Waiting 5 years for a BTO flat could soon be a thing of the past, even if you’re eyeing mature estates like Sin Ming or Toa Payoh.
On 30th August 2026, Minister for National Development Chee Hong Tat revealed that 2 upcoming projects across both estates, offering around 1,200 units, will fall under the Shorter Waiting Time (SWT) scheme. This means that buyers will wait less than 3 years, a welcome change from the usual 4 to 5-year BTO wait.
If the SWT scheme sounds familiar, that’s because 2 projects in Sembawang from the recent June 2026 BTO exercise also come with similar reduced waiting times. This follows another 1,300 SWT flats launched earlier in February 2026, with the shortest wait at just 1 year and 11 months.
While the launch dates and the exact waiting times for the upcoming SWT flats in Sin Ming and Toa Payoh have yet to be announced, both projects are expected to be completed by mid-2030. Here’s what we know so far.
Toa Payoh SWT BTO: 193 flats
Image credit: @hongtatchee
The Toa Payoh BTO will have just 193 units on its 0.78ha site, replacing a former open-air carpark between Blocks 62B and 66 along Lorong 4 Toa Payoh. It could be the smallest BTO project launched in Toa Payoh in over a decade, especially compared to the larger projects announced in recent years, such as 1,600 units coming to Toa Payoh West in the November 2026 BTO exercise.
Residents can expect a multi-storey carpark and a rooftop garden as part of the development. The BTO is also conveniently located within walking distance of everyday amenities, including Toa Payoh Vista Market, Toa Payoh Central Community Club, and Toa Payoh Public Library.
Toa Payoh Central and the MRT Station are within the vicinity, making this a project to keep an eye on if you’re hoping to ballot for a flat in a mature central estate with close transportation links.
Sin Ming SWT BTO: 1,076 flats
Image credit: @hongtatchee
The upcoming Sin Ming SWT project will have 1,076 units, located right across from Sin Ming Residences, a 732-unit BTO launched back in December 2023 that’s now nearing completion.
The site itself isn’t new to housing, having been previously occupied by an HDB rental block and industrial buildings that have since been cleared away. Residents can look forward to onsite conveniences such as a childcare centre and supermarket, while more amenities can be found at the nearby Bishan North Shopping Mall.
This development is the latest in a wave of new housing developments coming to Sin Ming and near Upper Thomson. During the June 2026 BTO exercise, 1,600 new homes across 3 projects were introduced to nearby Lakeview and Shunfu.
When could the Sin Ming & Toa Payoh SWT BTOs launch?
The 2 SWT projects will join more than 10,000 public and private homes set to be rolled out across Toa Payoh West and Mount Pleasant in the coming decade, offering more options to buyers hoping to live in the area.
Based on their projected completion dates, the Sin Ming and Toa Payoh SWT projects could be launched from mid-2027 at the earliest, in order to meet their estimated completion by mid-2030.
In the meantime, the next BTO launch to look out for is the November 2026 exercise, where 7,960 flats across 7 projects will be up for grabs.
For more housing reads:
- $1.45M & $1.15M: Bedok South Horizon & Pasir Ris HDB Resale Flat Records
- HDB Grant Cheatsheet: How to get up to $230K in grants shaved off your flat
- HDB loan eligibility checklist 2026: What to know before applying
Cover image adapted from: @hongtatchee
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