Have the price tag on new BTO HDB flats truly gone down, as the Minister of National Development, Mr Khaw Boon Wan has promised? Or are prices of new flats still considered high? What about resale flats?
A recent survey has shown that most still think new HDB flats cost between $300,000 and $400,000 for a four-room unit. That is almost $100,000 more than the actual average of $295,000 for a new flat. Resale four-room HDB flats can easily range between $320,000 to more than $500,000 depending on location and floor area.
The average price of a new 3-room HDB flat currently stands at $186,000. But perhaps buyers have been using resale HDB flats as a gauge of value and have been expecting new BTO flats to cost between $200,000 to $300,000.
Since most of the individuals surveyed were willing to pay about 20% more than the actual prices of new HDB flats, what does this indicate about the resale HDB flat market? Are buyers getting used to the higher prices of public housing? Should the authorities work to keep new and resale flat prices as what they are? Is public housing truly affordable and has enough been done to keep the market just so?
Photo credit: HDB
