Looking at the application results for Bukit Merah town’s 3-room and bigger BTO flats, which include Berlayar Rise (Prime),  the 4-room flats drew the most applicants at 4,943 – the highest across all flat types and towns in this sales exercise. The first-timer application rate was similar to Berlayer Residences where the 4-room flats similarly yielded an application rate of 3.1 in October 2025 (https://services2.hdb.gov.sg/webapp/BP13BTOENQWeb/BP13J011BTOOct25.jsp), indicating that interest remained strong for flats in this region despite their higher prices compared to other projects and the high clawback rates for Prime flats. Berlayer Rise also attracted the most applicants for their 2-room flexi flats.

The results were within expectations, as we had previously anticipated that this project would be most popular during this sales exercise.

For Berlayar Rise, buyers were probably keen to snag a new flat in the area, given its strong locational attributes and capital appreciation potential. Moreover, resale flat options remain limited, while purchasing a private condominium would likely cost more than S$2 million. This project is located within walking distance to the MRT station, making the projects very accessible to residents.

This project attracted the second-highest number of applicants for both the 2-room flexi flats and the 3-room and bigger flats. The strong demand was aligned with our earlier prediction. Demand is high as there is a limited supply of new flats in Bishan and it is traditionally a popular housing estate among young couples. Given that the new flats are within walking distance of an MRT station and are close to a few top schools, the project will be a huge draw for families with school-going children prioritising convenience. The significant number of 2-room flats offered has also attracted many singles who may be working in the nearby industrial estate or plan to work in the upcoming sub-regional centre in Bishan.

It is surprising that demand for Woodgrove Acres was stronger than Kebun Baru Ridge and Kebun Baru Breeze, given the more favourable locations of the latter two projects. Kebun Baru Ridge and Kebun Baru Breeze are within walking distance to the MRT station and near the CHIJ. St Nicholas Primary School, whereas Woodgrove Acres is not near an MRT station or amenities. Perhaps buyers were deterred by the long MOP for the two Ang Mo Kio projects while their prices are substantially higher than Woodgrove Acres. Families who are prioritising cross-border accessibility may be keen to stay near Woodlands which is close to Malaysia.

The number of first-timer singles applying for BTO flats continues to be high across all projects. This persistent trend underscores a strong interest among singles to buy a new BTO flat likely for their affordability and good locations. Since the application rates among first-time singles remain high for all projects, a significant number of singles will not be successful in their balloting this time round. Therefore, we anticipate a substantial spillover demand for subsequent launches, which will likely continue to attract many applicants.