Our mission
PropertyInsider.sg exists to give Singapore property buyers the kind of research usually available only to professionals — rigorous market analysis, a published price methodology, and primary-sourced data, presented clearly and updated as the market moves. Our standard is not that you take our word for it: it is that every figure carries its source, its method and its date, so you can check it.
We are not a listings portal and we do not carry paid listings, developer advertising, or sponsored coverage. Our editorial content is never influenced by developer marketing budgets or advertising relationships. Separately from this editorial operation, the publisher — Jamus Lee (CEA Reg. No. R065771E, ERA Realty Network Pte Ltd) — provides licensed property advisory services, and readers are welcome to contact him for personalised advice through the Contact an Advisor forms across the site. That advisory relationship is fully disclosed in the related interests section below and has no influence over what we publish. This separation is the foundation of everything on this site.
Our goal is to be the most trusted source for Singapore property research — a site that buyers, upgraders, investors, journalists, researchers and AI assistants can cite because its numbers hold up when someone checks them.
We publish what the data shows, not what developers or agents want buyers to hear. When a project is not suitable for short-term investors, we say so. When a price estimate carries uncertainty, we disclose that uncertainty and explain why. When we are wrong, we correct it publicly and log the change.
Data before opinion
Every claim is traced to a primary source. URA, HDB, BCA, and MAS data take precedence over secondary aggregations or press releases.
Uncertainty disclosed
We show confidence levels on price estimates and flag when data is preliminary. We do not present projections as certainties.
No sponsored content
We do not accept payment for editorial coverage. No project, developer, or agent has influenced any article or analysis published on this site.
Updated, not abandoned
Pages are maintained as the market changes. We log what changed, when, and why — not just quietly overwrite old content.
Research methodology
Every article and analysis published on PropertyInsider.sg is researched from primary sources. We do not rewrite press releases. We do not reproduce developer marketing copy. We do not rely on secondary aggregations when primary data is available.
For new launch research, our standard process is:
GLS source data
We obtain land bid data directly from URA's official GLS tender results — the confirmed land cost expressed as psf ppr from the awarded tender, not from secondary reports or media coverage.
Comparable transaction analysis
We pull recent caveats from URA REALIS for comparable projects in the same district, similar tenure, and similar development profile. We look at the last three to five comparable launches, not just the most recent data point.
Developer track record review
We assess the developer's previous projects: past launch prices versus actual transacted prices, price appreciation over time, TOP delivery timelines, and defect history where publicly documented.
Neighbourhood and connectivity verification
MRT and school distances are straight-line map measurements. For precise figures — walking distance or 1km/2km school eligibility — check OneMap directly. Amenities are cross-referenced against HDB's town directory and Google Maps.
Realised resale outcomes
We match every buy-and-sell pair we can in the surrounding district against our own compiled exit dataset — 149,329 matched exits across 683 completed projects — and report what those owners actually realised, including the 12.7% who sold at or below cost. Past outcomes are context for a location, never a forecast for a launch.
Verdict, with the counter-case
We write a verdict for each project covering three buyer profiles: own-stay family buyer, investment buyer, and HDB upgrader. Every project page carries at least one honest counter-case. We state clearly when a project suits one profile but is poorly matched for another.
Data sources
We cite every data point we publish. The following are our primary data sources and how we use them:
| Source | Data type | How we use it |
|---|---|---|
| URA REALIS | Transaction caveats, resale prices, rental contracts | Comparable launch PSF analysis, resale price benchmarks, rental yield projections |
| URA GLS website | Confirmed and reserve list sites, tender results, land bid prices | Price estimation inputs (land cost psf ppr), GLS pipeline tracking |
| URA Master Plan | Zoning, plot ratios, development control parameters | Neighbourhood analysis, development potential assessments |
| HDB website | Resale flat prices, BTO launches, town data | HDB upgrader catchment analysis, MOP timelines, resale price benchmarks |
| EdgeProp Singapore | Project-level transaction history, psf trends | Cross-referencing URA data, historical price charts |
| PropertyInsider matched-exit dataset | 149,329 matched buy-and-sell pairs across 683 completed projects, profitable and unprofitable | Realised resale returns by district, segment, entry year and holding period; project-level track records |
| EdgeProp development cost estimates | Project-level cost stacks: land, construction, financing, professional fees, marketing | The breakeven input to every launch price estimate, merged against our own tender records |
| MOE and OneMap | Primary school register, P1 ballot results, geocoding | School proximity bands and demand tiers on project pages and the schools map |
| BCA Building Cost Index | Construction cost benchmarks by building type | Construction cost inputs for the price estimation model |
| MAS | SORA rates, TDSR/MSR guidelines, financing policy | Interest rate context, affordability analysis, financing guides |
| Developer announcements | Official project details, price lists, floor plans | Project page updates once official information is released |
URA REALIS transaction data is typically released with a two to four week lag from the actual transaction date, so our comparable analysis reflects what was available at the time of writing. We note the data date on each page and update when materially new transactions appear.
The matched-exit dataset is our own compilation from URA caveat records. A pair counts as an exit only when the same unit's purchase and sale can both be identified. An exit is profitable only when realised profit is strictly positive — a zero-profit sale counts as unprofitable, because the seller still paid stamp duty going in and agent and legal fees coming out. Wherever we publish a median return we publish the share of exits that made money beside it, so a reader is never shown how large the gains were without being told how often they happened. Owners sitting on a paper loss can decline to sell, so the loss rate among all purchases is likely higher than the rate recorded on completed sales.
Price estimation methodology
Estimated launch prices are the feature that differentiates PropertyInsider.sg from other Singapore property sites. We publish an estimated launch range for pipeline projects before the developer announces one, with the full cost stack behind it and a back-test showing where the model has been wrong. The complete working is published at how we estimate launch prices; this section states the policy that governs it.
Estimated launch prices are our own projections from publicly available data and a published model. They are not endorsed by, supplied by, or checked with developers, and actual launch prices may differ materially. Always obtain the official price list from the developer or its appointed marketing agents before making any property decision.
The model is anchored on the developer's estimated breakeven — not on the land price. Land is the largest single line in a development budget but only about half of it, so any rule that multiplies the land rate alone will misprice a project badly. Our previous model did exactly that and was retired on 12 August 2026 for this reason.
Cost stack
Every cost the developer must recover: the awarded tender or collective sale price including betterment charges and lease premiums, the main build contract, interest carried on the land through the development period, professional, legal and tax costs, and marketing. We carry a published stack for each site in our land-sale register.
Source: EdgeProp Singapore development cost estimates, merged against our own URA tender recordsBreakeven
Total development cost divided by the gross floor area the site is permitted to build, expressed in dollars per square foot per plot ratio — the same unit as the land rate, so the two can be read side by side. Sell below it and the project loses money. Every stack in our register reproduces its stated breakeven from its own components and GFA.
Breakeven = total development cost ÷ GFA, in $ psf pprMeasured margin
We apply a margin band to the breakeven rate, based on what launched projects have actually achieved. But that markup isn't pure developer profit. Part of it comes from how the two are measured: breakeven psf is cost divided by total floor area built; price psf is selling price divided by the smaller floor area inside a buyer's unit — corridors and common property don't count. Spread the same dollar amount over a smaller area and the psf number rises on its own, with no extra dollars earned. So the +22.1% above isn't pure margin — some of it is this measurement difference, not money in the developer's pocket. Think of it as a pricing benchmark — where similar launches have landed — rather than spare cash a developer could hand back as a discount.
Median outcome across 42 launched projects: +22.1% over breakevenBack-test, published with its misses
The model is checked against every launched project in the register, and the distribution is published rather than summarised. Roughly half of launches land outside the band we publish. Two patterns explain most of them — prime central sites, where buyers are less price-led, and land vintage, where a site bought cheaply and launched years later clears far above a stale cost base. Where a project sits in either category, we flag it on its page and treat our published range as a starting point rather than a likely outcome — actual pricing tends to land above it.
Segment medians over breakeven: OCR +18.8% · RCR +20.2% · CCR +34.0%Published range
We publish a range rather than a point estimate, rounded to the nearest $10, tagged (est.) on first use, and shown alongside the cost stack that produced it. The same range appears on the project page, in the GLS pipeline tracker and in our data — one number from one model, so a reader never finds two different estimates for the same site.
Every estimate links back to the methodology page and its assumptionsAn estimate is not a price list, a valuation, a recommendation, or a forecast of what a unit will be worth later. A low estimate is not a bargain signal on its own — a handful of projects have launched at or below breakeven, which is what a developer does when the ABSD clock is running and clearing stock matters more than the margin on it.
Every page carrying an estimate discloses its inputs, its assumptions and the date they were last reviewed. When a developer releases an official price list, we update the page within 48 hours, log the change, and leave the original estimate on the record so it can be compared against the real number.
Editorial team
PropertyInsider.sg is produced by the PropertyInsider editorial team — a group of Singapore property researchers and analysts. We maintain the publication under a shared editorial identity rather than individual bylines, consistent with our position as a research publication rather than a personal blog.
Singapore new launch research, land tender analysis, market data, and price estimation from a published model. Questions, corrections, and tip-offs can be sent via our contact form. We read everything and aim to respond within two business days.
Our analytical work draws on the following disciplines: Singapore property market research, URA and HDB data analysis, mortgage and financing analysis, property valuation methodology, and investigative research practice.
PropertyInsider.sg is a research publication funded by the publisher’s advisory practice and by nothing else. Our content is for informational and educational purposes. Property advisory services are provided separately by Jamus Lee (CEA Reg. No. R065771E, ERA Realty Network Pte Ltd). Readers who want personalised advice may contact Jamus directly through the Contact an Advisor forms on this site or via JamusProperty.com — doing so is welcome, and it never affects the research we publish.
Update commitment
Stale content is a form of misinformation in property research. Prices change, tenders close, developers are awarded — a page that does not reflect these changes misleads rather than informs. Here is our update schedule by content type:
Project and GLS pages
- When GLS tender closes
- When developer is awarded
- When showflat preview opens
- When official price list is released
- Monthly after launch (URA caveat data)
Price trend pages
- Within 48hr of URA quarterly release
- Within 48hr of HDB resale data
- Matched-exit dataset rebuilt as new caveats land
- When SORA changes materially
- Annual full review each January
GLS pipeline tracker
- H1 confirmed list — December
- H2 confirmed list — June
- Reserve list additions — as announced
- Tender closings — within 48 hours
Calculators and tools
- ABSD / BSD rate changes — same day
- TDSR threshold changes — same day
- Annual tool audit each January
Every page that changes materially carries an update log at the bottom. The log shows what changed, when, and why — not just a timestamp saying "last updated."
Corrections policy
We make mistakes. When we do, we correct them promptly and transparently. We do not quietly edit errors without acknowledgement — that practice undermines the trust a research publication depends on.
Report an error
Use our contact form and include the page URL, the specific error, and the correct information with a source if possible. Anonymous reports are accepted.
We review within 48 hours
We verify the reported error against our original sources. If confirmed, we correct the page within 24 hours of verification, regardless of how the error reflects on us.
Correction is logged
All material corrections are recorded in the page's update history: "Correction [date]: [what was wrong] was updated to [what is correct]." The original error is described honestly.
We respond to the reporter
If you submitted the report via our contact form, we will reply to confirm the correction has been made. We are genuinely grateful when readers hold us accountable.
Typographical errors, formatting issues, and broken links are corrected silently — they do not affect the accuracy of the content. Material errors — incorrect figures, wrong data, misleading analysis — are corrected with a logged note. We draw this distinction honestly and err toward transparency when in doubt.
This editorial policy was last reviewed on 15 August 2026, when section 04 was rewritten to document the breakeven-based price model that replaced the retired land-multiplier method on 12 August 2026, and sections 02 and 03 were updated to cover the matched-exit resale dataset. It is reviewed annually and updated whenever our practices or standards change materially. The version history is available on request.
Advertising policy
PropertyInsider.sg does not carry advertising. We do not accept payment from developers, property agencies, mortgage brokers, or any commercial party for editorial coverage, featured placements, or sponsored content.
The site is funded by the publisher's advisory practice at JamusProperty.com. This funding relationship is disclosed in the footer of every page on this site and in the related interests section above. It does not confer any editorial influence over what we publish.
We do not use affiliate links to property listings portals or mortgage comparison platforms. If this policy changes, we will update this page and log the change with a date.
We will never publish a favourable review, estimate, or verdict because we have been paid to do so. We will never suppress negative analysis because of commercial pressure. We will never accept a project marketing arrangement that requires us to describe a development in terms set by its developer or agent. These are not aspirations — they are hard rules that apply without exception.
Sections 08 and 09 were added on 6 July 2026; the advisory services disclosure in section 08 was expanded on 10 July 2026 to expressly permit readers to contact Jamus Lee for advisory services. This editorial policy was last reviewed on 15 August 2026 and is reviewed annually or whenever our practices change materially.