Buying in the East? Upcoming ECs may be a smarter and more affordable choice
An EC near Pasir Ris Mall and Pasir Ris MRT Station is expected to be launched early next year. (Photo: Samuel Isaac Chua/EdgeProp Singapore)
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Executive condos (ECs) are a hybrid between private and public housing. ECs are built and designed by private developers and also feature the usual facilities found in condos. However, buyers of EC units must abide by HDB eligibility criteria and rules for the first 10 years after the EC obtains its temporary occupation permit (TOP). Thereafter, the EC is deemed to have been privatised, and owners of units in such developments are accorded the same treatment as condo owners.
ECs tend to be popular with buyers, especially those who aspire to own private property but are priced out of the condo market. ECs offer these buyers a more affordable way to make their first foray into the private residential market, as ECs are fully privatised 10 years after obtaining TOP.
Furthermore, EC units tend to be more affordable than condo units. The average new sale price of ECs islandwide is $1,735 psf, significantly lower than that of 99-year leasehold condos ($2,599 psf) (see Chart 1). The price gap has also widened, from $475 psf in 2015 and $618 psf in 2020 to $864 psf this year.
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Source: EdgeProp Market Trends (as at 3 November 2025)
Stellar performance of new ECs in East Region
The average new sale price for ECs in the East Region grew by 15.1% y-o-y since 2024, outpacing the growth of 13.5% y-o-y for ECs across Singapore. Given the stronger price growth, it is not surprising that new ECs in the East Region recorded a higher average price of $1,767 psf compared to the islandwide average of $1,735 psf (see Chart 2).
Source: EdgeProp Market Trends (as at 3 November 2025)
So far this year, 1,514 new EC units have been sold in Singapore, with Aurelle of Tampines (755 caveats) accounting for approximately half of them. This is followed by Otto Place (553 caveats). Among the new ECs sold this year, Aurelle at Tampines also achieved the highest average new sale price of $1,767 psf, followed closely by Otto Place at $1,758 psf.
Aurelle of Tampines is located along Tampines Street 62 in the East Region. During its launch in March, the 760-unit development achieved a strong take-up rate of 90%, attesting to the robust demand for new ECs in the East Region.
ECs in the east see stronger resale prices
Resale ECs in the East Region are also in demand among buyers, driving their average resale price up by 13.7% since 2023, a stronger growth compared to ECs islandwide (11.6%). This is despite ECs across the island ($1,383 psf) having a slightly higher average resale price than those in the East Region ($1,332 psf) (see Chart 3).
Source: EdgeProp Market Trends (as at 3 November 2025)
Among the 204 resale EC units in the East Region that changed hands this year, The Tampines Trilliant (36 transactions) stands out for having the highest number of resale transactions. Driven by its popularity among buyers, The Tampines Trilliant ($1,660 psf) also recorded the highest average resale price (see Table 1), which is higher than both the overall average resale price for the East Region ($1,332 psf) and the islandwide average ($1,383 psf).
Citylife@Tampines ranks second with 25 transactions and an average resale price of $1,485 psf, while Arc at Tampines takes third place with 23 transactions at an average resale price of $1,377 psf.
Notably, all three ECs obtained their TOP approximately nine to 11 years ago, indicating that they have been recently privatised or will be privatised next year. This could explain their popularity among buyers. All three developments are also located in District 18 and the East Region.
Limited number of upcoming ECs in the East
Unfortunately for buyers keen to purchase a new EC in the East, there are only two upcoming ECs in the region, namely the upcoming development on the Jalan Loyang Besar government land sales (GLS) site, awarded to a consortium led by Qingjian, and a GLS site along Tampines Street 95 that was awarded to Sim Lian.
Apart from these sites, the EC sites recently awarded are not in the East Region, indicating a lack of new ECs in the East in the near future (see Table 2).
The Jalan Loyang Besar GLS site is adjacent to Downtown East and within walking distance of Pasir Ris MRT Station, White Sands, Pasir Ris Mall, Pasir Ris Central Hawker Centre and Pasir Ris Park. Additionally, Pasir Ris MRT Station is slated to serve as an interchange station for the East-West and Cross Island Lines upon completion of the latter in 2032 (see Map 1).
Schools within a 1 km radius include Casuarina Primary School, Pasir Ris Primary School and Pasir Ris Crest Secondary School.
Source: EdgeProp LandLens (as at 30 October 2025)
The Tampines Street 95 GLS site is within walking distance of Tampines West MRT Station (Downtown Line), SAFRA Clubhouse (Tampines), Bedok Reservoir and the Pan Island Expressway (see Map 2).
Additionally, Junyuan Primary School, St. Anthony’s Canossian Primary School, St. Hilda’s Primary School, Tampines Primary School, St. Anthony’s Canossian Secondary School, St. Hilda’s Secondary School, Tampines Secondary School, and Temasek Polytechnic are all within a 1 km radius of the Tampines EC site.
Source: EdgeProp LandLens (as at 30 October 2025)
ECs near Jalan Loyang Besar site have been profitable
There are three ECs within a 500 m radius of the Jalan Loyang Besar GLS site, namely Sea Horizon, Eastvale and Watercolours. While Sea Horizon and Watercolours are adjacent to the GLS site, Eastvale is further away (see Map 3). In contrast, there are no ECs within a 500 m radius of the Tampines Street 95 site.
Source: EdgeProp LandLens (as at 3 November 2025)
Given that Eastvale and Watercolours obtained their TOP more than 10 years ago, both developments have been privatised. Sea Horizon obtained its TOP in 2016, so it will be privatised next year (see Table 3). The recent privatisation of Watercolours and the impending privatisation of Sea Horizon could have boosted their demand, resale prices, and profitability.
So far this year, 18 units from Sea Horizon and 21 units from Watercolours have changed hands, indicating a healthy demand for ECs in this vicinity. All transactions from both developments yielded profits above $170,000, No unprofitable transactions have been recorded for either development so far this year, attesting to the profitability of ECs in this neighbourhood.
This year’s top profit for Sea Horizon involved a four-bedroom penthouse on the 13th storey. The seller bought the 1,679-sq ft unit from the developer in November 2013 for $1.513 million ($901 psf) and sold it in September for $2.45 million ($1,459 psf), resulting in a profit of approximately $937,000.
The top profit of approximately $692,000 for Watercolours also involved a unit purchased from the developer. The 1,238-sq ft four-bedroom unit was bought in January 2013 for $936,000 ($756 psf) and was sold in August this year for $1.628 million ($1,315 psf).
Conclusion
ECs are popular with buyers because they offer a more affordable way to purchase private residential property. The average new sale price of ECs has not only consistently trended below that of their condo counterparts, but the price gap between the two has also widened significantly since 2015.
New ECs in the East Region have performed well, with the average new sale price for ECs in the region outpacing that of their islandwide peers. This year’s top performer is Aurelle of Tampines, which is located in the East Region. Likewise, resale ECs in the East Region have enjoyed stronger price growth compared to their islandwide counterparts.
However, only two new ECs in the East Region are expected to be launched next year. The site along Jalan Loyang Besar is in close proximity to Pasir Ris MRT Station and Pasir Ris Mall while the site along Tampines Street 95 is near Tampines West MRT Station and Bedok Reservoir.
Profitability is also strong for ECs near the Jalan Loyang Besar site. So far this year, nearby Sea Horizon and Watercolours have recorded at least 18 profitable and zero unprofitable transactions.
Check out the latest listings for Aurelle Of Tampines, Sea Horizon, Watercolours, The Tampines Trilliant properties
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