Nearly 1,000 new homes were sold in January — what does it say about the 2026 new launch market?

Developers sold 990 new homes in January 2026, comprising 466 condominium units and 524 executive condominium (EC) units. The bulk of units sold stems from three new launch projects last month across various market segments.

The projects were the 748-unit Coastal Cabana, an EC project on Jalan Loyang Besar; meanwhile, the Core Central Region (CCR) saw the launch of Newport Residences, a 246-unit luxury condo on Anson Road; and, Narra Residences, a 544-unit in the Outside Central Region (OCR).

"We think this is a positive start to developers' sales in 2026, reflecting buyer engagement in both the prime and mass-market segments," says Wong Siew Ying, head of research and content at PropNex.

Coastal Cabana was the best performing project last month, based on the number of units sold. The EC project has moved 504 units since its launch over the Jan 17-18 weekend, and has achieved a median price of $1,790 psf. Sales from this project accounted for half of the new units sold by developers last month.

The take up rate at Coastal Cabana to date is a "constructive" sales outcome for a large-scale EC project at the start of the year, says Mohan Sandrasegeran, head of research and data analytics at SRI. He adds that this indicates there is sustained demand from first-time buyers and HDB upgraders who view ECs as an attractive value proposition in the face of a more calibrated private housing market.

EC sales last month also included 18 units sold at Otto Place, a 600-unit project at Plantation Close in Tengah. The 18 units sold last month set a median price of $1,781 psf. The development, which is in the OCR, launched for sale last July.

New EC sales will likely see periodic surges this year driven by fresh supply from multiple upcoming launches. The next EC launch will be the 572-unit Rivelle Tampines in Tampines Street 95 which is near the future Pinery Mall, as well as the existing Tampines West MRT station on the Downtown Line.

The relative affordability of new ECs against other private condo launches remains a key driver of buying interest, says Wong. According to caveats lodged, the median transacted unit price of new EC units was $1,788 psf in January, and this is about 17 per cent lower than the $2,164 psf for new 99-year leasehold, non-landed private homes in the OCR.

Top-Selling Private Residential Projects (ex. EC) in January 2026

Source: PropNex Research, URA (16 February 2026)

Meanwhile, Newport Residences was the runner up on the list of best performing condos last month, based on units sold. The luxury project has since sold 132 units at a median price of $3,070 psf, after it launched over the Jan 31-Feb 1 weekend.

Buying demand for Newport Residences was supported by buyers with longer term holding intentions, like owner-occupiers, who homed in on the project's strong connectivity attributes and liveability, says Sandrasegeran. "The encouraging response (to Newport Residences) also points to a gradual stabilisation of sentiment in the prime residential segment," he says.

The healthy transaction volume at Newport Residences potentially indicates a carry-over of sales momentum from 2025 when developers' sales in the CCR reached a four-year high, says Wong. Buying sentiment for prime residential projects and new launch projects in the CCR is supported by competitive pricing, an increase in CCR launch supply, and a more moderate interest-rate environment, she says.

Narra Residences, which also launched over the Jan 31-Feb 1 weekend, has moved 122 units to date and set a median price of $2,148 psf. This is less than the number of units which were originally booked after the sales launch, which reportedly saw 135 units sold at an average price of $2,180 psf.

According to Marcus Chu, CEO of ERA Singapore, the more modest take-up rate could be due to consumer fatigue, as this is the fifth new project launched in District 23 (where Narra Residences is located, and excluding ECs) since 2023.

New private home buyers in the West, who are mainly HDB upgraders, are contending with a limited supply environment in this region with no confirmed new launches aside from two upcoming EC projects at Lakeside Drive and Senja Close, says Chu.

These are not expected to launch until 2H2026 and after that, there are no West region GLS sites on the 1H2026 GLS confirmed list. This means buyers might have to wait until 2H2027 for the possibility of another new condo in this region.

More Headline launches in the OCR include 2026

Overall, developers' sales last month were the strongest since October 2025, when transaction volume reached 2,446 units sold, including ECs. The last two months of 2025 saw marginal sales in the primary market due to the seasonal lull at the end of the year – monthly sales were 346 units in Nov 2025, and 234 units in Dec 2025.

The latest sale figure for Jan 2026 also signals a pivot back to the OCR, or suburbs, in terms of where most new launch projects entering the market this year are located. Last month, 71 per cent of developers’ sales, including ECs, were from projects in the OCR.

Upcoming projects in the OCR include Pinery Residences, a mixed-use development in Tampines, and the first condos in Bayshore and Tengah, namely Vela Bay and Tengah Garden Residences, respectively.

Meanwhile, the latest sales figures reinforce developers' ongoing pricing and sales strategy, extending the so-called 'quantum play' seen in 2025. With affordability at the top of buyers' minds, coupled with the revised GFA harmonisation framework, developers continue to calibrate pricing to keep within the budget range of prospective buyers, says Wong.

Based on caveats lodged, about 67 per cent of new non-landed private homes (ex. EC) sold in January were priced at below $2.5 million. This is a common 'sweet spot' pricing that has so far resonated well among new condo buyers.

February to bring seasonal CNY lull

Looking ahead, new private home sales this month are expected to be relatively more subdued given the start of Chinese New Year this week. Market activity is usually deferred rather than lost, with buyer interest picking up once most of the festivities end.

Chu adds that buyer activity is therefore expected to focus on existing projects already in the market. "Any easing in sales is likely to be seasonal rather than indicative of a shift in underlying demand".

The launch of River Modern by GuocoLand on Friday, Feb 20, will be the next significant new launch project. Expectations are high given GuocoLand's strong track record, attractive locational attributes of the upcoming projects, and improved buying sentiment in the prime residential market.

"Its offering of relatively spacious units with efficient layout across two- to four bedder types could also appeal to a wide buyer base, including young families and HDB upgraders," says Wong of PropNex.

Overall, the private residential market is expected to remain resilient this year, with moderate price growth supported by strong owner-occupier demand and ongoing right-sizing trends, says Chu, adding that buyers can look forward to a pipeline of 19 private residential projects and five EC launches this year.

[[nid:729802]]