The February 2026 BTO launch is now live and underway, with a total of 9,012 new flats, comprising 4,320 Sale of Balance Flats (SBF) units and 4,692 BTO flats offered across six projects in Bukit Merah, Sembawang, Tampines and Toa Payoh.
This time around, Tampines makes a return with not one but 2 BTO projects, named Tampines Nova and Tampines Bliss.
What makes this sales exercise particularly interesting is that both projects have been classified differently, with one being a Plus and the other a Standard. As we’ve seen with previous BTO launches, projects in the same estate aren’t necessarily classified the same, and as we unpack the two Tampines projects, we’ll see what makes them vastly different to warrant their classifications.
Read more about the other launches in the Feb 2026 BTO launch:
Tampines Nova: 255 units with Shorter Waiting Times
Image credit: HDB
Bounded by Tampines Avenue 5, Tampines Central 8, and Tampines Concourse, Tampines Nova offers 255 units of 2-room Flexi and 4-room flats, spread across 2 residential blocks of up to 14 storeys high. It is a relatively small BTO development; in fact, it’s one of the smallest in the last five years or so. The only other small BTO project that comes to mind is Telok Blangah Beacon, which was launched all the way back in May 2021 with 175 units. This will have implications on the competitiveness of flat applications, but more on that later.
As we correctly predicted in our earlier analysis, the lack of 5-room options and its proximity to an MRT station made it a strong contender for a Plus classification.
Image credit: HDB
The two residential blocks will be served by a 7-storey Multi-Storey Car Park (MSCP) which will also act as a privacy buffer from the adjacent commercial development. The MSCP building will house a preschool on the ground floor, as well as a roof garden that comes with additional fitness facilities, a community gardening area, and scenic views of the central courtyard and its surrounding greenery.
Another huge plus of Tampines Nova is that it is one of three projects in this BTO launch that have a shorter waiting time. At 32 months (2 years 8 months), it has a considerably shorter waiting time than many other BTO projects, making it a great pick for those looking to move in sooner.
Image credit: HDB
As with all modern BTO developments, there are various eco-friendly features introduced to promote green and sustainable living. This includes the likes of smart lighting in common areas to reduce energy usage, regenerative lifts to reduce energy consumption, and Active, Beautiful, Clean Waters design features to clean rainwater and beautify the landscapes.
In addition, the architecture in and around the project has been designed to promote the government’s Walk Cycle Run initiative. This means sheltered and well-connected pathways to allow convenient access for residents to walk and cycle more as part of their daily commutes, together with wayfinding and signages for orientation and navigation.
Great central location: Schools, amenities & an interchange station
Image credit: HDB
Right off the bat, its location is why we expect Tampines Nova to be the most popular and oversubscribed in this sales exercise━it is practically part of Tampines Central. It is quite uncommon for new BTO developments to be built directly next to town centres because any existing land would have already been developed, so it’s great that the government managed to carve out a small plot to house a new BTO project, even though it is a relatively small one.
Being located right next to Tampines Central brings about quite a few perks and benefits. For instance, there are three shopping malls right next to each other, and cumulatively they provide a comprehensive selection of retail, F&B, and entertainment options.
The town centre is also where Tampines MRT Station is, an interchange station for both the East-West Line and Downtown Line, providing convenient access to central and CBD locations like Raffles Place, Telok Ayer, Bayfront and Buona Vista, without having to exit.
There are also plenty of recreational options. Those who love sports and being active will gravitate towards Our Tampines Hub, which is an integrated community and lifestyle hub that combines shopping, dining, sports, and community facilities, alongside a stadium, sports hall, swimming complex, and gym. There are also a variety of nature parks peppered around Tampines.
And for families with school-going children, schools in the area include Poi Ching School, Tampines Primary School, Pasir Ris Secondary School, and St Hilda’s Primary and Secondary Schools.
Indicative prices of flats & subsidy clawback
Here are the indicative prices of flats:
| Selling Price (excl. grants) | Transacted prices of resale flats nearby | |
| 2-room Flexi | $197,000 – $292,000 | $420,000 – $440,000 |
| 4-room | $459,000 – $602,000 | $738,000 – $828,000 |
Overall, prices for Tampines Nova’s 2-room Flexi and 4-room flats are quite affordable, which is wild considering that it’s located right at the heart of Tampines Central, next to the MRT station. There really isn’t much basis for comparison between Tampines Nova and Tampines Bliss because Nova only has 2-room Flexi and 4-room flats while Bliss has 3-room and 4-room flats; in any case, 4-room flats at Tampines Bliss have been priced from $363,000-$444,000, whereas Tampines Nova’s 4-room flats are priced much higher at $459,000-$602,000.
As a Plus project, Tampines Nova will be tied to several sales restrictions, such as a 10-year Minimum Occupation Period (MOP) as well as a subsidy recovery upon resale. This is a percentage of the resale or valuation price, whichever is higher, of the flat upon selling the flat that is payable back to the HDB. In the case of Tampines Nova, this has been set at a very modest 6%.
Check if you are eligible for a housing grant, & how much
As always, grants such as the Enhanced CPF Housing Grant (EHG) are available to those who are eligible, and the amount is dependent on applicants’ income level.
For instance, eligible first-timer families with a monthly household income of $7,000 can receive an EHG of up to $30,000, which allows them to purchase a 3-room flat in any project or a 4-room in any of the Standard and Plus projects, with little to no cash outlay.
As with every property purchase, be sure to do a finance check to ensure that the flat option you are planning to pursue is something within your means. The HDB also reminds flat buyers to be aware of the current Loan-to-Value (LTV) limit of 75% for HDB housing loans, so be sure to go for the flat that you can reasonably afford.
Tampines Nova: excellent location, but expect very considerable competition
All in all, there are many things to love about Tampines Nova, even if you’ve never been an Eastie. The proximity to three shopping malls and an MRT station, coupled with it being a Shorter Waiting Time project, makes it an extremely attractive pick.
Of course, a considerable downside is that Tampines Nova has only 225 units. With such a limited supply and with such favourable locational attributes at a fairly affordable price, it is highly likely that demand will be sky-high, resulting in very significant oversubscription. If you’re anxious about securing a flat and can’t afford to miss out on one, then it’ll be worth considering choosing the other Tampines project instead.
In any case, BTO applications are not first-come-first-served. As such, there is no rush to apply, as long as you do so before the 11th February, 11:59pm deadline. You can track the application rates for each BTO project on HDB’s website, which will be updated regularly during the 8-day application window to get a sense of how popular each project is, and make your choice thereafter.
For more reads:
- All there is to know about HDB BTO Feb 2026 launch
- Guide to renting out your HDB before your MOP is up
- HDB resident perks & town council subsidies
Cover image adapted from: HDB
Drop us your email so you won't miss the latest news.
