Singapore private residential vacancy rises to 6.2% in Q1 2026

Vacant stock increased by 2.3% to over 26,000 units during the quarter.

Singapore’s private residential market saw a modest rise in vacancies in Q1/2026 despite limited new completions, according to Savills, as absorption patterns diverged sharply across sub-markets.

Savills reported that only 911 private residential units (excluding executive condominiums) obtained Temporary Occupation Permits during the quarter. Major completions were concentrated in the Outside Central Region (OCR), including The Botany at Dairy Farm (386 units) and Sceneca Residence (268 units). As a result, total completed private housing stock rose marginally by 0.2% quarter-on-quarter to 424,165 units as at end-Q1 2026.

Despite the limited supply pipeline, islandwide vacant stock increased by 2.3% quarter-on-quarter to 26,158 units, pushing the overall vacancy rate up by 0.2 percentage points to 6.2%, Savills said.

Vacancy trends varied across regions. In the Core Central Region (CCR), vacant stock fell from 7,981 units in Q4 2025 to 7,458 units in Q1 2026, with the vacancy rate declining by 0.6 percentage points to 8.2%. Savills attributed the improvement to stronger net demand in the city centre.

In contrast, both the Rest of Central Region (RCR) and OCR recorded increases in vacant stock, rising by 393 units and 718 units respectively, lifting vacancy rates to 6.3% in the RCR and 5.2% in the OCR. The rise was largely driven by newly completed supply entering the market amid softer absorption in suburban segments.

Net demand figures further highlighted the divergence. The CCR recorded net demand of 545 units in Q1 2026, while the RCR and OCR posted net negative take-up of 298 units and 22 units respectively. Savills noted that this may indicate a gradual shift in leasing demand back towards the city centre, supported by narrowing rental differentials between core and fringe locations, while suburban markets continued to face slower absorption of new stock.