khaw boon wan blogJUST one day after its official launch, National Development Minister Khaw Boon Wan's new blog - Housing Matters - has addressed the issue of Build-to-Order (BTO) flats. The post touches on Mr Khaw's plans to increase supplies of BTO flats to help young couples own their own homes as soon as possible. Here is an excerpt (carried exactly as is posted online) from his post titled Build Ahead of Order: 'One priority is to help young couples own their own homes as soon as possible, so that they can start their family and have babies.
This is a national priority - promoting marriages and births - and MND must facilitate it to its best ability.' 'Currently, 70% of new couples get their first homes via HDB's BTO (Build-to-Order) flats. The rest get theirs in the resale market. This is not bad, but I think there is scope to do more.' 'I think we should strive to have the vast majority of new couples start off their first set of homes in HDB, preferably via the BTO route. There are about 15,000 first marriages amongst Singaporeans a year.' 'HDB has ramped up BTO development, with monthly BTO launches totalling 22,000 flats this year. Indeed, the May BTO is launched today, offering close to 4,000 flats in Tampines, Punggol, Pasir Ris, and Woodlands.
' 'I have told HDB to do more.' 'First, to tender as soon as architectural drawings and tender documents are ready. Currently, a tender is called only after 70% of orders have been confirmed; hence 'build to order'. Given robust demand, I told them to proceed to build, knowing that the orders will definitely come. In other words, build ahead of demand, during this period of demand backlog. We can return to normal BTO approach, after we have stabilised the situation.'
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