PUBLISHED ONFebruary 05, 2026 7:41 AMBYSean LerApplications have come in hot from first-timer singles looking for a 2-room HDB unit at the upcoming Tampines Nova Build-To-Order (BTO) project in central Tampines, reaching a rate of 50 applicants for each available unit as at 8am on Thursday (Feb 5) — just a day after the project was launched.
Tampines Nova is one of three BTO projects with a shorter wait time in the HDB's first sales exercise of the year, with an estimated completion time of two years and eight months. It will comprise 122 units of 2-room Flexi and 133 units of 4-room flats.
Located at the heart of Tampines Regional Centre, and bounded by Tampines Concourse and Tampines Avenues 5 and 8, Tampines Nova lies in close proximity to Tampines MRT station and a range of amenities.
The application rates by first-timer singles across the four other BTO projects with 2-room flats, in comparison, did not exceed 2.5 as at 8am.
Redhill Peaks — a Prime project in Bukit Merah — has the next highest first-timer application rate of 2.5, followed by Kim Keat Crest — a Plus project in Toa Payoh — with an application rate of 1.2.
Application rates for first-timer families across all six BTO projects are mostly below 1.0, except for the Tampines Bliss and Tampines Nova.
Checks by AsiaOne on the HDB website on Thursday show that Kim Keat Crest has an application rate of 0.2 and 1.0 for first-timer and second-timer families respectively.
A total of 4,647 applications had been received as at 8am on Thursday. There are 4,692 BTO flats available in this exercise.
In a statement on Wednesday at the start of the BTO sales exercise, HDB said that applicants who wish to improve their chances of securing a flat should monitor the application rates of the projects and consider projects with lower application rates.
Applications are open till Feb 11 and can be submitted online via the HDB flat portal.
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