- Joined
- Sep 15, 2011
- Messages
- 9,185
- Points
- 83

Monday, Nov 19, 2012
SINGAPORE - The prices of new HDB flats have gone up by 12 per cent since January 2009, but that is lower than the 34 per cent rise in the HDB Resale Price Index, National Development Minister Khaw Boon Wan said in Parliament yesterday.
He said homes are still affordable for first-time buyers.
"We take affordability fully into account when pricing BTO (build-to-order) flats. New flats enjoy generous discounts off market prices," The Straits Times quoted Mr Khaw as saying, in reply to a question from Dr Lee Bee Wah (Nee Soon GRC).
Eligible first-time buyers can get up to $60,000 in housing grants. HDB also offers housing loans at concessionary interest rates to help eligible households finance their flat purchase, Mr Khaw said.
Mr Khaw said that first-time buyers of new flats in non-mature estates used on average 23 per cent of their monthly income for housing loans.
"I think that is affordable for BTO," he said.
A lot of the misunderstanding over housing prices arose because people were looking at the HDB resale price index, he said.
The Government is trying to stabilise resale flat prices through cooling measures and building more new flats.
"But for the moment, I think I would regard the achievement that we have been able to bring about, this cost increase of just 12 per cent versus the 34 per cent increase, as quite an achievement. I think not enough credit has been given to my ministry," Mr Khaw said.