Strong sales for resale condos last month as prices remain stable
The prices of resale condominiums held firm amid robust demand last month, with more than 1,000 units sold for the third straight month.
An estimated 1,286 resale condominium units changed hands last month - up 0.4 per cent from August and 62.8 per cent from September last year, according to flash figures from real estate portal SRX Property yesterday.
Mr Nicholas Mak, ERA Realty's head of research and consultancy, said the Hungry Ghost Festival from Aug 19 to Sept 16, which some believe is an inauspicious period to make major decisions, had not stopped home buyers from buying real estate.
"One reason is that some home buyers believe the worst impact of the pandemic in Singapore is over and it is time to re-enter the market... the fear of losing out is greater than the fear of hungry ghosts."
Ms Christine Sun, head of research and consultancy at OrangeTee & Tie, said more buyers are thronging the resale market in search of "value buys", especially attractively priced, large-sized resale units.
She said URA Realis data showed that 33.9 per cent of condo resale transactions last month were for units between 800 sq ft and 1,200 sq ft, while 47.7 per cent of transactions were for larger units, of 1,200 sq ft and above.
Last month's resale transactions included two bulk purchases of apartments in the Balestier Road area - 12 units at Victory Point and 10 units at Crescent Building - by companies, according to URA Realis data.
Despite the rise in demand, resale condo prices last month remained stable, inching up by 0.1 per cent from August, and by the same amount over September last year.
The core central region (CCR) and the rest of central region (RCR) saw a marginal resale price increase of 0.5 per cent and 0.8 per cent respectively, while the outside central region (OCR) saw a 0.5 per cent decrease.
A condo unit at Le Nouvel Ardmore in Tanglin in the CCR that went for $16.2 million was last month's most expensive resale purchase.
In the city fringes or RCR, the highest price was the $5.1 million paid for a unit at Camelot By-The-Water in Tanjong Rhu Road.
The highest sale in the OCR came from a $4.8 million unit at The Trilinq in Clementi.
Looking ahead, Mr Mak said the new restrictions on developers reissuing options to purchase announced on Sept 28 may cause some buyers to explore the resale property market instead of new projects.
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