Primary — Before You Compare Psf Across Projects
Get The Real Psf For Your Unit Type, Not The Flyer's

James pulls each shortlisted project's actual unit distribution chart and checks what your specific unit type costs, not the headline "from" price used to get you in the door.

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The flyer says "from $2,100 psf." That number describes exactly one unit type in the project, almost always the smallest and cheapest, and it is very likely not the layout you actually need. Compare that headline figure against a different project's headline figure and you're not comparing psf, you're comparing two different units that happen to share a marketing tactic.

Direct answer: A project's advertised "from" psf is anchored to its cheapest, smallest unit type, not a project-wide average. Before comparing psf across shortlisted projects, check each one's real unit distribution chart against the specific unit type you need. The gap between the flyer's headline number and your unit's real price can run several hundred dollars a square foot.

What The Flyer Price Is Telling You

Developer marketing anchors on the lowest number that's technically true. A "from $X psf" headline is calculated off the smallest, most affordably-priced unit type in the development, usually a 1-bedroom or a compact 2-bedroom, because that's the number that gets a buyer to click through, book a showflat slot, or ask for a price list. It's not false. It's also not the price of most of the units in the building.

What The Flyer Price Doesn't Tell You

Move 2 — What The Market Isn't Telling You Check The Unit Distribution Chart, Not The Headline+ Read → − Collapse

Walking developer showflats, the pattern repeats often enough to be worth naming directly: the unit priced at the flyer's headline psf is usually a small allocation of the total unit count, sometimes a single stack or a handful of floors. The 2-bedroom or 3-bedroom types that most buyers actually need are priced on their own schedule, and that schedule is rarely printed on the same flyer as the headline number.

Every project has a unit distribution chart, or an equivalent mix table, showing how many units of each type exist and their price range by type. Most agents can produce it on request. Very few volunteer it before a buyer has already anchored on the headline psf and started comparing it to other projects' headline numbers, which is exactly backwards. You end up comparing marketing figures instead of the price of the unit you're actually going to buy.

The fix is mechanical: pull the distribution chart for every shortlisted project, filter to your required unit type, and compare psf only within that filtered set. It takes minutes and it changes which project actually looks cheapest.

What James Thinks You Should Do

Ask for the unit distribution chart by type before you compare psf across any two projects. If an agent can only give you the headline "from" figure and can't break it down by your specific unit type, you're comparing marketing copy, not prices. Filter first, compare second. The project that looked cheapest on the flyer isn't always the cheapest once you're looking at your actual unit type.

Secondary — Comparing A Few Projects Already?

Send James your shortlist and required unit type. He'll pull each project's real distribution chart so you're comparing your unit type against your unit type, not headline against headline.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why is the flyer's psf usually lower than what I'll actually pay?+−
Because it's calculated off the project's smallest, cheapest unit type, not a project-wide average and not necessarily the layout you need. Larger unit types in the same project are almost always priced above the headline figure.
What is a unit distribution chart?+−
A breakdown showing how many units of each layout type a project has, and the price range for each type. It's how you check whether your specific unit type is even well-represented in the building, not just what its psf is.
Is this only a new launch issue, or does it apply to resale too?+−
It's mainly a new launch marketing pattern, since resale listings are already unit-specific. But the underlying discipline, filtering by unit type before comparing psf across a shortlist, applies equally to resale comparisons.
How do I actually get a project's unit distribution chart?+−
Ask your agent directly. Developers issue this to their sales teams and it's not usually posted publicly. If an agent can't produce it, that's a signal to ask a more specific question about your exact unit type before proceeding.
Does this affect how I should compare rental yield across projects too?+−
Yes. A yield calculated off the headline psf and a market-average rent overstates or understates your real return. Run yield off your actual unit type's price and its actual comparable rental transactions, not project-wide averages on either side.
Sources + Show all 4 →
1. Urban Redevelopment Authority, private residential caveat and transaction records, ura.gov.sg
2. Urban Redevelopment Authority, Master Plan and residential unit mix guidelines
3. Singapore Real Estate Exchange (SRX) / EdgeProp, unit-type transaction price data
4. Council for Estate Agencies, Estate Agents Act & Practice Guidelines for real estate salespersons, cea.gov.sg

This article is for informational and educational purposes only. It does not constitute financial, investment, or legal advice. Property investments involve risk. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Readers should seek independent advice from licensed professionals before making any property or financial decision. James Ong is a licensed real estate salesperson (CEA Reg No. R008385F) with PropNex Realty Pte Ltd and is not a licensed financial adviser.

James Ong | CEA Reg No. R008385F | PropNex Realty Pte Ltd