SINGAPORE — The Housing Board launched 5,547 Build-To-Order (BTO) flats on July 23 for sale across eight projects in Bukit Merah, Bukit Panjang, Clementi, Sembawang, Tampines, Toa Payoh and Woodlands, including the first units in the new estate of Sembawang North.

Another 4,662 balance flats have also been put on offer, including 1,733 Sale of Balance Flats (SBF) units that are completed and ready for home buyers to move into. The bulk of the balance flats are in Kallang/Whampoa, Tengah and Geylang.

A slew of policy changes that benefit singles and families looking to upgrade or right-size their homes will also take effect from this sales exercise.

HDB announced it would increase the subsidies for four Prime projects in Bukit Merah, Toa Payoh and Clementi to keep the flats affordable for more Singaporeans. It did not specify the extent of this increase.

Owners of these flats will be subject to a higher subsidy clawback upon the resale of their flats. The clawback is set at 11 per cent for Toa Payoh Ascent, and Alexandra Peaks and Alexandra Vista in Bukit Merah. At Clementi Emerald, it is 12 per cent.

These correspond to the extent of the extra subsidies offered, said HDB. There is also a 10-year minimum occupation period (MOP) for these flats.

The clawback for Prime flats was nine per cent in the past two sales exercises.

The remaining four projects fall under the Standard classification.

Sembawang Beacon, the first project in the new Sembawang North neighbourhood, comprises 775 two-room flexi and three-, four- and five-room flats, as well as three-generation units, on a site bounded by Admiralty Link, Admiralty Lane and Canberra Road.

The project, which has a wait of three years, will be near amenities such as a neighbourhood park and Sembawang MRT station.

Flats in Standard projects will not have a subsidy recovery clause when they are sold, and come with a five-year MOP.

Prices (without grants) range from $148,000 to $207,000 for a two-room flexi flat, $267,000 to $323,000 for a three-room flat, $328,000 to 413,000 for a four-room flat, $487,000 to $586,000 for a five-room flat, and $497,000 to $585,000 for a three-generation unit.

A Standard project in Simei — which HDB classifies as part of Tampines — will have 380 units of two-room flexi, four- and five-room flats on a plot bounded by Simei Road and Upper Changi Road East. They are the first public housing flats in Simei in more than a decade.

Toa Payoh Ascent, a Prime project, will house 741 two-room flexi, three- and four-room flats on a site bounded by Toa Payoh Rise and Braddell Rise. It is about a five-minute walk to Caldecott MRT station.

Prices (without grants) range from $212,000 to $354,000 for a two-room flexi flat, $406,000 to $514,000 for a three-room unit, and $583,000 to $777,000 for a four-room flat.

For comparison, three-room resale flats in Toa Payoh transacted at between $780,000 - $830,000, and four-room resale flats at between $1.07 million and $1.17 million, said HDB.

From July's BTO exercise, the new Family Care Scheme comes into effect. Under the scheme, first-timer singles will be granted priority access within the existing quota for single buyers when they buy a two-room flexi flat near or with their parents.

A second component of the scheme, which grants singles priority if they jointly apply for two units in the same BTO project with their parents, will kick in from the October sales exercise.

There will be no change to the existing priority access for married couples and seniors — up to 30 per cent of flat supply in a BTO launch is allocated to first-timer families, while at least 40 per cent of two-room flexi flats are set aside for seniors.

Another change that takes place from this sales exercise is a larger allocation quota for second-time home buyers applying for three-room and larger flats.

Up to 20 per cent of three-room Standard flats and up to 10 per cent of three-room Plus and Prime flats and four-room and larger flats would be set aside for second-timer families.

First-timer families would still have at least 80 per cent to 90 per cent of three-room and larger flats set aside for them.

The deferred income assessment criteria was also relaxed from this sales exercise, allowing couples the option to delay their income assessment for a housing loan until just before they collect the keys to their flat, as long as one party is a full-time student or national serviceman.

Previously, both parties needed to meet this requirement.

Lastly, the Fresh Start Housing Grant was increased from $50,000 to $75,000 for eligible families who are second-time home buyers currently living in public rental flats.

The grant will help them to buy a new two-room flexi or three-room standard BTO or balance flat on a shorter lease.

HDB said applicants who wish to improve their chances of securing a flat are encouraged to apply for Standard flats, where at least 90 per cent of the four-room and larger flats are set aside for first-timer families.

Flat applications will close at 11.59pm on July 30 on the HDB Flat Portal.

In the next BTO exercise in October, HDB will offer about 9,100 flats in Ang Mo Kio, Bedok, Bishan, Bukit Merah, Jurong East, Sengkang, Toa Payoh and Yishun. A fifth assisted living project in Sengkang will also be on offer.