New Condo Sales Nearly Doubled as Buyers Returned to Earlier Launches

Singapore developers sold 296 new private homes in September 2026, excluding executive condominiums (ECs). That was a 93.5% jump from August—but the month’s only reported new launch, the 212-unit Amberwood at Holland, contributed just 24 sales.

For buyers, that mismatch is more useful than the eye-catching percentage. It shows that the new-home market is not limited to opening weekends: units in projects launched months or years earlier can remain an important part of the choice.

Why 93.5% sounds bigger than 296 homes

September’s near-doubling started from an unusually low base. Developers sold only 153 homes in August, the lowest monthly total in two years. September’s 296 sales were also 16.1% above the 255 recorded in September 2025, but the absolute total remained modest.

The arithmetic is straightforward: September produced 143 more sales than August, and 143 divided by 153 gives the reported 93.5% increase. This is why percentage changes need their starting number attached. A quiet month can make the next one look dramatic even when fewer than 300 homes change hands.

The calendar and launch pipeline also matter. The Lunar Seventh Month ended on 10 September 2026, while fresh supply was limited during the month. That timing helps describe the setting, but it does not establish why any individual buyer acted.

September’s sales were concentrated outside the prime central districts. Homes in the Rest of Central Region accounted for 44.3% of the total, while the Outside Central Region contributed 42.2% and the Core Central Region made up 13.5%. These are shares of homes sold—not measures of affordability, available supply or future demand.

One new launch did not drive the rebound

Amberwood at Holland was the sole reported new private-residential launch in September. The 212-unit project recorded 24 sales that month, equivalent to about 8.1% of all 296 developer sales.

That calculation does not mean all 212 homes were available for purchase or that the other 272 transactions came from one uniform group. It does show why “new-home sales” should not be confused with “sales at brand-new launches”. The monthly figure includes developer sales across qualifying projects, including developments introduced earlier and still carrying unsold units.

Independent reporting attributed the September improvement substantially to transactions at previously launched projects, citing Mohan Sandrasegeran, head of research and data analytics at property agency SRI. In practical terms, buyers were not simply rushing towards the latest showflat opening. Many selected from projects that were already on the market.

That distinction matters because an earlier launch is not necessarily an old or completed condo. It may still be under construction, with the developer selling the remaining units. Its available selection may be narrower than at launch, but buyers can sometimes assess it with more information about construction progress and surrounding development than was available on day one.

New launch or earlier project: compare the actual units

A launch weekend offers the widest initial inventory only if most units are released. It may provide more choices across floors, stacks and layouts, but proposed facilities and marketing illustrations still need to be separated from completed reality.

An earlier project presents a different trade-off. Some popular stacks or smaller units may already be taken, yet the units left are not automatically inferior. A remaining home could suit a buyer who values a particular facing, larger layout or later move-in plan. The useful comparison is therefore not “new project versus old project”, but specific unit versus specific unit.

Start with four points:

1. The exact layout and usable space. Compare room dimensions, circulation space, balcony size, structural columns and storage—not just the stated floor area. Two homes with the same number of bedrooms can work very differently for a family.
2. The remaining stack and floor. Check orientation, afternoon sun, road exposure, nearby blocks and what sits immediately outside the windows. A project-level description cannot answer unit-level liveability questions.
3. The expected completion timetable. A nearer-completion project may reduce the wait, which matters to renters and households coordinating an existing sale. Treat the published date as an expectation rather than a guaranteed handover day.
4. Tenure, location and recorded sales. Compare leasehold or freehold tenure alongside transport, daily amenities and the prices of relevant developer transactions. A district-wide average is a poor substitute for evidence from comparable unit types.

Terra Hill illustrates the category without serving as a recommendation. It is a previously launched 270-unit freehold development at Yew Siang Road, developed by Hoi Hup Sunway Kent Ridge Pte. Ltd. Its published project particulars list an expected Notice of Vacant Possession date—when the developer expects buyers can take possession—of 9 January 2028.

A buyer comparing a unit there with one at a fresh launch would still need current information on remaining stock, price, floor, facing and layout. The project’s total unit count and expected possession date provide context; they do not reveal whether a particular available home is suitable or competitively priced.

What September changes for buyers

The September result broadens the search rather than shortening it. A buyer who studies only the newest preview may miss still-selling projects with different tenure, completion timing or unit configurations. Conversely, a buyer drawn to an earlier project’s shorter wait should not assume its remaining inventory offers the same range available at launch.

The most useful approach is to build a comparison set around household needs. If two adults work from home, test whether a “study” is genuinely usable. If parents are moving in, inspect bedroom access and bathroom arrangements. If the household is renting, compare the expected possession timing with the lease expiry and allow room for delays.

Then examine transaction evidence at the correct level. Project-wide median prices can conceal differences in size, floor and facing. A smaller unit can post a higher price per square foot while requiring a lower total outlay; a larger home can show the reverse. Both the rate and the total purchase price matter.

September’s 296 sales are ultimately a record of purchases already made, not a deadline for the next buyer. The month’s real lesson is simpler: even when developer sales rebound sharply, the most suitable choice may be sitting in an earlier launch rather than behind the newest showflat door.