\n<\/p>\n
Mr Chee also acknowledged concerns among singles who aspire to own homes, amid the additional priority being given to families with children.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI want to assure our other groups of buyers \u2013 our singles and also our seniors \u2013 that the government will continue to build flats for you too,\u201d he said, pointing to recent changes that have expanded housing options for singles.<\/span><\/p>\n Since 2024, <\/span>singles have been able to apply<\/span> for two-room Flexi BTO flats across Singapore, instead of being restricted to what were previously classified as non-mature estates.<\/span><\/p>\n Rules were further changed last year to <\/span>allow singles to qualify for priority<\/span> under the Family Care Scheme if they want to live with or near their parents for mutual care and support.<\/span><\/p>\n The government has also announced plans to increase the number of two-room Flexi flats by almost 50 per cent over the next three years, compared with the previous three-year period.<\/span><\/p>\n Looking ahead, the government is reviewing the minimum age of 35 for singles to buy BTO flats.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Mr Chee said the government in early 2025 caught up with all housing construction delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.<\/span><\/p>\n The increased supply of new flats has helped reduce waiting times and application rates among first-timer families, he said.<\/span><\/p>\n In 2020, there were almost seven first-timer family applicants for each 3-room or larger BTO flat. The application rate has since fallen to about 1.3.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cSo, (the application rates) have come down significantly. This means higher chance of a successful ballot with shorter waiting time,\u201d Mr Chee said.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThat’s why we see more people now shifting to BTO markets, and the demand for resale flats\u00a0<\/span>has\u00a0also then sort of stabilised.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Mr Chee added that the government would continue to maintain a robust supply of new flats across Singapore, including in mature estates where people may want to live near their parents.<\/span><\/p>\n But finding land for housing will become increasingly challenging given Singapore’s limited land area, he noted.<\/span><\/p>\n After available sites, including brownfield sites, are exhausted, the government may have to consider areas with greenery or heritage value, he added.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThe approach we want to take is to try and preserve as much of the greenery and heritage as we can after doing the impact assessment,\u201d said Mr Chee.<\/span><\/p>\nBTO APPLICATION RATES DOWN SHARPLY<\/span><\/h2>\n