Everyone has an opinion. Your agent says new launch. Your parents say resale. Your colleague who bought at Tengah says you're crazy not to get in now.
We've scored a few new launch condos this year. Here's what the numbers — not opinions — tell us about which route makes more sense.
The Price Gap Exists. But It's Misleading.
Yes, new launches trade at a premium over resale condos in the same district. That's not new. But the headline number can be misleading if you don't understand what you're comparing.
A new launch comes with a fresh 99-year lease, modern layouts, smart home features, developer warranty, and — critically — a progressive payment scheme that lets you spread payments over 3-4 years of construction. The resale unit at a lower PSF might be 15-20 years into its lease and need $50,000-100,000 in renovations before you can move in.
That said, premiums vary wildly. Tengah Garden Residences launched in a district with no comparable resale stock — D24's first private condo, impossible to benchmark against existing properties. Meanwhile, Vela Bay carries a 75.6% premium over D16 modern resale — a much harder case to justify on price alone.
The premium number tells you part of the story. It doesn't tell you about the developer's track record, the location's growth trajectory, or how the land cost stacks up against other recent launches. That's why we built the Deal Score — to weigh all five factors, not just one.
The Progressive Payment Advantage Nobody Talks About
This is genuinely one of the biggest advantages of buying new launch in Singapore, and it's surprising how few buyers understand it.
Under the Progressive Payment Scheme, your mortgage doesn't start at full blast on day one. Payments follow construction milestones. During the 3-4 year build period, you're paying interest-only on the portion of the loan that's been drawn down — which starts very small and grows gradually.
Here's what that looks like in real numbers for a $2 million new launch (75% LTV):
Month 0: Booking fee — $100,000 (5%, cash only)
Within 8 weeks: Exercise of OTP — $300,000 (15%, cash + CPF)
Construction phase: Monthly interest starts at ~$200/mo after foundation, gradually rising to ~$2,500/mo before TOP
After TOP: Full mortgage kicks in — approximately $6,700/mo
Compare that to buying a $2 million resale: your full mortgage of ~$6,700/mo starts the moment you collect keys. No warm-up period.
That 3-4 year construction window gives you time to grow your income, save more, or plan your HDB sale. It's a financial runway that resale simply doesn't offer.
Curious what your progressive payment schedule looks like for a specific launch? Try our assessment tool — pick a project, answer four questions, and see the full milestone-by-milestone breakdown.
More Space vs Newer Everything
Where resale wins clearly: you get more square footage per dollar.
At current market rates, $1.5 million buys approximately 520 sqft in a new launch in D16 (Bedok) versus 715 sqft in a resale condo in the same district. That's nearly 40% more space — the difference between a compact 1-bedroom and a proper 2-bedroom.
For a family of four who needs space now, resale is hard to beat on pure sqft value.
But if you're buying for the longer term — 7 to 10+ years — the new launch proposition changes. A fresh 99-year lease appreciates differently from a lease that's already 15-20 years in. Developer warranties cover defects. Modern layouts and facilities age better. And historically, well-priced new launches in good locations have shown healthy appreciation over a 5-10 year hold.
The emphasis is on well-priced. Not every new launch is created equal. We gave Skye at Holland an 8.8 (BUY) score because despite a higher district premium, it launched below the CCR average and at the lowest CCR land rate since 2019 — the market agreed, selling 99% on day one. One Sophia scored 4.0 (SKIP) because a 99-year lease in a freehold district at $2,801 PSF couldn't convince buyers — only 25% sold after 18 months.
Same asset class. Very different deals. That's why scoring each project individually matters.
The ABSD Trap for Upgraders
If you're upgrading from an HDB to a condo, pay close attention. This is where the new launch vs resale decision gets financially complex.
Singapore Citizens buying a second property pay 20% ABSD — Additional Buyer's Stamp Duty. On a $2 million condo, that's $400,000 extra. Married SC couples (at least one SC spouse) can apply for ABSD remission by selling their existing HDB within 6 months of the later of the new property's purchase date or its TOP/CSC. Singles under 55 are not eligible for remission.
Here's where it gets interesting:
New launch route: You buy during the pre-construction phase. Your condo won't TOP for 3-4 years. You keep living in your HDB during construction, sell it closer to TOP, and claim the ABSD remission. The risk: if you can't sell your HDB within the window, you forfeit the refund.
Resale route: You buy, move in immediately, and have 6 months to sell your HDB. Tighter timeline but cleaner execution.
Both routes work. But the financial planning is different, and small timing mistakes can cost six figures. If you're navigating an ABSD situation, our team can walk you through the exact numbers for your specific scenario — reach out on WhatsApp and we'll break it down.
Five Questions to Ask Yourself
Instead of asking "new launch or resale?", answer these:
1. When do you need to move in? Within 12 months? Resale. Willing to wait 3-4 years? New launch is on the table.
2. How important is cash flow flexibility? If you need low monthly payments for the next few years, new launch progressive payment is a significant advantage.
3. How much space do you need right now? Family of four? Resale gives you 30-40% more sqft at the same budget. Couple with time? New launch compact layouts work.
4. Are you upgrading from HDB? Map out the ABSD refund timeline carefully. Both options work, but the financial planning differs significantly.
5. What's the Deal Score? Before committing to any new launch, check whether the numbers actually make sense. A project rated BUY has data supporting its price point. A project rated SKIP means the premium is hard to justify — and resale in the same district might genuinely be the better play.
Ultimately— and this is important — not every new launch (or resale) deserves your money. The difference between a well-priced launch and an overpriced one can be hundreds of thousands of dollars. We built Ground Floor specifically to help you tell the difference.
See how every 2026 new launch stacks up: Browse all our Deal Score ratings →
Looking at a specific launch?
We've scored several new launch condos so far this year — from Skye at Holland (8.8 — BUY) to Vela Bay (3.8 — SKIP). Each comes with a full breakdown: price analysis, resale comparison, progressive payment calculator, and our independent recommendation.
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Ground Floor scores every Singapore new launch condo with an independent Deal Score (1-10). See all ratings →