sembawang (Non-Mature) |
Sun Sails |
84 (3-room) 238 (4-room) 184 (5-room) = 506 |
359 (3-room) 964 (4-room) 1,060 (5-room) = 2,383 |
4.3 (3-room) 4.1 (4-room) 5.8 (5-room) = 4.7 |
|
Tengah (Non-Mature) |
Garden Court @ Tengah / Garden Terrace @ Tengah |
218 (3-room) 570 (4-room) 327 (5-room) = 1,115 |
277 (3-room) 1,495 (4-room) 1,343 (5-room) = 3,115 |
1.3 (3-room) 2.6 (4-room) 4.1 (5-room) = 2.8 |
|
Bishan (Mature) |
Bishan Ridges |
124 (3-room) 1,222 (4-room) = 1,346 |
822 (3-room) 8,635 (4-room) = 9,457 |
6.6 (3-room) 7.1 (4-room) = 7.0 |
|
Tampines (Mature) |
Tampines GreenEmerald |
360 (4-room) 244 (5-room) = 604 |
1,441 (4-room) 1,126 (5-room) = 2,567 |
4.0 (4-room) 4.6 (5-room) = 4.3 |
|
Toa Payoh (Mature) |
Bartley Beacon / ParkView @ Bidadari |
184 (3-room) 910 (4-room) 144 (5-room) = 1,238 |
401 (3-room) 3,598 (4-room) 2,170 (5-room) = 6,169 |
2.2 (3-room) 4.0 (4-room) 15.1 (5-room) = 5.0 |
HDB BTO Average Application Rate: February 2021
|
Estate |
Project(s) |
No. of Units (3-, 4- and 5-Room) |
No. of Applicants (Non-Elderly) |
Avg. Application Rate (Non-Elderly) |
|
Bukit Batok (Non-Mature) |
West Hill @ Bukit Batok |
81 (3-room) 387 (4-room) 331 (5-room) = 799 |
212 (3-room) 615 (4-room) 666 (5-room) = 1,493 |
2.6 (3-room) 1.6 (4-room) 2.0 (5-room) = 1.9 |
|
Tengah (Non-Mature) |
Parc Woods @ Tengah |
83 (3-room) 387 (4-room) = 470 |
198 (3-room) 1,294 (4-room) = 1,492 |
2.4 (3-room) 3.3 (4-room) = 3.2 |
|
Kallang/Whampoa (Mature) |
McNair Heights |
104 (3-room) 386 (4-room) = 490 |
413 (3-room) 2,869 (4-room) = 3,282 |
4.0 (3-room) 7.4 (4-room) = 6.7 |
|
Toa Payoh (Mature) |
Bartley GreenRise / ParkEdge @ Bidadari / Alkaff Breeze |
96 (3-room) 797 (4-room) 323 (5-room) = 1,216 |
462 (3-room) 4,667 (4-room) 3,193 (5-room) = 8,322 |
4.8 (3-room) 5.9 (4-room) 9.9 (5-room) = 6.8 |
HDB BTO Average Application Rate: May 2021
|
Estate |
Project(s) |
No. of Units (3-, 4- and 5-Room) |
No. of Applicants (Non-Elderly) |
Avg. Application Rate (Non-Elderly) |
|
Tengah (Non-Mature) |
Garden Bloom @ Tengah |
265 (4-room) 251 (5-room) = 516 |
1,023 (4-room) 1,168 (5-room) = 2,191 |
3.9 (4-room) 4.7 (5-room) = 4.2 |
|
Woodlands (Non-Mature) |
Woodgrove Ascent |
84 (3-room) 411 (4-room) 359 (5-room) = 854 |
451 (3-room) 1,794 (4-room) 1,990 (5-room) = 4,235 |
5.4 (3-room) 4.4 (4-room) 5.5 (5-room) = 5.0 |
|
Bukit Merah (Mature) |
Telok Blangah Beacon |
105 (3-room) 70 (4-room) = 175 |
604 (3-room) 3,474 (4-room) = 4,078 |
5.8 (3-room) 49.6 (4-room) = 23.3 |
|
Geylang (Mature) |
MacPherson Weave |
156 (3-room) 1,010 (4-room) = 1,166 |
569 (3-room) 5,595 (4-room) = 6,164 |
3.6 (3-room) 5.5 (4-room) = 5.3 |
HDB BTO Average Application Rate: August 2021
|
Estate |
Project(s) |
No. of Units (3-, 4- and 5-Room) |
No. of Applicants (Non-Elderly) |
Avg. Application Rate (Non-Elderly) |
|
Hougang (Non-Mature) |
Hougang Citrine / Kovan Wellspring |
178 (3-room) 459 (4-room) 102 (5-room) = 739 |
1,986 (3-room) 11,420 (4-room) 1,085 (5-room) = 14,491 |
11.2 (3-room) 24.9 (4-room) 10.6 (5-room) = 19.6 |
|
Jurong East (Non-Mature) |
Toh Guan Grove |
85 (3-room) 240 (4-room) = 325 |
520 (3-room) 3,628 (4-room) = 4,148 |
6.1 (3-room) 15.1 (4-room) = 12.8 |
|
Kallang/Whampoa (Mature) |
Towner Residences |
90 (3-room) 226 (4-room) = 316 |
265 (3-room) 1,928 (4-room) = 2,193 |
2.9 (3-room) 8.5 (4-room) = 6.9 |
|
Queenstown (Mature) |
Queen’s Arc |
76 (3-room) 534 (4-room) = 610 |
354 (3-room) 4,099 (4-room) = 4,453 |
4.7 (3-room) 7.7 (4-room) = 7.3 |
|
Tampines (Mature) |
Tampines GreenQuartz / Tampines GreenJade |
87 (3-room) 989 (4-room) 881 (5-room) = 1,957 |
627 (3-room) 3,443 (4-room) 4,255 (5-room) = 8,325 |
7.2 (3-room) 3.5 (4-room) 4.8 (5-room) = 4.3 |
HDB BTO Average Application Rate: November 2021
|
Estate |
Project(s) |
No. of Units (3-, 4- and 5-Room) |
No. of Applicants (Non-Elderly) |
Avg. Application Rate (Non-Elderly) |
|
Hougang (Non-Mature) |
Tanjong Tree Residences @ Hougang / Hougang Olive |
378 (4-room) 312 (5-room) = 690 |
1,643 (4-room) 1,852 (5-room) = 3,495 |
4.3 (4-room) 5.9 (5-room) = 5.1 |
|
Jurong West (Non-Mature) |
Nanyang Opal |
91 (3-room) 130 (4-room) = 221 |
87 (3-room) 229 (4-room) = 316 |
1.0 (3-room) 1.8 (4-room) = 1.4 |
|
Tengah (Non-Mature) |
Parc Glen @ Tengah / Parc Clover @ Tengah |
198 (3-room) 872 (4-room) 653 (5-room) = 1,723 |
366 (3-room) 1,863 (4-room) 2,120 (5-room) = 4,349 |
1.8 (3-room) 2.1 (4-room) 3.2 (5-room) = 2.5 |
|
Central (Prime Location Housing Model) |
River Peaks I / River Peaks II |
280 (3-room) 680 (4-room) = 960 |
867 (3-room) 6976 (4-room) = 7,843 |
3.1 (3-room) 10.3 (4-room) = 8.2 |
|
Kallang/Whampoa (Mature) |
Kent Heights |
276 (4-room) |
1,813 (4-room) |
6.6 (4-room) |
HDB BTO Average Application Rate: February 2022
|
Estate |
Project(s) |
No. of Units (3-, 4- and 5-Room) |
No. of Applicants (Non-Elderly) |
Avg. Application Rate (Non-Elderly) |
|
Tengah (Non-Mature) |
Parc Flora @ Tengah / Plantation Creek |
85 (3-room) 570 (4-room) 517 (5-room) = 1,172 |
362 (3-room) 1,813 (4-room) 2,406 (5-room) = 4,581 |
4.3 (3-room) 3.2 (4-room) 4.7 (5-room) = 3.9 |
|
Yishun (Non-Mature) |
Yishun Boardwalk / Grove Spring @ Yishun |
162 (3-room) 686 (4-room) 613 (5-roo) = 1,461 |
808 (3-room) 2,187 (4-room) 2,018 (5-room) = 5,013 |
5.0 (3-room) 3.2 (4-room) 3.3 (5-room) = 3.4 |
|
Geylang (Mature) |
Dakota Crest |
80 (3-room) 242 (4-room) = 322 |
833 (3-room) 6,961 (4-room) = 7,794 |
10.4 (3-room) 28.8 (4-room) = 24.2 |
|
Kallang/Whampoa (Prime Location Housing Model) |
King George’s Heights |
104 (3-room) 294 (4-room) = 398 |
661 (3-room) 5,140 (4-room) = 5,801 |
6.4 (3-room) 17.5 (4-room) = 14.6 |
With these figures, we can see that the top three estates where applicants tend to have the highest chance of getting queue numbers for 3-room BTO flats and above are:
- Jurong West – 1.4
- Bukit Batok – 1.9
- Tampines – from 2.1
- Choa Chu Kang – 2.3
- Tengah – from 2.5
Of course, these results aren’t conclusive as demand rests on multiple factors. Not just the estate, but also where the project site is, external factors like pent-up demand brought on by HDB construction delays that may see more couples looking for resale or rental units and so on.
Let’s drill deeper into the individual categories of non-mature and mature HDB estates.
Related article: Non-mature vs Mature BTO Estates: We Ask 8 Singaporeans Which is Better
Top 5 Non-Mature Estates to Ballot for an HDB BTO Flat
|
Estate |
Application Rate for 3-room Flats & Bigger (Non-Elderly, Overall) |
|
Jurong West |
1.4 |
|
Bukit Batok |
1.9 |
|
Choa Chu Kang |
2.3 |
|
Tengah |
From 2.5 |
|
Yishun |
3.4 |
Traditionally, non-mature estates are located in the more ‘ulu’ parts of Singapore, in the Outside Central Region (OCR) with fewer amenities such as nature parks and shopping malls, choice primary schools, and transport links as compared to their mature counterparts.
Related article: Singapore District Map: Defining the CCR, RCR and OCR by the 28 Districts
However, not all non-mature estates buck this trend. From the full list above, Hougang, Jurong East, Sembawang and Woodlands are pretty popular, with the demand for Hougang Citrine / Kovan Wellspring Hougang BTO flats released in August 2021 hitting an impressive overall application rate of 19.6 for 3-room flats and above. That’s more than some mature estates!
For a high balloting success rate, if you don’t mind being away from the hustle and bustle, and possibly additional travelling time, the non-mature estates of Jurong West, Bukit Batok, Choa Chu Kang, Tengah and Yishun are your best bet.
Source: HDB
However, do note that the demand for Tengah varies. Touted as a new “forest town”, future residents can experience green living in a car-free city centre, lots of walking paths and even shared community gardening spaces. New transport links are also planned within the town. With the new BTO units in Tengah quickly filling up, we can expect it to be a bustling HDB town.
Top 5 Mature Estates to Ballot for an HDB BTO Flat
|
Estate |
Application Rate for 3-room Flats & Bigger (Non-Elderly, Overall) |
|
Tampines |
From 2.1 |
|
Toa Payoh |
From 5.0 |
|
Pasir Ris |
5.3 |
|
Geylang |
From 5.3 |
|
Bishan |
From 5.7 |
This list should definitely be taken with a pinch of salt as depending on the project, many of these mature estates have seen application rates go through the roof, especially in those in the Rest of Central Region (RCR)/city fringe areas such as Toa Payoh, Geylang and Bishan.
For example, Bishan Towers from the HDB BTO August 2020 launch saw an overall application rate for 3-room flats and bigger at just 5.7 but this could be due to its location. The nearest MRT station is 10 minutes away and it’s at a corner (although just beside a lovely park connector) of the expressway bisecting Toa Payoh and Bishan.
Related article: HDB Flats near MRT Stations in Singapore: Exactly How Much More do they Cost? (2021)
Meanwhile, Bishan Ridges from the HDB BTO November 2020 launch, is near an MRT station. The project saw a higher application rate of 7.0, which we feel could have been much higher, if not for the fact that this is a larger development with 1,346 units of 3-room flats or larger.
Other case studies are Toa Payoh and Geylang, where the demand also greatly varies, depending on the project size and location.
Another factor we feel affects the application rate of BTO flats in mature estates is price. A 4-room unit on a lower floor in the RCR could easily fetch upwards of $500,000 or even close to $700,000. This could be daunting for first-time homeowners, especially if they intend to start a family and cannot afford to have the cash outlay. Naturally, with such high (though subsidised) prices, the premium paid translates to wanting better transport links, unblocked views on high floors, and other surrounding amenities.
Related article: High Floor vs Low Floor Unit: Which One Is Better?
More FAQs about HDB BTO Application in Singapore
How Long Does BTO Application Take?
It takes mere minutes to login into the HDB website, apply for your BTO and pay the balloting fee. The application window remains open for about a week, and results of the ballot will be released about 3 weeks later (reduced from 6 weeks).
How Many Times Can You Apply for a BTO?
There seems to be no limit to the number of times one can apply for a BTO flat, provided they meet the eligibility requirements and have yet to secure a queue number.
How Many Times Can I ‘Reject’ an HDB BTO Flat?
If you give up your chance to book a flat, you will lose your first-timer priority for a year. During the one-year period, if you continue to reject HDB two more times, this one-year period will be extended accordingly.
Can I Cancel My BTO Application and Reapply?
It really depends on which stage of application you are at. If it’s at the initial stage where you only have a queue number, this shouldn’t be an issue. However, for those who have already booked their flat and made payments, they forfeit their option fee and/or the downpayment, plus have to wait a year before reapplying.
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This article was written by Mary Wu, who hopes to share what she’s learnt from her home-buying and renovation journey with PropertyGuru readers. When she’s not writing, she’s usually baking up a storm or checking out a new cafe in town.
