Top 10 Singapore Property Developers: The Definitive Guide

Singapore is home to dozens of developers and some truly stand out as they employ people in the thousands and operate both in the residential and commercial real estate market, locally and overseas.

This small nation is infamous for having one of the most expensive property markets in the world, finding a credible developer is not a big issue compared to its neighboring countries.

As foreigners can generally not buy landed houses and public apartments in Singapore, most are left with the option to buy a condo or private apartment, often off-plan.

In this article, I’ve listed some of the biggest and most popular real estate developers that build condos in Singapore.

1. Far East Organization

First out we have Far East Organization, which is by far one of the largest property developers, not only in Singapore but in the whole world. Founded in 1962, Far East Organization is also one of the oldest property development companies in the nation.

According to some estimates, it’s managed to complete more than 750 real estate projects in Singapore alone. Making the calculation, it means that one in six families in Singapore lives in a house/apartment developed by Far East Organization.

The company is run by Robert and Philip Ng, ranked as two of the richest persons in Singapore. Besides, the group owns the Sino Group, which is one of the largest property developers in Hong Kong.

The company also has many projects and subsidiaries in various countries overseas. Some of the group’s most well-known subsidiaries include Yeo Hiap Seng Limited and Far East Orchard.

Notably, Far East Organization is the only property developer in the world that has won ten FIABCI Prix Excellence Awards, which is the most reputed international award for property developers.

Property types

Far East Organization offers plenty of property types and investment options. They develop everything from residential property, commercial property, offices, industrial buildings, hotels, serviced residences, shopping malls, and more.

You’ll be able to find many residential properties like terraced houses, apartments, condominiums, townhouses, semi-detached houses, and cluster housing built by the company.

The company is renowned for building houses of high quality at premium costs. Units rarely fetch below USD 1 million.

Current projects

• Alana
• Woods Square
• Bijou
• Alba
• Banyan Condominium
• Greenwood Mews
• The Scotts Tower
• The Siena

Property prices

• The price of a terraced house in Alana at Sunrise Terrace is around SGD 2.5 million (USD 1.9 million)

• The price of a 100-120 square meter condo in Bijou at Pasir Panjang Road is around SGD 2.5 million (USD 1.9 million)

• The price of a 142 square meter condo in The Banyan Condominium is around SGD 1.8 million (USD 1.35 million)

2. El Development Pte Ltd

El Development Pte Ltd was founded as early as 2005. Within just a decade, it’s become one of the leading property developers in Singapore.

It’s a subsidiary of a larger company, Evan Lim Group, an established and reputable building contracting firm in Singapore. The company has earned good rankings in different property award ceremonies.

El Development finished its first project in 2010, called Rhapsody. Their projects include mainly high-rise buildings and condominiums. Compared to Far East Organization, they offer more affordable units by Singaporean standards.

That said, you’ll also find luxury units built by the company.

Property types

El Development Pte Ltd. is mostly known for building residential and industrial projects (like factories). Their residential projects mostly consist of high-rise apartments or condominium buildings.

Current projects

• Rosewood Suites
• Illuminaire on Devonshire
• Parc Centennia
• Symphony Suites
• Rhapsody on Mount Elizabeth
• Parc Riviera
• La Fiesta
• SkySuites 17
• Stevens Suites
• Trivelis

Property prices

• The price of a condo in Parc Riviera at West Coast Vale is around SGD 1.5 million (USD 1.1 million)

• The price of a 65-70 square meter condo in Stevens Suites at Stevens Close is around SGD 1.3 million (USD 1 million)

• The price of a 95-100 square meter condo in Symphony Suites at Yishun Close is around SGD 1 million (USD 750,000)

3. City Development Ltd

City Developments is the second-largest property developer in Singapore after the Far East Organization.

It’s a subsidiary of Hong Leong Group, a large conglomerate that operates in various industries.

City Developments is owned by Kwek Leng Bang, who’s ranked as the fourth richest person in Singapore.

It’s also an international property developer with projects in more than 25 countries, mostly in Southeast Asia. You can also find their projects in the US, Australia, and the UK.

Not surprisingly, the company has won many property awards over the years.

City Developments operates mainly in the residential property industry, even if we find projects in the commercial property industry as well. The company is renowned for its commitment to corporate social responsibility and sustainability.

Interestingly, the company is the only company in Singapore being listed on Bloomberg’s Global Gender-Equality Index two years in a row.

Property types

The company mainly builds residential projects, but also hotels, shopping malls, office buildings, integrated developments, and other commercial projects. The price of a condo is rarely below USD 1 million, thus, City Developments is not for buyers with a restrained budget.

Projects

• Lush Acres
• Echelon
• Robertson Quay Mixed Developments
• One Shenton
• The Venue Residences and Shoppes
• Nouvel 18
• Forest Woods
• Coco Palms
• The Criterion

Property prices

• The price of a 140 square meter condo in the One Shenton at Shenton Way is around SGD 3.5 million (USD 2.6 million)

• The price of a 70 square meter condo in the Echelon at Alexandra View is around SGD 1.5 million (USD 1.1 million)

• The price of a 100-110 square meter condo in the Robertson Quay at Robertson Quay is around SGD 2.5 million (USD 1.9 million)

4. Frasers Property

Frasers Property is one of the oldest and biggest property developers in Singapore and was founded in 1963. It’s a property arm of TCC Assets Limited along with other subsidiaries, like Frasers Property Australia.

They don’t only operate in Singapore, but also internationally. Overseas projects include countries like Australia, China, Vietnam, United Kingdom, Thailand, Malaysia, and others.

In total, Frasers has completed property projects in more than 80 cities all around the world. They have an impressive workforce of more than 4,500 employees.

Property types

The company has a diverse portfolio and you can find all kinds of projects including residential property, industrial buildings, commercial property, hotels, resorts, and shopping malls.

Current projects

• Q Bay Residences
• Northpoint City
• Twin Foundations
• RiverTrees Residences
• North Park Residences
• Seaside Residences
• Parc Life EC

Property prices

• The price of an apartment in Q Bay Residences at Tampines Street 86 is around SGD 1 million (USD 750,000)

• The price of 90-95 square meter condo in Caspian at Lakeside View is around SGD 1 million (USD 750,000)

• The price of 95 square meter condo in Seaside Residences at Siglap Link is around SGD 1.5 million (USD 1.1 million)

5. MCC Land

MCC Land Pte Ltd. is a big property developer in Singapore. This state-owned real estate developer offers a wide range of real estate services, including construction, development, management and engineering services.

It’s a relatively new company founded in 2010, but already well-known for its high-end private and executive condominiums. They’ve won different awards for being one of the best developers in Singapore.

Property types

MCC Land develops and manages a wide range of properties including residential, commercial, office, and landmark projects, like Universal Studios Singapore and Resorts World.

They are mostly known for their high-rise luxury condominium projects.

Current projects

• Sea Horizon
• The Nautical
• The Canopy
• Canberra Residences
• Forestville
• Queens Peak
• The Alps Residences
• North Wave
• Poiz
• Santorini

Property prices

• The price of 100 square meter condo in The Alps Residences at the Tampines Street 86 is around SGD 1.1 million (USD 800,000)

• The price of an apartment in The Nautical at Sembawang Road is around SGD 1 million (USD 750,000)

6. Qingjian Realty

Qingjian Realty is a relatively new property developer that was founded in 2008. Still, it’s ranked as one of the top developers in Singapore. The company belongs to an even larger conglomerate, Qingjian Group Co., Ltd, and focuses on property development primarily in the residential, commercial, and industrial sectors.

In addition to many commercial and residential high-rise projects, Qingjian Group is known for the development of Liuting International Airport and the Olympic Sailing Center.

Their project, The Visionaire, won the award for Best Executive Condo Development by PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards (Singapore).

Property types

Almost all of their projects are high-rise condominiums or apartment buildings.

Current projects

• Bellewoods
• Waterbay
• Bellewaters
• Ecopolitan
• Nin Residence
• Le Quest
• iNz Residence
• The Visionaire

Property prices

• The price of a condo in the River Isles at Edgedale Plains is around SGD 800,000 (USD 600,000)

• The price of a three bedroom condo in the Le Quest at Bukit Batok West is around SGD 1 million (USD 750,000)

7. GuocoLand

GuocoLand was founded in 1976 and has evolved into a leading real estate developer, not only in Singapore but in Asia. It’s one of the subsidiaries of GuocoLand Assets Pte. Ltd. and the current CEO is Raymond Choong Yee How, which has a long experience in the real estate industry.

In addition to Singapore, the developer operates in numerous countries, including Singapore, they develop and manage properties in China, Vietnam, and Malaysia.

Like most of the others in this list of property developers, GuocoLand has won awards for being one of the best property developers in Singapore.

They also won several other awards, including awards for Best Luxury Condo Development, Best Retail Development, Best Office Development, Best Green Development, Best Hotel Development, and Best Mixed-Use Development.

GuocoLand made headlines when they paid a record price per square meter for a site used for office developments.

Property types

GuocoLand develops all types of properties including residential (mostly condos and high-rise apartment buildings) hotels, office buildings, mix-use buildings, and more.

In total, they’ve completed around 30 residential projects in Singapore so far.

Current projects

• Martin Modern
• Sims Urban Oasis
• Leedon Residence
• Guoco Tower (Propertyguru award for Best Office Development)
• Tanjong Pagar Center (Propertyguru award for Best Mixed Use)
• Wallich Residence (Propertyguru award for Best Luxury Condo Development)

Property prices

• The price of a 95 square meter condo in Martin Modern is around SGD 2.3 million (USD 1.7 million)

• The price of a 95 square meter condo in Sims Urban Oasis at Sims Drive is around SGD (USD 1.1 million)

• The price of a 4-bedroom penthouse in the Leedon Residence in Leedon Heights is around SGD 7 million (USD 5.25 million)

8. Bukit Sembawang Estates Ltd

Bukit Sembawang Estates Limited is the oldest major property developer in Singapore, founded in 1911. The company has a different approach to many of its competitors as it mainly builds luxury housing projects consisting of apartments and terraced houses.

The units come with a high price tag, especially since Bukit Sembawang often acquires freehold properties. Condo units can fetch USD 2 million, double that and you get the price for a terraced house.

It’s won numerous awards and was ranked as one of the 10 best developers in Singapore by the BCI Asia Property Awards.

Property types

Even if most of the developers in Singapore focus more on high-rise apartment and condominium projects, you can find both terraced houses and apartment projects by Bukit Sembawang.

Luxus Hills phases from one to seven and Mimosa phases from one to six are their popular terraced house projects.

Even if it’s difficult to buy a landed house in Singapore, you still have options to invest in property other than apartments and condominiums.

Current projects

• Watercove
• Paterson collection
• Skyline Residences
• Luxus Hills
• The Vermont on Cairnhill
• Verdure
• 8 St Thomas
• Nim Collection
• Luxus Hills Phases 8 and 9

Property prices

• The price of a terraced house in the Luxus Hills at the Seletar Green Walk is around SGD 2.8 million (USD 2.1 million)

• The price of a semi-detached house in The Whitley Residences at Whitley Road is around SGD 5 million (USD 3.75 million)

• The price of a 125 square meter condo in the Skyline Residences at Telok Blangah Road is around SGD 2.6 million (USD 2 million)

9. Hoi Hup Realty Pte Ltd

Hoi Hup Realty Pte Ltd is a reputable property developer in Singapore that was founded in 1983. It’s a subsidiary of SC Wong Holdings Pte. Ltd. It’s been ranked as the fourth-best developer in Singapore by the BCI Asia Top 10 Awards.

Property types

Hoi Hup Realty Pte Ltd is also a great option if you’re interested in projects other than apartments. You can find both townhouses and terraced houses by Hoi Hup Realty Pte Ltd.

Current projects

• The Whitley Residences
• Royal Square at Novena
• Sophia Hills
• Residences at Killiney
• Hundred Palms Residences
• An upcoming condominium project at Yio Chu Kang Road
• An upcoming condominium project at Anchorvale Lane

property prices

• The price of a semi-detached house in The Whitley Residences at Whitley Road is around SGD 5 million (USD 3.75 million)

• The price of a 65 square meter condo in Sophia Hills Residences at 11 Mount Sophia is around SGD 1.5 million (USD 1.1 million)

10. CapitaLand

CapitaLand is one of the largest property developers in the whole of Asia. It was established in 2000 as a result of a merger of Pidemco Land and DBS Land.

The headquarter of the company is based in Singapore, but they develop residential, commercial, and retail projects all over Asia and in other parts of the world.

Even if most of their residential projects are outside of Singapore (mostly in China), you can also find some projects in Singapore as well.

Property types

Residential projects, commercial projects, and shopping malls. The residential projects include condominiums, apartments, and services residences.

Projects

• Bedok Residences
• Marine Blue
• The Interlace
• D’Leedon
• The Orchard Residences
• Victoria Park Villas

CapitaLand plans to build new shopping malls in Singapore and China as well, but there’s not much information available about any upcoming residential projects.

Property prices

• The price of a semi-detached house in the Victoria Park Villas at Coronation Road is around SGD 5 million (USD 3.75 million)

• The price of an apartment in the Marine Blue at Marine Parade Road is around SGD 1.7 million (USD 1.3 million)

• The price of a 75 square meter condo in The Interlace on Depot Road is around SGD 1.3 million (USD 1 million)

11. Mapletree

Founded by the large port operator PSA in 2000, Mapletree has grown significantly since its inception and has become a leading property developer.

Mapletree is well-known for building and promoting projects in emerging markets, like Vietnam, where it fights head-to-head with other Singaporean firms such as CapitaLand.

It manages four Real Estate Investment Trusts that are all listed on the Singapore Exchange:

• Mapletree Logistics Trust
• Mapletree Industrial Trust
• Mapletree Commercial Trust
• Mapletree North Asia Commercial Trust

As of 2019, Mapletree managed SGD 55.7 billion (USD 40.36 billion) of retail, office, industrial, logistics, residential, and lodging properties, which speaks for itself. With over 3,400 employees and 240 awards and accolades received, leaving Mapletree out of this list would be a no-brainer.

Property types

• Mixed-Use
• Office
• Industrial
• Logistics
• Residential
• Retail
• Corporate Housing / Serviced Apartment
• Student Accommodation

Projects

• The Beacon (Singapore)
• RichLane Residences (Ho Chi Minh City)
• One Verandah (Ho Chi Minh City)
• Future City (Xian)

Property prices

Mapletree mainly builds residential units in the medium to high price segment.

• A 2-Bedroom unit in Seasuites costs around SGD 2.2 million
• A 3-Bedroom unit in Skyline Residences costs around SGD 2.8 million

I hope you found this article helpful and interesting. I also recommend you to read my separate guide that explains how you can buy property as a foreigner in Singapore.

FAQ

Can foreigners buy condos in Singapore?

Yes, foreigners are allowed to buy condos in Singapore, it doesn’t matter if the condo is freehold or leasehold. Having said that, foreigners cannot buy HDB apartments (public housing).

How much is a house in Singapore?

In 2018, the average price of a house in Singapore was USD 874,372 (approx. SGD 1,206,631).

Do property developers pay stamp duty?

Yes, developers have to pay an Additional Buyer’s Stamp Duty of 30% (up from 15%) since 2018.

Is Far East Organization listed?

Yes, Far East Organisation is, together with Sino Group, publicly listed.