Buildings and high-rise buildings in Singapore.

SINGAPORE: Singapore’s condominium resale market continued its upward trajectory in December 2024, with prices rising 4% compared to the same period in 2023, according to data from SRX and 99.co. Despite the annual increase, month-on-month prices remained unchanged from November.

Price movements varied across different regions in December. The Core Central Region (CCR) saw a slight dip of 0.2%, while the Rest of Central Region (RCR) and Outside Central Region (OCR) experienced modest gains of 0.1% and 0.5%, respectively.

992 resale units changed hands in December, reflecting a 2.5% decline from November, likely due to the typical year-end market slowdown. The transaction dip also coincided with competition from five major new project launches in November; many reported strong sales, diverting potential buyers from the secondary market.

Despite the month-on-month drop, resale activity surged 29.9% year-on-year, highlighting resilient demand for move-in-ready units and larger homes. The widening price gap between resale and new launch properties also contributed to sustained interest in the secondary market.

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In December, the OCR accounted for the largest share of transactions at 47.2%, followed by the RCR at 34.4% and the CCR at 18.4%. Sub-sale transactions involving the resale of units before project completion made up 7.4% of total sales, marking a slight decline from the previous month.

In December, the highest-priced condo resale transaction was a $19.75 million unit at Eden Residences Capitol in the CCR. In the RCR, the highest transacted price was $10.15 million for a unit at Jadescape, while in the OCR, a unit at Kew Green fetched the top price of $3.52 million.

The median capital gain for resale condos remained steady at $370,000 in December. District 13 (MacPherson/Potong Pasir) posted the highest median capital gain at $679,000, whereas District 1 (Boat Quay/Raffles Place/Marina) recorded a median loss of $75,000.

Investment returns also varied across districts. The median unlevered return stood at 29.8%, with District 21 (Clementi Park/Upper Bukit Timah) achieving the highest return at 48.5%. Conversely, District 1 saw the lowest return at -4.2%.

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Analysts expect resale prices to continue their upward trend in 2025. This growth will likely be driven by increased completions of new units in 2024, alongside a potential easing of interest rates that could further stimulate demand.

Despite short-term fluctuations, the resale condo market remains robust. This is supported by strong buyer interest in ready-to-move-in units and a growing preference for spacious homes.