Which resale ECs stand out in 2026?
Seven executive condominiums stand out on our data: The Vales, Esparina Residences, Prive, Citylife@Tampines, The Brownstone, Sol Acres and Hundred Palms Residences. Each passes our rail, school and daily-needs tests, and each leads the field on one of them. Two still sell below private condos of a similar age nearby. Hundred Palms is the exception on price: it costs more than a brand-new EC.
Six terms used in this article
- ECExecutive condominium. A private condo sold first under HDB rules, with income limits and a minimum stay
- MOPMinimum occupation period. Five years from completion for the ECs here, before an owner may sell
- Fully privateFrom 10 years after completion an EC can be sold to anyone, including foreigners
- psfPrice per square foot of the unit
- Phase 2CThe primary school registration stage for families with no link to the school, where distance decides who gets in
- OCROutside Central Region. URA's term for the towns beyond the city fringe, where almost every EC sits
How much cheaper is a resale EC than a resale condo now?
About 9% cheaper, down from 11% in 2022. In our matched resale records the median resale EC sold at $1,469 psf in 2026, across 1,241 sales. Resale condos in the OCR sold at $1,610.
That narrowing is the old EC trade, and it has mostly played out. Buyers entered below private prices and sold close to them. EdgeProp figures presented by ERA, quoted in our analysis of the new EC rules, put the 2026 gap at about 4%. Their data covers all resales, while ours counts only units where we have both the purchase and the sale, which is why the numbers differ. Both say the same thing: most of the discount is gone.
Part of the narrowing is also a change in mix. Newer ECs, completed from 2013 onwards, reached their fifth year and joined the resale market. They sell for more than the 1990s ECs that made up the pool before. So read the chart as a trend, not a precise index.
How did we pick the seven?
We started with all 50 ECs that have at least 100 resales in our data. That floor keeps out estates where a handful of sales could mislead. Then we applied four tests. Each is a yes or no, so you can check our working.
| Test | Passes if | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Rail | An MRT or LRT station within a 10-minute walk, or a committed new MRT station within 600 metres opening by 2030 | Rail access is what resale buyers ask about first |
| Schools | At least two primary schools within 1 km, one in high or very high demand at Phase 2C | Families are most of the EC buyer pool |
| Daily needs | A shopping mall and a hawker centre within 1 km | Groceries and food without a car |
| Price | Median resale psf in the last 12 months below $1,794, Coastal Cabana's average | Coastal Cabana is the only new EC on sale. Above its price, a resale EC has to justify itself |
18 ECs passed all four tests and 21 passed three. From that group we took the leader on each strength. That gave us the shortest walk, the best MRT walk, the most popular schools, the most amenities and the best link in the north. We added Sol Acres, which misses only the hawker test, for its yield and depth of record. And we added Hundred Palms Residences, which misses only on price, because a new MRT line is being built next to it.
How do the seven compare at a glance?
| EC | Best for | District | TOP | Median psf (12 mths) | Typical price | Walk to rail | Yield | Tests passed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Vales | Best for a train at the door | D19 Sengkang | 2017 | $1,621 | $1,488,000 | 1 min | 3.4% | 4/4 |
| Esparina Residences | Best MRT walk | D19 Sengkang | 2013 | $1,728 | $1,790,000 | 4 min | 3.1% | 4/4 |
| Prive | Best for primary schools | D19 Punggol | 2013 | $1,585 | $1,740,000 | 5 min | 3.4% | 4/4 |
| Citylife@Tampines | Best for daily needs | D18 Tampines | 2016 | $1,667 | $2,027,000 | 9 min | 3.1% | 4/4 |
| The Brownstone | Best in the north | D27 Sembawang | 2017 | $1,537 | $1,465,000 | 6 min | 3.7% | 4/4 |
| Sol Acres | Best for rental yield | D23 Choa Chu Kang | 2018 | $1,536 | $1,275,000 | 5 min | 3.9% | 3/4 |
| Hundred Palms Residences | The rail-catalyst pick | D19 Hougang | 2019 | $1,942 | $1,920,000 | 25 min | 2.8% | 3/4 |
Best for a train at the door
Why is The Vales on the list?
The Vales is the closest any EC on our list gets to a train. Cheng Lim LRT station sits about 65 metres from the estate, a one-minute walk. From there the Sengkang LRT runs to Sengkang MRT on the North East Line. Five primary schools sit within a kilometre. Three of them are in high or very high demand at Phase 2C, the stage open to families with no link to the school.
It is also one of only two picks that still sells below its private neighbours. The last 12 months of resales came in at a median of $1,621 psf. Private condos of a similar age within 1.5 km, such as La Fiesta and The Luxurie, sold at a median of $1,722. That is about 6% less for a home of the same vintage.
Plus points for The Vales
- All 266 recorded resales made money, at a median of 7.4% a year.
- Compass One and Anchorvale Village, with a hawker centre, are both under 600 metres away.
Minus points for The Vales
- The LRT adds a change of train before you reach the North East Line. Door to city is slower than the walk suggests.
- Foreign buyers cannot purchase until about 2027, so the buyer pool stays limited to citizens and PRs until then.
The Vales at a glance
- District / townD19, Sengkang
- Completed (TOP) / units2017 / 517 homes
- Lease left (99 years from 2014)about 87 years
- Open to foreign buyersfrom about 2027 (est.)
- Resales on record266, 100.0% made money
- Median resale psf, last 12 months$1,621 (42 sales)
- Typical price paid, last 12 monthsabout $1,488,000
- Gross rental yield3.4% (113 rent contracts)
- Nearest stationCheng Lim LRT, 1 min walk (65 m)
- Malls within 1 kmCompass One 553 m; Anchorvale Village 558 m
- Hawker centre within 1 kmAnchorvale Village Hawker Centre 558 m
Primary schools within 1 km (straight line)
- Springdale Primary444 m · Moderate demand
- Compassvale Primary549 m · High demand
- Nan Chiau Primary593 m · Very high demand
- Punggol Green Primary815 m · Very high demand
- Anchor Green Primary967 m · Vacancies available
See every recorded resale at The Vales in our resale data.
Best MRT walk
Why is Esparina Residences on the list?
Esparina Residences has the best heavy-rail access of the eighteen ECs that pass all four tests. Buangkok MRT on the North East Line is about four minutes away on foot. Sengkang Grand Mall and Buangkok Hawker Centre sit next to the station, around 190 metres from the estate.
It completed in 2013, so it passed its tenth year in about 2023. That makes it a fully private condo. Anyone may buy it, including foreigners, and no EC rules apply. The trade-off is lease: about 83 years remain, the shortest of the seven picks.
Plus points for Esparina Residences
- The widest buyer pool of any pick, since it is already fully private.
- Prices rose about 7.4% a year from 2022 to 2026, from $1,323 to $1,764 psf.
Minus points for Esparina Residences
- At $1,728 psf it now sells about 11% above private condos of a similar age nearby. Jewel @ Buangkok, next door, is the exception at about $1,841.
- Only one of the five schools within a kilometre, Punggol Primary, is in high demand.
Esparina Residences at a glance
- District / townD19, Sengkang
- Completed (TOP) / units2013 / 573 homes
- Lease left (99 years from 2010)about 83 years
- Open to foreign buyerssince about 2023
- Resales on record172, 100.0% made money
- Median resale psf, last 12 months$1,728 (31 sales)
- Typical price paid, last 12 monthsabout $1,790,000
- Gross rental yield3.1% (150 rent contracts)
- Nearest stationBuangkok MRT, 4 min walk (237 m)
- Malls within 1 kmSengkang Grand Mall 192 m; Hougang Green Shopping Mall 480 m
- Hawker centre within 1 kmBuangkok Hawker Centre 192 m
Primary schools within 1 km (straight line)
- Palm View Primary217 m · Moderate demand
- North Vista Primary510 m · Vacancies available
- Punggol Primary550 m · High demand
- Yio Chu Kang Primary788 m · Vacancies available
- Montfort Junior Primary937 m · Vacancies available
See every recorded resale at Esparina Residences in our resale data.
Best for primary schools
Why is Prive on the list?
Prive in Punggol has more primary schools within a kilometre than any other EC that passes all four tests: eight. Five of them, including Punggol Green, Horizon and Rivervale, were in high or very high demand at Phase 2C. Cove LRT is about five minutes away. Waterway Point mall is about 600 metres off.
A note on distance. The figures here are straight-line estimates from the estate's centre point, not MOE's home-to-school distance, which is measured differently. Check the exact address on OneMap's school query before you rely on a 1 km band. Prive completed in 2013 and is already fully private.
Plus points for Prive
- It sells about 4% below private condos of a similar age nearby: $1,585 against $1,651 psf.
- 190 resales on record. The single one that did not make money sold at exactly its purchase price.
Minus points for Prive
- About 83 years of lease remain, and that number falls every year you hold.
- Two of the eight schools are the kind that fill without a ballot. Popular schools near you do not guarantee a place.
Prive at a glance
- District / townD19, Punggol
- Completed (TOP) / units2013 / 680 homes
- Lease left (99 years from 2010)about 83 years
- Open to foreign buyerssince about 2023
- Resales on record190, 99.5% made money
- Median resale psf, last 12 months$1,585 (27 sales)
- Typical price paid, last 12 monthsabout $1,740,000
- Gross rental yield3.4% (201 rent contracts)
- Nearest stationCove LRT, 5 min walk (317 m)
- Malls within 1 kmWaterway Point 608 m; Oasis Terraces 998 m
- Hawker centre within 1 kmOne Punggol Hawker Centre 813 m
Primary schools within 1 km (straight line)
- Edgefield Primary368 m · Vacancies available
- Punggol View Primary443 m · Moderate demand
- Punggol Green Primary620 m · Very high demand
- Oasis Primary808 m · Vacancies available
- Valour Primary850 m · High demand
- Mee Toh Primary875 m · High demand
- Rivervale Primary898 m · Very high demand
- Horizon Primary985 m · Very high demand
See every recorded resale at Prive in our resale data.
Best for daily needs
Why is Citylife@Tampines on the list?
Citylife@Tampines has more within a kilometre than any other EC on our list. That means three malls (Eastlink, Tampines 1 and Our Tampines Hub), two hawker centres and a park. Tampines MRT, an interchange for the East-West and Downtown lines, is about nine minutes away. Three primary schools nearby are in very high demand: Angsana, Gongshang and Poi Ching.
You pay for that. The median resale here was $1,667 psf over the last 12 months, about 11% above private condos of a similar age within 1.5 km. Units are large, so the typical cheque was about $2,027,000, the highest of the seven.
Plus points for Citylife@Tampines
- Prices rose about 8.1% a year from 2022 to 2026, the fastest of the picks over that stretch.
- It reaches its tenth year in about 2026, which opens it to foreign buyers.
Minus points for Citylife@Tampines
- The highest quantum of the picks. A bigger loan means a tighter fit under the 55% debt limit.
- Gross rental yield is 3.1%, lower than the picks further out.
Citylife@Tampines at a glance
- District / townD18, Tampines
- Completed (TOP) / units2016 / 514 homes
- Lease left (99 years from 2012)about 85 years
- Open to foreign buyerssince about 2026
- Resales on record155, 100.0% made money
- Median resale psf, last 12 months$1,667 (31 sales)
- Typical price paid, last 12 monthsabout $2,027,000
- Gross rental yield3.1% (107 rent contracts)
- Nearest stationTampines MRT, 9 min walk (617 m)
- Future stationTampines North (CR6), 1,163 m, target 2030
- Malls within 1 kmEastlink Mall 635 m; Tampines 1 687 m
- Hawker centre within 1 kmHawker Centre @ Our Tampines Hub 722 m
Primary schools within 1 km (straight line)
- Angsana Primary523 m · Very high demand
- Poi Ching Primary730 m · Very high demand
- Tampines North Primary787 m · Vacancies available
- Gongshang Primary825 m · Very high demand
See every recorded resale at Citylife@Tampines in our resale data.
Are the picks cheaper than private condos next door?
Mostly not. Only The Vales and Prive sell below private condos of a similar age within 1.5 km. The other five now sell at or above them, by 2% to 14%. Resale buyers are treating these ECs as private condos, and some are paying a premium for newer buildings and larger units.
- The Vales $1,621 vs $1,722 -6%
- Esparina Residences $1,728 vs $1,560 +11%
- Prive $1,585 vs $1,651 -4%
- Citylife@Tampines $1,667 vs $1,506 +11%
- The Brownstone $1,537 vs $1,346 +14%
- Sol Acres $1,536 vs $1,382 +11%
- Hundred Palms Residences $1,942 vs $1,896 +2%
Against a new EC, though, all but one still look cheaper. Our estimates for the next three EC launches start at $1,820 psf for Solano Grand. A resale EC also comes with no income ceiling, and its first owners have already served the minimum stay. You can live in it now rather than in 2030.
Best in the north
Why is The Brownstone on the list?
The Brownstone is the north's best-connected EC that passes all four tests. Canberra MRT on the North South Line is about six minutes on foot. Canberra Plaza and Sembawang Shopping Centre are each about 500 metres away, with Bukit Canberra Hawker Centre a little further.
It also sits next to the newest EC land in Singapore. The Canberra Drive EC site, about 170 metres away, drew a provisional top bid of $825 psf ppr in October 2026. Our Canberra Drive (EC) estimate puts a future launch at $1,900 to $2,150 psf (est.). The Brownstone resells at a median of $1,537.
Plus points for The Brownstone
- Two schools within a kilometre are in high or very high demand: Sembawang and Wellington.
- 272 resales, all profitable, at a median of 6.7% a year.
Minus points for The Brownstone
- It sells about 14% above the two older private condos nearby, The Nautical and Eight Courtyards.
- Two newer condos close by, The Commodore and The Watergardens at Canberra, resell near $1,725 to $1,730 psf. More private stock is landing in this corner of Sembawang.
The Brownstone at a glance
- District / townD27, Sembawang
- Completed (TOP) / units2017 / 638 homes
- Lease left (99 years from 2014)about 87 years
- Open to foreign buyersfrom about 2027 (est.)
- Resales on record272, 100.0% made money
- Median resale psf, last 12 months$1,537 (37 sales)
- Typical price paid, last 12 monthsabout $1,465,000
- Gross rental yield3.7% (196 rent contracts)
- Nearest stationCanberra MRT, 6 min walk (431 m)
- Malls within 1 kmCanberra Plaza 501 m; Sembawang Shopping Centre 518 m
- Hawker centre within 1 kmBukit Canberra Hawker Centre 537 m
Primary schools within 1 km (straight line)
- Sembawang Primary680 m · High demand
- Wellington Primary834 m · Very high demand
See every recorded resale at The Brownstone in our resale data.
Best for rental yield
Why is Sol Acres on the list?
Sol Acres has more resales on record than any EC completed in the last 15 years: 576 since late 2021, every one profitable. It is also large, at 1,327 homes, so there are usually units on the market. Keat Hong LRT is about five minutes away and connects to Choa Chu Kang MRT.
It has the best gross rental yield of the picks, at 3.9%, from 253 lodged rent contracts. The typical resale cost about $1,275,000, the lowest cheque of the seven. Brickland, a new North South Line station, is planned about 840 metres away, with a target of 2034.
Plus points for Sol Acres
- The cheapest entry on our list, and the best yield.
- South View Primary, about 700 metres away, is in very high demand.
Minus points for Sol Acres
- Sol Acres misses our daily-needs test. Our dataset finds no hawker centre within a kilometre, though Teck Whye and Keat Hong shopping centres are close.
- It sells about 11% above older private condos nearby such as Hillsta. A 2034 station target is a long wait.
Sol Acres at a glance
- District / townD23, Choa Chu Kang
- Completed (TOP) / units2018 / 1,327 homes
- Lease left (99 years from 2014)about 87 years
- Open to foreign buyersfrom about 2028 (est.)
- Resales on record576, 100.0% made money
- Median resale psf, last 12 months$1,536 (72 sales)
- Typical price paid, last 12 monthsabout $1,275,000
- Gross rental yield3.9% (253 rent contracts)
- Nearest stationKeat Hong LRT, 5 min walk (306 m)
- Future stationBrickland (NS3A), 844 m, target 2034
- Malls within 1 kmTeck Whye Shopping Centre 501 m; Keat Hong Shopping Centre 688 m
- Hawker centre within 1 kmNone within 1 km in our dataset
Primary schools within 1 km (straight line)
- South View Primary707 m · Very high demand
- Teck Whye Primary956 m · Vacancies available
- Chua Chu Kang Primary977 m · High demand
See every recorded resale at Sol Acres in our resale data.
The rail-catalyst pick
Why is Hundred Palms Residences on the list?
Hundred Palms Residences is the most expensive resale EC in our data, and the one with the clearest future change. Serangoon North station on the Cross Island Line is being built about 510 metres away. LTA expects the first phase of the line to be completed by 2030. Today, the nearest MRT is Kovan, about 25 minutes on foot.
Schools are its other strength. Rosyth and Xinmin primary schools, both in very high demand at Phase 2C, are within a kilometre. Hougang 1 mall is about 380 metres away. The estate completed in 2019, so it opens to foreign buyers in about 2029 (est.).
Plus points for Hundred Palms Residences
- All 138 resales made money. Most sold in 2025, the year owners first could, at a median gain of $990,000.
- Median resale prices rose from $1,830 psf in 2025 to $2,012 in 2026.
Minus points for Hundred Palms Residences
- It fails our price test. At $1,942 psf it costs more than Coastal Cabana, a brand-new EC. It is also about 2% above private condos of a similar age nearby, such as The Florence Residences.
- The lowest yield of the picks, at 2.8%. Those $990,000 gains went to owners who bought at the 2017 launch, not to today's buyer.
Hundred Palms Residences at a glance
- District / townD19, Hougang
- Completed (TOP) / units2019 / 531 homes
- Lease left (99 years from 2016)about 89 years
- Open to foreign buyersfrom about 2029 (est.)
- Resales on record138, 100.0% made money
- Median resale psf, last 12 months$1,942 (47 sales)
- Typical price paid, last 12 monthsabout $1,920,000
- Gross rental yield2.8% (66 rent contracts)
- Nearest stationKovan MRT, 25 min walk (1,641 m)
- Future stationSerangoon North (CR9), 512 m, target 2030
- Malls within 1 kmHougang 1 382 m; Hougang Village 945 m
- Hawker centre within 1 kmCi Yuan Hawker Centre 653 m
Primary schools within 1 km (straight line)
- Rosyth Primary324 m · Very high demand
- Xinmin Primary625 m · Very high demand
- Hougang Primary700 m · Moderate demand
See every recorded resale at Hundred Palms Residences in our resale data.
How have prices moved at the seven since 2022?
Steadily up, at roughly 5% to 8% a year. The dotted line in each panel is $1,794 psf, what a new EC costs today. Hundred Palms crossed it in 2025.
These are prices that sellers achieved, not returns that a buyer today will get. Recent sellers at The Vales and Sol Acres paid a median of about $790 to $820 psf at launch. A buyer paying $1,500 to $1,700 psf now starts from a different place.
Which other resale ECs passed every test?
Eighteen ECs passed all four tests. The eleven we did not feature are still worth a look. The deepest records among them belong to Woodsvale, The Rivervale, Bellewaters, The Visionaire, The Topiary, Parc Life, Treasure Crest, Austville Residences. The full screen is below, sorted by tests passed and then by price growth since 2022. Click a name for its full resale record.
| EC | District | TOP | Resales | Recent psf | Nearest rail and walk | Rail | Schools | Daily needs | Price | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Citylife@Tampines pick | D18 | 2016 | 155 | $1,667 | Tampines MRT, 9 min | ✓ pass | ✓ pass | ✓ pass | ✓ pass | 4/4 |
| Prive pick | D19 | 2013 | 190 | $1,585 | Cove LRT, 5 min | ✓ pass | ✓ pass | ✓ pass | ✓ pass | 4/4 |
| Esparina Residences pick | D19 | 2013 | 172 | $1,728 | Buangkok MRT, 4 min | ✓ pass | ✓ pass | ✓ pass | ✓ pass | 4/4 |
| The Vales pick | D19 | 2017 | 266 | $1,621 | Cheng Lim LRT, 1 min | ✓ pass | ✓ pass | ✓ pass | ✓ pass | 4/4 |
| The Topiary | D28 | 2016 | 270 | $1,548 | Fernvale LRT, 9 min | ✓ pass | ✓ pass | ✓ pass | ✓ pass | 4/4 |
| Waterbay | D19 | 2016 | 122 | $1,490 | Cove LRT, 5 min | ✓ pass | ✓ pass | ✓ pass | ✓ pass | 4/4 |
| Bellewaters | D19 | 2017 | 320 | $1,560 | Farmway LRT, 6 min | ✓ pass | ✓ pass | ✓ pass | ✓ pass | 4/4 |
| Woodsvale | D25 | 2000 | 837 | $936 | Admiralty MRT, 10 min | ✓ pass | ✓ pass | ✓ pass | ✓ pass | 4/4 |
| Austville Residences | D19 | 2014 | 183 | $1,372 | Kangkar LRT, 5 min | ✓ pass | ✓ pass | ✓ pass | ✓ pass | 4/4 |
| 1 Canberra | D27 | 2015 | 159 | $1,316 | Canberra MRT, 9 min | ✓ pass | ✓ pass | ✓ pass | ✓ pass | 4/4 |
| Lush Acres | D28 | 2016 | 121 | $1,450 | Layar LRT, 5 min | ✓ pass | ✓ pass | ✓ pass | ✓ pass | 4/4 |
| Skypark Residences | D27 | 2016 | 156 | $1,455 | Sembawang MRT, 10 min | ✓ pass | ✓ pass | ✓ pass | ✓ pass | 4/4 |
| Treasure Crest | D19 | 2018 | 193 | $1,593 | Cheng Lim LRT, 4 min | ✓ pass | ✓ pass | ✓ pass | ✓ pass | 4/4 |
| The Visionaire | D27 | 2018 | 291 | $1,517 | Canberra MRT, 9 min | ✓ pass | ✓ pass | ✓ pass | ✓ pass | 4/4 |
| The Rivervale | D19 | 2000 | 548 | $1,125 | Ranggung LRT, 7 min | ✓ pass | ✓ pass | ✓ pass | ✓ pass | 4/4 |
| The Brownstone pick | D27 | 2017 | 272 | $1,537 | Canberra MRT, 6 min | ✓ pass | ✓ pass | ✓ pass | ✓ pass | 4/4 |
| Parc Life | D27 | 2018 | 255 | $1,432 | Sembawang MRT, 9 min | ✓ pass | ✓ pass | ✓ pass | ✓ pass | 4/4 |
| Rivercove Residences | D19 | 2020 | 133 | $1,635 | Layar LRT, 6 min | ✓ pass | ✓ pass | ✓ pass | ✓ pass | 4/4 |
| Hundred Palms Residences pick | D19 | 2019 | 138 | $1,942 | Kovan MRT, 25 min; Serangoon North 2030 | ✓ pass | ✓ pass | ✓ pass | – miss | 3/4 |
| The Floravale | D22 | 2000 | 770 | $1,120 | Pioneer MRT, 22 min; Gek Poh 2028 | ✓ pass | ✓ pass | – miss | ✓ pass | 3/4 |
| The Criterion | D27 | 2018 | 242 | $1,382 | Khatib MRT, 21 min | – miss | ✓ pass | ✓ pass | ✓ pass | 3/4 |
| Twin Waterfalls | D19 | 2015 | 180 | $1,572 | Soo Teck LRT, 5 min | ✓ pass | ✓ pass | – miss | ✓ pass | 3/4 |
| The Tampines Trilliant | D18 | 2015 | 218 | $1,746 | Tampines MRT, 11 min | – miss | ✓ pass | ✓ pass | ✓ pass | 3/4 |
| Sol Acres pick | D23 | 2018 | 576 | $1,536 | Keat Hong LRT, 5 min | ✓ pass | ✓ pass | – miss | ✓ pass | 3/4 |
| Waterwoods | D19 | 2015 | 105 | $1,500 | Coral Edge LRT, 4 min | ✓ pass | ✓ pass | – miss | ✓ pass | 3/4 |
| The Amore | D19 | 2016 | 175 | $1,492 | Oasis LRT, 5 min | ✓ pass | ✓ pass | – miss | ✓ pass | 3/4 |
| The Terrace | D19 | 2017 | 298 | $1,556 | Kadaloor LRT, 3 min | ✓ pass | ✓ pass | – miss | ✓ pass | 3/4 |
| Riverparc Residence | D19 | 2014 | 135 | $1,441 | Kadaloor LRT, 4 min | ✓ pass | ✓ pass | – miss | ✓ pass | 3/4 |
| Wandervale | D23 | 2018 | 133 | $1,604 | Keat Hong LRT, 7 min | ✓ pass | ✓ pass | – miss | ✓ pass | 3/4 |
| Ecopolitan | D19 | 2016 | 192 | $1,469 | Soo Teck LRT, 8 min | ✓ pass | ✓ pass | – miss | ✓ pass | 3/4 |
| Westwood Residences | D22 | 2017 | 181 | $1,415 | Pioneer MRT, 25 min; Gek Poh 2028 | ✓ pass | ✓ pass | – miss | ✓ pass | 3/4 |
| Summerdale | D22 | 2000 | 430 | $1,004 | Boon Lay MRT, 13 min | – miss | ✓ pass | ✓ pass | ✓ pass | 3/4 |
| Watercolours | D18 | 2014 | 139 | $1,224 | Pasir Ris MRT, 18 min | – miss | ✓ pass | ✓ pass | ✓ pass | 3/4 |
| Yew Mei Green | D23 | 2000 | 727 | $1,054 | Yew Tee MRT, 8 min | ✓ pass | – miss | ✓ pass | ✓ pass | 3/4 |
| Sea Horizon | D18 | 2016 | 161 | $1,303 | Pasir Ris MRT, 17 min | – miss | ✓ pass | ✓ pass | ✓ pass | 3/4 |
| Blossom Residences | D23 | 2014 | 147 | $1,280 | Segar LRT, 3 min | ✓ pass | – miss | ✓ pass | ✓ pass | 3/4 |
| Northoaks | D25 | 2000 | 947 | $903 | Admiralty MRT, 12 min | – miss | ✓ pass | ✓ pass | ✓ pass | 3/4 |
| Signature at Yishun | D27 | 2017 | 224 | $1,278 | Khatib MRT, 20 min | – miss | ✓ pass | ✓ pass | ✓ pass | 3/4 |
| Inz Residence | D23 | 2019 | 154 | $1,475 | South View LRT, 14 min; Choa Chu Kang West 2028 | ✓ pass | ✓ pass | – miss | ✓ pass | 3/4 |
| The Eden at Tampines | D18 | 2003 | 419 | $1,243 | Tampines East MRT, 7 min | ✓ pass | – miss | – miss | ✓ pass | 2/4 |
| Heron Bay | D19 | 2015 | 150 | $1,444 | Kangkar LRT, 12 min | – miss | ✓ pass | – miss | ✓ pass | 2/4 |
| Lake Life | D22 | 2016 | 154 | $1,482 | Lakeside MRT, 21 min | – miss | – miss | ✓ pass | ✓ pass | 2/4 |
| Twin Fountains | D25 | 2016 | 109 | $1,336 | Woodlands South MRT, 13 min | – miss | – miss | ✓ pass | ✓ pass | 2/4 |
| Simei Green Condominium | D18 | 1999 | 652 | $1,098 | Upper Changi MRT, 6 min | ✓ pass | – miss | – miss | ✓ pass | 2/4 |
| La Casa | D25 | 2008 | 115 | $1,059 | Woodlands South MRT, 11 min | – miss | – miss | ✓ pass | ✓ pass | 2/4 |
| Bellewoods | D25 | 2017 | 214 | $1,345 | Admiralty MRT, 13 min | – miss | – miss | ✓ pass | ✓ pass | 2/4 |
| Forestville | D25 | 2016 | 175 | $1,239 | Woodlands South MRT, 11 min | – miss | – miss | ✓ pass | ✓ pass | 2/4 |
| Arc at Tampines | D18 | 2014 | 159 | $1,406 | Tampines West MRT, 20 min | – miss | – miss | – miss | ✓ pass | 1/4 |
| Whitewater | D18 | 2005 | 439 | $1,115 | Pasir Ris MRT, 26 min; Elias 2032 | – miss | – miss | – miss | ✓ pass | 1/4 |
| Northwave | D25 | 2019 | 149 | $1,262 | Admiralty MRT, 17 min | – miss | – miss | – miss | ✓ pass | 1/4 |
Two near misses deserve a mention. Westwood Residences in Jurong West and Inz Residence in Choa Chu Kang pass our rail test on a future line. Each is about 500 metres from a Jurong Region Line station that LTA has scheduled for 2028. Both fail our daily-needs test, since our data has no hawker centre within a kilometre of either. They are the cheapest way on this list to buy ahead of a new line, at $1,415 and $1,475 psf.
Who can buy a resale EC, and what does it cost?
Until an EC is 10 years from its completion, only Singapore Citizens and Permanent Residents can buy it, according to HDB. After that, anyone can, including foreigners and companies. A resale EC has no income ceiling, and the five-year minimum stay applies to the first owners, who have already served it.
It counts as private property for stamp duty. A citizen who keeps an HDB flat and buys a resale EC pays 20% Additional Buyer's Stamp Duty. That is the rate IRAS has applied since 27 April 2023. On the $1,488,000 typical price at The Vales, that is about $298,000. Run your own numbers in our stamp duty calculator. PR households that own an HDB flat must sell it within six months of buying a resale EC.
What makes resale ECs less attractive now?
Three things to take note.
- The discount has mostly closed. The gap to resale OCR condos was about 11% in 2022 and 9% in 2026 in our data. Five of our seven picks already sell above private neighbours of a similar age. The catch-up that made past EC owners money is largely done.
- Past gains belonged to launch buyers. Every resale at Hundred Palms made money, at a median of $990,000. Those owners paid a median of about $850 psf at the 2017 launch. Today's buyer pays more than twice that.
- Supply arrives in waves. Each EC can be resold only once its fifth year passes, so a whole estate comes to market at once. Rivercove Residences in Sengkang reached that point in 2025 and recorded 127 resales in the past 12 months. Waves like this can cap prices for a while.
The new EC rules cut both ways. ECs on land sold from 8 May 2026 carry a ten-year minimum stay. That could make today's five-year stock scarcer. It could also lead developers to bid less for land, which would make new ECs cheaper and pull resale prices down. Our Canberra Drive tender analysis found no sign of cheaper land yet.
The short version
What we found
- Resale ECs screened50 with 100+ resales; 18 pass all four tests
- EC discount to OCR resale condosAbout 9% in 2026, from 11% in 2022
- Below private neighboursOnly The Vales (−6%) and Prive (−4%)
- Best railThe Vales (LRT, 1 min); Esparina (MRT, 4 min)
- Best schoolsPrive: 8 within 1 km, 5 in high demand
- Best yield and lowest priceSol Acres: 3.9%, about $1,275,000
- Hundred Palms ResidencesStrong schools and a 2030 MRT, but priced above a new EC
So what should you do with this?
- Decide what you are paying for first. Rail, schools or space: each pick wins on one, and none wins on all.
- Compare any resale EC against the private condo next door, not just against other ECs. Our resale pages show both.
- Check the exact completion date with HDB if foreign buyers or ABSD matter to your plans.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best resale EC to buy in 2026?
There is no single best one. We screened 50 resale ECs with at least 100 resales on four tests: rail, primary schools, daily needs and price. 18 passed all four. Seven stood out, each on one strength. They are The Vales, Esparina Residences, Prive, Citylife@Tampines, The Brownstone, Sol Acres and Hundred Palms Residences.
Is Hundred Palms Residences a good buy?
It depends on what you pay for. Hundred Palms Residences in Hougang has two very-high-demand schools nearby, Rosyth and Xinmin. A Cross Island Line station is being built about 510 metres away, and LTA expects the line by 2030. But its median resale price was $1,942 psf over the last 12 months. That is above Coastal Cabana, a new EC, and above private condos of a similar age nearby. Buyers are paying today for a train line that opens later.
When can foreigners buy Hundred Palms Residences?
An EC can be sold to foreigners once it is more than 10 years from its Temporary Occupation Permit (TOP). Hundred Palms Residences completed in 2019, so we estimate that point at about 2029. HDB holds the exact TOP date, so check it before you plan around it.
Who can buy a resale EC in Singapore?
Before an EC is 10 years from its TOP, the buyer must be a Singapore Citizen or Permanent Resident, aged 21 or older. After 10 years, anyone can buy, including foreigners and companies. There is no income ceiling for a resale EC, unlike a new one. PR households who own an HDB flat must sell it within six months of buying.
Do I pay ABSD on a resale EC if I already own an HDB flat?
Yes, if you keep the flat. A resale EC counts as a private property. A Singapore Citizen who buys one while still owning an HDB flat pays 20% Additional Buyer's Stamp Duty as a second property. That is the IRAS rate in force since 27 April 2023. Selling the flat first avoids it. IRAS sets the rules on any refund, so check your case with IRAS.
Are resale ECs still cheaper than resale condos?
Yes, but by less than before. In our matched resale data the median resale EC sold at $1,469 psf in 2026. Resale condos in the OCR (Outside Central Region) sold at $1,610, a gap of about 9%. In 2022 the gap was 11%. Five of our seven picks now sell above private condos of a similar age nearby.
Which resale EC is nearest to an MRT station?
Of the ECs that pass all four of our tests, Esparina Residences is the closest to an MRT station. Buangkok, on the North East Line, is about four minutes on foot. If you count LRT stations, The Vales is about one minute from Cheng Lim LRT.
Which resale EC has the most popular primary schools nearby?
Prive in Punggol. Eight primary schools sit within a kilometre in a straight line. Five of them were in high or very high demand at Phase 2C in the latest ballot. Distances are estimates, not MOE's home-to-school measure, so check the address on OneMap.
Will resale EC prices keep rising?
Nobody can promise that. Prices at our seven picks rose about 5% to 8% a year from 2022 to 2026. But that was a strong period for all Singapore homes. The gap to private condos that powered past EC gains has mostly closed. ECs on land sold from 8 May 2026 carry a 10-year minimum stay, which could make today's 5-year-rule stock scarcer, or new ECs cheaper. Both are possible.
Sources & methodology
How we checked this
Prices and resale counts come from our own compilation of URA caveat data: each record is a unit bought and later sold, so we know both prices. The EC records were extended on 12 October 2026 with an export covering sales from 12 October 2021 to 2 October 2026. For 57 ECs, older resales are not in our data. Recent figures use sales from 3 October 2025 to 2 October 2026.
Distances are straight lines from each estate's map point to each school, station, mall and hawker centre, so they are estimates. School demand bands come from the 2026 Primary One registration results, at Phase 2C. Walking times use 80 metres a minute with a 1.2× route allowance. Private neighbours are condos within 1.5 km completed within four years of the EC, with at least 10 resales in the last 12 months.
Where the figures come from
Resale prices, yields and rent counts: PropertyInsider.sg resale dataset (740 projects, 158,165 matched resales, 12 Oct 2026 vintage), compiled from URA caveat data. Schools: MOE school list and 2025 and 2026 P1 ballot results, compiled in our schools map. Stations: LTA station exits; future stations from LTA's Cross Island Line page (Phase 1 expected by 2030) and LTA's Jurong Region Line page (Stage 1, 2028). Malls, hawker centres and parks: our amenities dataset from NEA, NParks and URA sources. Buyer rules: HDB. ABSD: IRAS rates effective 27 April 2023. New EC prices: Coastal Cabana's average from our new-launch tracker; estimates for Solano Grand, Wynwood Grand and Clovelle of Woodlands from our pricing method.
Photographs are from Wikimedia Commons under Creative Commons licences, credited in each caption. They show the surrounding stations and amenities, not the EC estates themselves, except the opening photo of Parc Central Residences.
Disclaimer. This article is independent research for general information. It is not financial, legal, tax or property advice and does not consider your circumstances. Past prices do not predict future returns. PropertyInsider.sg does not decide EC eligibility or stamp duty; check with HDB and IRAS. School distances are straight-line estimates, not MOE's home-to-school distance, and are not guaranteed; verify an address with OneMap's school query. Figures are compiled in good faith as at 13 Oct 2026. How the publisher's related interests are managed is set out in our editorial policy.
Update history
- Published. Screens 50 resale ECs on rail, schools, daily needs and price, using the 12 October 2026 resale data with 57 newly added ECs. Next update: when the Canberra Drive EC site is awarded, and when the Jurong Region Line opens.
