Key findings
- Quality is a bell curve, not a boom. Across 56 scored launches the average is 78.4 and the median 79. Only 6 projects (11%) score 85 or above, while 24 (43%) clear the 80-point Strong Buy bar.
- No launch has ever earned a Generational Buy. The 90-point tier has stayed empty since scoring began in 2022. The highest score on record is River Modern at 87.
- Freehold does not buy quality. The 8 freehold projects scored average 74.9, a full 4.1 points below the 99-year leasehold average of 79.0. Buyers paying the freehold premium are, on average, getting weaker overall fundamentals.
- The 2026 quality gap is in the prime districts. Among the 20 launches of the 2026 vintage, CCR projects average 83.5 against 76.5 in the OCR, a 7-point gap. In 2026, the centre is where the strongest launches are.
- Exit Strategy is the weakest link in Singapore launches. Across the four scoring pillars, Future Demand averages highest at 20.4 of 25, while Exit Strategy averages lowest at 19.2. Projects are being planned for demand, not for resale.
- Executive condominiums trail every private segment on quality, averaging 74.8 against 80.2 for CCR, 79.4 for RCR and 76.9 for OCR, even as they remain the most affordable route at an average listed rate of about $1,836 psf.
Scores by market segment
| Segment | Projects scored | Average score | Average listed PSF |
|---|---|---|---|
| Core Central Region (CCR) | 15 | 80.2 | ~$2,985 |
| Rest of Central Region (RCR) | 17 | 79.4 | ~$2,488 |
| Outside Central Region (OCR) | 20 | 76.9 | ~$2,113 |
| Executive Condominium (EC) | 4 | 74.8 | ~$1,836 |
PSF figures are the midpoints of developer-listed launch ranges captured on the benchmark, not URA caveat medians. They describe asking levels at launch, by segment.
The pattern is consistent: score rises with centrality. Part of this is structural. CCR launches in this cycle are smaller, better located relative to transport and amenities, and priced against a resale base that has lagged the suburban run-up, which lifts their Price pillar. OCR launches carry larger unit counts and higher absolute competition from the resale market next door.
Score distribution
| Band | Verdict tier | Projects | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90-100 | Generational Buy | 0 | 0% |
| 85-89 | Strong Buy (upper) | 6 | 11% |
| 80-84 | Strong Buy | 18 | 32% |
| 75-79 | Selective Buy (upper) | 23 | 41% |
| 65-74 | Selective Buy | 8 | 14% |
| Below 65 | Watch | 1 | 2% |
The top scorers, 2022 to August 2026
| Project | Segment | Vintage | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| River Modern | CCR | 2026 | 87 |
| Skye at Holland | CCR | 2025 | 86 |
| The Serra Residences | CCR | 2026 | 85 |
| Parktown Residence | OCR | 2025 | 85 |
| Dunearn House | CCR | 2026 | 85 |
| River Green | CCR | 2025 | 85 |
Five of the six top scorers are CCR projects, and Parktown Residence stands alone as the only suburban launch in the top tier, a reminder that scale, pricing discipline and an integrated transport story can beat postcode. Full scorecards for every project are on the Insider Benchmark and in our project reviews.
The freehold paradox
The most counterintuitive number in this dataset: freehold launches score worse. The 8 freehold projects average 74.9 against 79.0 for the 47 projects on 99-year tenure. The lowest score ever recorded on the benchmark, 64, belongs to a freehold CCR project.
The explanation sits in the Price pillar. Freehold land in this cycle is mostly small, boutique CCR and city-fringe plots that carry both a tenure premium and a boutique premium, while offering fewer facilities and thinner resale liquidity. Tenure removes lease decay from the exit conversation, but on this evidence it does not, by itself, make a launch a better buy. Buyers weighing tenure against fundamentals can run their own comparison with the New Launch vs Resale Calculator.
The 2026 vintage so far
Twenty launches of the 2026 vintage have been scored to date, averaging 79.2, marginally below the 2025 vintage at 79.3 and well above 2024 at 75.7. Three of 2026's launches have already entered the all-time top six. The year's quality story is concentrated in the prime districts: the six CCR entries average 83.5, while the four EC entries average 74.8.
Pillar analysis: where launches win and lose points
| Pillar (max 25) | Average | Best | Worst |
|---|---|---|---|
| Future Demand | 20.4 | 24 | 16 |
| Mass Appeal | 19.6 | 23 | 13 |
| Price | 19.4 | 22 | 11 |
| Exit Strategy | 19.2 | 22 | 17 |
Future Demand is the easiest pillar to score well on, because Singapore's masterplan pipeline of MRT lines, decentralised employment hubs and rejuvenation corridors genuinely reaches most launch locations. Exit Strategy is the hardest, and the narrowest: no project has scored above 22, because resale liquidity, holding-period taxes and buyer-pool depth constrain even the best projects. The single lowest pillar score in the dataset is an 11 on Price.
Method
The PropertyNet Insider Benchmark scores every major Singapore new launch on four equally weighted pillars of 25 points each: Price (launch PSF against comparable new and resale benchmarks), Mass Appeal (unit mix, location convenience, buyer-pool breadth), Future Demand (URA Master Plan alignment, transport and employment catalysts) and Exit Strategy (resale liquidity, rental support, tenure and taxation drag). Scores are assigned at review, grounded in URA transaction data and showflat fieldwork, and are independent: PropertyNet accepts no developer fees or sponsored placements. This report covers all 56 projects scored between January 2022 and 21 August 2026, spanning 27,569 units. Segment PSF figures average the midpoints of developer-listed launch price ranges.
Citing this report
Data and findings may be quoted freely with attribution. Suggested citation:
PropertyNet.SG, Singapore New Launch Quality Report, August 2026. https://propertynet.sg/research/singapore-new-launch-quality-report-august-2026/
Media enquiries and requests for the underlying data: hello@propertynet.sg. See also our media kit.
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View the Benchmark Score Any CondoPublished 21 August 2026 by the PropertyNet research desk. The Insider Benchmark is updated as projects launch; this report is refreshed quarterly. Scores are opinion grounded in data, not financial advice.