When news headlines announce that the property market is slowing down, many homeowners naturally wonder:
“Should I still sell my property?”
It’s a fair question.
But here’s something many people may not realise.
By the time those headlines appear, the market has already gone through weeks, or even months of changes.
Official reports tell us what has happened.
As property agents working on the ground every day, we’re experiencing what is happening now.
Both are important.
The difference is understanding how to use them.
Market Reports Give Us the Big Picture
Every quarter, HDB and URA release official statistics showing how Singapore’s property market has performed.
These reports are extremely valuable because they provide an objective overview of price movements and transaction trends.
For example, below are the latest official market indicators.
HDB Resale Price Index (RPI) 📊
HDB’s Resale Price Index (RPI) for 1st Quarter 2026 is 203.4, a decrease of 0.1% from that in 4th Quarter 2025. This marks the first decline in resale prices in nearly seven years, since 2nd Quarter 2019, and comes on the back of five consecutive quarters of slower or no price growth.
Caption: The HDB Resale Price Index tracks the overall movement of HDB resale prices across Singapore.
URA Private Residential Property Price Index 📊
Although private home prices continued to edge higher in Q2 2026, the pace of growth slowed to 0.5%, while transaction activity remained broadly similar to the previous quarter.
Caption: The URA Property Price Index reflects the overall movement of private residential property prices.
These charts help us understand where the market has been.
They allow us to identify broader trends instead of relying on isolated transactions or individual opinions.
However, there is one important limitation.
These reports describe what has already happened.
The transactions reflected in today’s reports were negotiated weeks or even months earlier.
By the time the numbers are published, buyer behaviour may already have started changing.
What Happens Before the Headlines?
This is where on-the-ground experience becomes valuable.
Every week, property agents are:
- Conducting property viewings.
- Speaking with homeowners.
- Negotiating offers.
- Receiving buyer feedback.
- Working with bankers and lawyers.
- Comparing transaction activity across different neighbourhoods.
These conversations give us early indications of changing market sentiment.
For example, we may notice:
- Buyers becoming more cautious about pricing.
- More negotiations taking place before offers are accepted.
- Well-priced homes attracting multiple viewings.
- Overpriced listings taking significantly longer to sell.
- Homeowners becoming more concerned about financing and affordability.
These aren’t predictions.
They’re observations based on real conversations and real transactions happening every day.
Why I Regularly Meet Fellow Property Agents
Recently, I met up with Wells Lim and Ethan Goh both are Full-Time active agent, we discuss what we’re seeing in today’s market.
Some people might think we’re simply catching up over coffee.
In reality, these discussions are one of the ways we stay updated.
No single agent sees the entire market.
Some specialise in HDB resale.
Others focus on private condominiums, landed homes, new launches or rentals.
Each of us experiences different buyer profiles, different neighbourhoods and different market conditions.
By exchanging insights, we’re able to understand whether what we’re seeing is unique to one project or part of a wider market trend.
These conversations don’t replace official market reports. They complement them.
Every Home Tells a Different Story
One mistake I often see is homeowners assuming that every property follows the same market trend.
The reality is very different.
Even within the same development, two similar units can achieve very different results.
Factors such as:
- Floor level
- Facing
- Renovation
- Layout
- Nearby competition
- Asking price
- Marketing strategy
can significantly influence buyer interest and the eventual selling price.
That’s why broad market headlines should never be the only factor guiding your property decisions.
So… Should You Wait for the Next Market Report?
Not necessarily.
Market reports are excellent for understanding the overall direction of the market.
But when deciding whether to sell your own property, you also need to consider what’s happening today.
Questions like:
- Are buyers still actively viewing homes in my area?
- How much competition do I have?
- Are similar units receiving offers?
- What are buyers saying during viewings?
These are questions that official reports cannot answer.
They come from real market experience.
My Stay Real Thought
One thing I’ve learnt after many years in real estate is that good property advice should never rely on just one source of information.
Official market reports provide facts.
On-the-ground experience provides context.
Neither is more important than the other.
The best decisions come from combining both.
That’s one reason I regularly exchange market insights with fellow property professionals.
Not because we’re trying to predict the future.
But because every conversation helps us better understand today’s market, so we can provide more informed advice to the homeowners who trust us.
At the end of the day, my role isn’t simply to tell you whether the market is up or down.
It’s to help you understand what today’s market means for your home, your plans, and your next move.
That’s what Stay Real means to me.
Thinking About Selling Your Home?
Every homeowner’s situation is different.
If you’re wondering whether now is the right time to sell, upgrade or simply understand your property’s current market position, I’m always happy to have a conversation.
Sometimes, the best first step isn’t making a decision.
It’s understanding your options.