Source 1: URA REALIS \u2014 Private Property Transactions
The Urban Redevelopment Authority’s Real Estate Information System (REALIS) is Singapore’s official database of all private property transactions. It covers:
- Private residential sales (new launches and resale condos, apartments, landed)
- Commercial and industrial transactions
- Rental contracts
Access: REALIS is a subscription-based service. CEA agents typically access it via their agency’s subscription or directly through URA’s online portal.
What it shows:
- Transaction date, price, floor area, floor level, tenure, project name, district
- Price per square foot (PSF) \u2014 the standard comparison metric for private properties
How agents use it:
- Pull recent transactions in the same development or comparable developments to establish a price range
- Filter by floor level and size to compare like-for-like units
- Show clients the evidence behind a recommended listing price or offer price
Limitation: REALIS data has a processing lag \u2014 transactions typically appear 2\u20134 weeks after the caveats are lodged. For very recent market moves, real-time data from agents’ networks may be more current.
Source 2: URA Property Price Index (PPI)
A quarterly index measuring overall price changes in private residential property. Published by URA with flash estimates released early in the following quarter.
Segments tracked:
- Overall private residential
- Landed vs non-landed
- Core Central Region (CCR), Rest of Central Region (RCR), Outside Central Region (OCR)
What the numbers mean:
- An index value of 200 vs a base of 100 means prices have doubled from the base period
- Quarter-on-quarter change shows momentum: +2.5% in a quarter is significant upward movement
- Year-on-year change shows trend: compare full years to filter out seasonal noise
How agents use it:
- Frame market timing conversations with clients: “The CCR PPI has risen 8% year-on-year” is a fact; avoid speculating on where it goes next
- Distinguish regional trends: OCR (mass market) and CCR (prime) often move differently
- Use flash estimates (available ~4 weeks after quarter end) for the most recent read on market direction
Source 3: HDB Resale Flat Prices and Resale Price Index (RPI)
HDB publishes transaction data for all HDB resale flat sales, updated regularly. The HDB Resale Price Index (RPI) tracks overall HDB resale price movement on a quarterly basis.
Access: Freely available on HDB’s official website. The HDB Resale Portal also shows indicative valuation ranges for specific blocks and flat types.
What it shows:
- Recent resale transaction prices by town, flat type, block, and floor range
- Median prices by town and flat type
- RPI quarterly index values
How agents use it:
- Pull comparable resale transactions within the same town, flat type, and floor range to advise on pricing
- Show clients the RPI trend to contextualise whether resale prices have been rising or cooling
- Flag COV (Cash-Over-Valuation) trends: if most transactions in an estate are above valuation, buyer needs cash reserves
Source 4: SRX and 99.co \u2014 Aggregated Market Intelligence
Private platforms (SRX, 99.co, PropertyGuru) that aggregate transaction data, show indicative X-values, and track rental yields and price trends. They are not official government sources but are widely used by agents.
What they show:
- Indicative market values (X-values) for specific properties
- Rental transactions and indicative rental yields
- Recent transaction history with price-over-time charts
- New launch pricing and absorption rates
How agents use them:
- Quick market checks between viewings
- Rental yield comparisons for investment property conversations
- Showing clients a price trend chart for a specific development
Limitation: SRX/99.co valuations are algorithmic estimates \u2014 they are indicative, not official. Do not represent these figures as formal valuations. For official purposes, use REALIS or engage a certified appraiser.
Key Metrics Every CEA Agent Should Know
Price Per Square Foot (PSF)
The standard private property comparison metric. Divide transaction price by floor area in square feet. Allows comparison across different unit sizes in the same development or district.
$1.5m ÷ 1,000 sqft = $1,500 PSF
Transaction Volume
The number of transactions in a period. Use volume alongside price:
- High volume + rising prices: strong momentum
- Low volume + rising prices: thin supply, sticky sellers
- High volume + flat prices: active market but stabilising
- Low volume + falling prices: caution
Days on Market
How long a listing has been active before selling. Long days-on-market relative to comparable properties may indicate overpricing.
COV (Cash-Over-Valuation) for HDB
Aggregate COV levels across an estate show whether demand is consistently outpacing HDB valuations. High COV = cash-constrained buyers at a disadvantage.
CEA Agent Discipline: Data vs Advice
CEA agents are not property valuers. Property valuation is a regulated profession under the Appraisers Act.
What agents can do:
- Share comparable transaction data as reference for clients
- Present price trends and index movements factually
- Frame pricing recommendations with data-backed comparable analysis
What agents cannot do:
- Formally appraise a property or guarantee a sale price
- Represent algorithmic estimates (SRX X-values) as formal valuations
- Advise clients on investment returns as financial advice
Framing language: “Based on comparable transactions in this development over the last 3 months, similar units transacted at $X\u2013$Y PSF” is informational. “Your property is worth exactly $Z” is a valuation claim \u2014 refer to a certified appraiser.
CEA Agent Checklist: Using Market Data Effectively
- Before any listing appointment: pull REALIS or HDB transaction data for comparable units in the past 3\u20136 months
- Filter comparables by: same development or estate, similar floor range, similar size (±100 sqft)
- Cite your data source to clients \u2014 shows rigour
- Use PPI/RPI to contextualise market direction, not to make price predictions
- Frame SRX/99.co figures as indicative, not official
- For HDB resale: check COV trend for the target estate to advise buyers on cash reserves needed
- When in doubt on valuation, recommend a certified appraiser (licensed under the Appraisers Act)
Key Data Sources
- URA REALIS \u2014 official private property transaction database
- URA Property Price Index \u2014 quarterly private residential price index
- HDB Resale Statistics \u2014 official HDB resale transaction data and RPI
- SRX, 99.co, PropertyGuru \u2014 indicative private data aggregators
- CEA Public Register \u2014 agent transaction history (publicly searchable)
This article is for informational purposes only. Market data should be verified through official sources before use in client advice. Property valuation should be conducted by a qualified appraiser where a formal opinion of value is required.