Singapore Property Q1 2025: Wait or Buy Now?
- Wait or buy depends on your finances, timeline and the specific opportunity.
- Timing the exact bottom is unreliable.
- A well-priced purchase can succeed in most conditions.
Let me tell you about a client — call her Chen. She eyed a rare freehold corner stack in District 15 in mid-2024 but hesitated, thinking prices would drop. Today that unit sold, and similar layouts are $120,000 more — and the new owner already secured a tenant at a 4.5% yield. I'm not here to shame hesitation; I'm here to help you stop losing time, value and opportunities.
What's Really Happening in the Market?
Q1 2025 didn't bring the crash some hoped for. Private home prices rose ~0.8% in Q1 2025 (URA flash estimates). New launches like The Arcady at Boon Keng and Pinetree Hill were well received amid limited supply. Resale demand stayed strong in city-fringe and OCR areas, and rental listings declined 15% year-on-year, signalling tighter supply.
| Quarter | Avg Price (psf) | QoQ |
|---|---|---|
| Q2 2024 | 1,450 | +1.7% |
| Q3 2024 | 1,475 | +1.7% |
| Q4 2024 | 1,490 | +1.0% |
| Q1 2025 | 1,505 | +0.8% |
Even as rates stabilise, prices climb each quarter — reflecting confidence, not speculation.
Will Prices Come Down?
Do you really think you'll catch the bottom? Even during the steep 2023 rate hikes, the market held firm. New-home supply is forecast to shrink from 8,433 units in 2024 to 5,920 in 2025, further limiting options. And rental yields have consistently outpaced mortgage rates:
| Quarter | Rental Yield | Mortgage Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Q2 2024 | 4.3% | 3.6% |
| Q4 2024 | 4.4% | 3.2% |
| Q1 2025 | 4.4% | 3.1% |
A 4.4% yield against a ~3.1% mortgage is a favourable gap for cash-flow-positive buyers.
So What's Stopping You?
"What if prices dip after I buy?" — history shows modest corrections but a long-term uptrend. "ABSD confusion?" — if you already own, you may have options via decoupling, trust structures or buying under your children's name. "Interest rate fears?" — floating rates ~3.1% and fixed from ~3.35%, with no sharp hikes signalled. "Policy concerns?" — no new ABSD increases since April 2023. The bigger risk is doing nothing.
Top Projects (Q1 2025)
| Project | Location | Avg PSF | Yield | Completion |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Arcady | Boon Keng (RCR) | $2,420 | 4.3% | 2027 |
| Pinetree Hill | Ulu Pandan (CCR) | $2,390 | 4.2% | 2027 |
| Lentor Mansion | Lentor Hills (OCR) | $2,150 | 4.5% | 2028 |
| The Chuan Park | Lorong Chuan (RCR) | $2,400–$2,600 | 4.1–4.4% | 2027 |
My Honest Advice
You don't need to buy today — but you do need to start planning today. The "perfect" time isn't coming, and what's available now, especially a high-quality, well-located property, may not be available again. It's not about rushing; it's about securing options.