Build-to-Order (Singapore)
Build to order is a real estate development scheme enacted by the Housing and Development Board, a statutory board responsible for Singapore's public housing. First introduced in 2001, it was a flat allocation system that offered flexibility in timing and location for owners buying new public housing in the country.
Under the scheme, Singaporeans select and apply for an apartment in their preferred location from a list of launch sites. The scheme subsequently evolved, and the HDB now builds flats in advance of demand.
History
BTO replaced the predecessor Registration for Flats System scheme, whereby the waiting time for new flat applicants was relatively shorter because flats were built ahead of demand. In comparison, the new BTO system requires a waiting period of about 3–4 years instead as such a system removes the need for the government to make projections ahead of demand.HDB previously experimented with the design, build, and sell scheme which was discontinued in 2011.
Sale of balance
HDB has introduced a scheme under which eligible flat buyers in urgent need of accommodation, can ballot for leftover units that are reintroduced into the market, known as Sales of Balance flats.In February 2019, it was announced that starting from the middle of 2019, flat buyers will be able to apply for unsold BTO flats online anytime on a first-come, first-served basis, and book a flat by the next working day. This was intended to help citizens with an urgent need for housing.
Evolution of the scheme
In recent years, the HDB has been commencing construction for housing projects in advance of public demand.In October 2024, HDB chief executive Tan Meng Dui explained that construction work for project sites may begin months, and in some cases more than a year, before the actual launch of the project.