An overview of May HDB BTO launch: Bedok, Kallang/ Whampoa, Serangoon and Tengah

Now that the February 2023 BTO season is over, let’s look forward to the May 2023 BTO. For now, we know that around 5,480 units will be available for balloting across four estates.

This will be the last HDB BTO launch where first-timer applicants who reject the opportunity to book a flat can still get one more chance to enjoy first-timer benefits the next time they ballot for a flat.

From the August 2023 BTO exercise onwards, if you choose to reject your chance of booking a flat, you’ll automatically be considered a second-timer for one year. We go into more detail on the implications here, but in short, what this means is that your chances of securing a flat will be even lower.

TL;DR of the May 2023 HDB BTO

Which May 2023 BTO is a PLH project?

HDB hasn’t announced this yet, but we’re 99% certain it will be the Kallang/ Whampoa BTO, as it’s right next to a PLH project: the Farrer Park Fields BTO.

Which May 2023 BTO are offering 5-room flats?

Apart from the Kallang/ Whampoa BTO, all the May 2023 projects will offer 5-room flats. These are Bedok BTO, Serangoon BTO and the two Tengah BTO.

Summary of each May 2023 HDB BTO project

(We’ll do an in-depth analysis for each location, so look out for those in the next few weeks. Be sure to bookmark this page too, as we will update it with more information when the May 2023 BTO sales exercise starts.)

**Disclaimer: Walking, public transport ride and driving durations are based on Google Maps estimates. Actual times may vary.

Bedok May 2023 BTO

Location: Along Bedok South Road and Bedok South Avenue 3
Classification: Mature estate
Number of units: 1,630
Flat types: 2-room Flexi, 3-room, 4-room, 5-room, 3Gen
Estimated price range for a 4-room flat: S$450k – S$550k
Estimated waiting time: TBC
Estimated completion date: TBC

This Bedok BTO is one of the most exciting projects in this launch. It’s been almost seven years since HDB last launched a BTO in the estate. (If you’re weighing your options between a resale flat and a BTO flat, you might want to consider Fengshan Greenville, which will MOP this year!)

What’s more, it’s the only project in the May 2023 launch to have 3Gen flats. Unlike typical BTO flats, 3Gen flats feature an additional master bedroom with an ensuite bathroom. The last time we had 3Gen flats was the August 2022 BTO in Ang Mo Kio, which attracted a lot of buzz.

Aside from that, this BTO is pretty near the MRT at around a 12-minute walk to Tanah Merah MRT, which has a direct link to Sceneca Residence. The integrated development has a mall on the first floor.

You’re also one stop away from Bedok MRT, where there’s Bedok Mall and Djitsun Mall Bedok. Walk a little further, and you’ll find Sky Eden@Bedok condo (aka former Bedok Point), a mixed-use development featuring retail shops on the ground floor.

Down south at around a 12-minute walk is the upcoming Bedok South MRT (to be ready in 2025) on the Thomson-East Coast Line (TEL). So you’ll have one more MRT line to rely on besides the East-West Line (EWL).

Closer to home, Bedok View Secondary and Katong School (Special Education) are next to this BTO site. But more importantly for those looking for a property near a popular primary school, this BTO is within 1km of Temasek Primary, and within 1-2km range of Red Swastika School.

Kallang/ Whampoa May 2023 BTO

Location: Along Farrer Park Road and Dorset Road
Classification: Mature estate
Number of units: 570
Flat types: 3-room, 4-room
Estimated price range for a 4-room flat: S$490k – S$640k
Estimated waiting time: TBC
Estimated completion date: TBC

The first thing that caught our eye is that this site is north of the February 2023 Farrer Park Fields BTO, a PLH project. So this BTO will share similar nearby amenities.

At the same time, compared to Farrer Park Fields, this site is a little further from the two MRTs in the area. It’s around a 10-minute walk to Little India MRT and Farrer Park MRT. The latter is located below City Square Mall.

Nevertheless, this Kallang/ Whampoa BTO will probably still be a PLH site given the city fringe location and walking distance to Little India MRT. If you manage to get a flat here, this means you’ll have to live in it for at least 10 years to meet the Minimum Occupation Period (MOP).

Perhaps the highlight of this project is that it’s right next to the upcoming sports facilities in Farrer Park. Some facilities you can look forward to include an open field and a swimming pool. This makes it ideal for small families.

Serangoon May 2023 BTO

Location: Along Serangoon North Avenue 1 and Yio Chu Kang Road
Classification: Mature estate
Number of units: 330
Flat types: 4-room and 5-room
Estimated price range for a 4-room flat: S$350k – S$430k
Estimated waiting time: TBC
Estimated completion date: TBC

Another exciting project in this BTO launch is the Serangoon BTO. Because the first and last time HDB launched a BTO here was almost a decade ago, and that’s for short-lease studio apartments catered for the elderly.

So we can pretty much say that this is the very first BTO launch in Serangoon that’s open to couples and families since the BTO system started in 2001! (This also means that previously, if you want to buy a flat here, the only option was the resale market.)

Another thing that stands out to us is that it’s very near Serangoon Garden, which primarily comprises private condos and landed properties. More importantly for foodies, it’s a foodie’s heaven with the famous Chomp Chomp Food Centre and cafes in the area.

Moreover, in around 10 years’ time (or around five years after moving in), you’ll have Serangoon North MRT on the new Cross Island Line (CRL) at around a 13-minute walk away. When the first phase is ready in 2032, the North-East Line (NEL) will be one stop away via Hougang MRT. Meanwhile, the North-South Line (NSL) will be two stops away via Ang Mo Kio MRT.

Future parents who die die want to get their kids into a popular primary school will also want to keep a look out for this BTO as it’s within 1km of Rosyth School.

In short, this Serangoon BTO is relatively centrally located but doesn’t come with the PLH restrictions. But as it’s the smallest project in the May 2023 launch with only around 330 flats up for grabs, competition here will be stiff.

Tengah May 2023 BTO

This launch features two BTO projects in Tengah. One is at Plantation Close, and the other is next to the new ACS (Primary) campus.

Plantation Close BTO

Location: Along Plantation Close
Classification: Non-mature estate
Number of units: 970
Flat types: 2-room Flexi, 3-room, 4-room and 5-room
Estimated price range for a 4-room flat: S$310k – S$415k
Estimated waiting time: TBC
Estimated completion date: TBC

The main highlight of this Plantation Close BTO (at least for now) is that it’s located at the southern edge of Tengah, so it’s right next to Jurong East. This makes it more convenient to access certain amenities as it will take some time for Tengah to develop.

We also like that it’s around a five-minute walk from the upcoming Tengah Park MRT (to be ready in 2028) on the Jurong Region Line (JRL). Barring any delays, the MRT should be ready when residents start moving here.

Drivers will also appreciate that it’s near the PIE. But given how close it is, it can get pretty noisy here, even with the proposed park (and most likely a multi-storey car park) acting as a buffer.

That aside, this BTO is within a five-minute walk of the first primary school in Tengah. The aptly named Pioneer Primary School will relocate to the new town in 2026. (Maybe this is the real reason why they kept the name Pioneer instead of Juying when the schools were merged last year 🤔)

We also want to point out that this site is next to two EC sites, with one of the sites currently up for tender. If you’re looking to upgrade to private property in future, you may also want to consider these ECs.

Tengah Park Avenue BTO

Location: Along Tengah Park Avenue and Tengah Park Walk
Classification: Non-mature estate
Number of units: 1,980
Flat types: 2-room Flexi, 3-room, 4-room and 5-room
Estimated price range for a 4-room flat: $310k – $415k
Estimated waiting time: TBC
Estimated completion date: TBC

The Tengah Park Avenue BTO is one of the most anticipated projects in this launch. This is because it’s located right next to the new ACS (Primary) campus, which will move to its new home in 2030.

We won’t be surprised if application rates here will be higher than the average in Tengah. More people are expected to ballot here, whether it’s because they truly want to enrol their kids in the popular primary school or they hope to sell the flat at a higher price after MOP. After all, chances of getting a BTO flat next to a popular primary school are hard to come by.

Apart from that, we like that this BTO is located in the heart of Tengah, with the bus interchange right across the street and the car-free town centre around a five-minute walk. Here’s also where the new Tengah MRT (opening in 2027) on the JRL will be located at.

Plus, there’s the upcoming Central Park at the north of the BTO, where you can enjoy strolls in the manicured landscaped park.

ALSO READ: February 2023 HDB BTO overview: Jurong West, Kallang/Whampoa, Queenstown and Tengah

How about the August 2023 HDB BTO?

HDB will only release more information about the August 2023 BTO projects, such as the exact locations and number of units during the May 2023 BTO launch.

According to HDB, around 5,200 to 6,200 units will be launched in the following towns:

• Choa Chu Kang: 2-room Flexi, 3-room, 4-room, 5-room, 3Gen
• Tengah: 2-room Flexi, 3-room, 4-room, 5-room
• Bukit Merah: 2-room Flexi, 3-room, 4-room
• Kallang/ Whampoa: 2-room Flexi, 3-room, 4-room
• Queenstown: 3-room, 4-room

We’ll do an overview of these projects when HDB releases more information. So watch this space for more updates from us!

What’s essential to know now are the changes taking effect from the August 2023 BTO onwards.

As mentioned earlier, if you reject a chance to book a flat, you’ll be considered a second-timer when you apply for BTO again. This second-timer phase will last for a year. This ensures a more efficient allocation of flats for those who need them.

Speaking of more efficient allocation, first-timer families with children and married couples aged 40 and below who have never owned a house before can look forward to a higher chance of securing a flat. HDB will also introduce a new category for this group of people, called the First-Timers (Parents and Married Couples) or FT (PMC). Unlike typical first-timers, they will get one more ballot chance.

This article was first published in 99.co.