Profitability Score

Historical profitability score distribution

How to Read the Profitability Score Insight

Key Takeaways

  • This insight is powered by live URA and HDB transaction data refreshed monthly.
  • Use the district filter above the chart to narrow results to a specific planning area.
  • Hover any data point on the chart for exact values and transaction counts.

What It Does

The Profitability Score insight ranks developments by the proportion of their recent resale transactions that were profitable — specifically, the percentage of sub-sale and resale transactions within the past 5 years where the seller achieved a gain (sale price greater than original purchase price). The score also incorporates median profit quantum (the typical dollar gain per profitable transaction), median holding period before resale, and annualised gain rate. Developments are ranked ...

Why It Matters

Gross yield and paper appreciation are standard investment metrics — but they do not tell you whether actual sellers of a given development have realised profits after accounting for holding costs, stamp duty, and transaction fees. The Profitability Score cuts through these limitations by asking a simpler question: what percentage of people who bought and later sold this development made money? This measures the realised outcome rather than the modelled outcome, making it a ground-truth ...

How It Works

  • Select a district from the filter or leave it blank to view Singapore-wide data.
  • Use the time-range buttons (1Y/2Y/3Y/5Y/All) to adjust the chart window.
  • Hover any point on the chart to see exact values and underlying transaction counts.
  • Review the KPI cards above the chart for headline numbers at a glance.

Examples

D9 freehold development: high profitability rate but check the quantum

Inputs
Development
D9 freehold condo, ~200 units
Time window
5-year resale transactions (2020–2025)
Matched pairs
48 qualifying transactions
Results
Profitable transaction rate
87.5% (42 of 48 sellers gained)
Median gain
$118,000 per transaction
Median holding period
7.2 years
Annualised gain rate
~2.3% on median $700,000 purchase price

How to read this: The 87.5% profitable rate looks impressive, but when divided by the 7.2-year median holding period, the annualised gain is 2.3% — modest compared to CPF OA (2.5%) and below the rate needed to cover stamp duty, legal, and agent fees on both transactions. This development has price stability (high profitable rate) but modest capital appreciation velocity. For a buyer prioritising stable value over a family-home period of 7–10 years, this profile is reassuring. For an investor seeking capital growth as a primary return driver, a development with a lower profitable rate but higher annualised gain would be better suited.

D21 OCR resale development: identifying a weak profitability signal

Inputs
Development
D21 99yr leasehold condo, ~350 units, built 2001
Time window
5-year resale transactions (2020–2025)
Matched pairs
31 qualifying transactions
Results
Profitable transaction rate
39% (12 of 31 sellers gained)
Median loss (loss cases)
−$87,000 per transaction
Likely cause
Lease decay (24 years remaining by 2025), SLA lease discount tables depressing resale values
Score verdict
Low — flag for investigation

How to read this: A 39% profitability rate means 61% of sellers in this development took a nominal loss in the past 5 years — an immediate red flag. Investigation reveals the likely cause: a 2001-vintage 99yr leasehold has approximately 75 years remaining, and SLA's lease discount tables begin applying more aggressively below 80 years remaining, suppressing bank valuations and therefore achievable resale prices. Buyers financing 75% LTV will find their mortgage ceiling limited by the declining valuation, compressing the buyer pool. This development's profitability score correctly identifies it as a weak investment candidate, a conclusion that would not be visible from yield or location data alone.

Tips & Pitfalls

Expert Tips

  • Compare 2–3 districts side-by-side to spot relative outliers rather than reading a single number in isolation.
  • Always check the transaction count alongside any price metric — small sample sizes can produce misleading averages.
  • Pair this insight with the related calculators and maps below for a complete decision framework.

Common Pitfalls

  • Interpreting short-term movements (under 1 year) as trends — Singapore property data is noisy and needs a longer window.
  • Ignoring the difference between median and mean — means are pulled by luxury outliers in prime districts.
  • Forgetting that new-launch prices are often subsidised by developer discounts not visible in headline data.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does the data come from?
Data is sourced from the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) and Housing & Development Board (HDB) official APIs, refreshed monthly.
How often is this insight updated?
The underlying transaction data is synced monthly from URA and HDB. The charts recompute live as new data arrives.
Can I filter by district?
Yes — use the district filter above the chart. You can also share a deep link to a specific district via the URL.

Related Resources

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