Hougang Central vs Kovan Residences
Kovan Residences is an older condo of large units right beside Kovan MRT, one stop from Hougang. Hougang Central is a future launch above Hougang MRT with no price list yet. This page sets the URA sale record for one beside the confirmed facts for the other.
By Melvin Tan, ERA Realty Network (CEA R026686A) · Updated 11 November 2026
Should you buy at Kovan Residences or wait for Hougang Central?
Buy at Kovan Residences if you want a large family unit now and are comfortable with a lease that has about 80 years left. Its 34 recorded sales since December 2024 had a median of S$1,846 psf, and its smallest units are about 880 sq ft. Wait for Hougang Central if a full 99-year lease and a station downstairs matter more than moving in soon.
How do the two developments compare?
The biggest differences are lease and unit size. Kovan Residences' 99-year lease started in 2007, about 11 years before those of the two large condos nearer Hougang. Every unit sold there in the past two years was at least 883 sq ft. Hougang Central has not published a unit mix, so nobody knows yet how many large units it will offer.
| Item | Kovan Residences | Hougang Central |
|---|---|---|
| Status | Completed. Units change hands on the open market | Not launched. Sales launch targeted for 2H2027 |
| Tenure | 99 years from 2007, so about 80 years left | 99 years. Start date not yet published |
| Unit sizes sold | 883 sq ft and up, in the past two years | Unit mix not yet published. About 830 homes planned |
| Nearest station | Right beside Kovan MRT, on the North East Line | Integrated with Hougang MRT (North East Line; Cross Island Line planned) |
| Price evidence | 34 URA transactions from December 2024 to September 2026 | Land price only: about S$1.5 billion, or S$1,179 psf per plot ratio |
Kovan Residences' tenure comes from URA's transaction records. The Hougang Central figures come from the CapitaLand and CICT award release and UOL's 1H2026 results presentation.
What do units at Kovan Residences sell for?
URA recorded 34 sales at Kovan Residences from December 2024 to September 2026, at a median of S$1,846 psf. Prices ran from S$1.49 million for an 883 sq ft unit to S$4.399 million for a 4,747 sq ft unit. Sales in 2026 had a median of S$1,861 psf, against S$1,828 psf for those up to the end of 2025.
| Unit size | Sales | Median price | Price range | Median psf |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 883 to 947 sq ft | 10 | S$1,614,000 | S$1,490,000 to S$1,788,000 | S$1,822 |
| 1,259 to 1,281 sq ft | 11 | S$2,520,000 | S$2,320,000 to S$2,560,000 | S$1,969 |
| 1,442 sq ft | 4 | S$2,692,000 | S$2,668,000 to S$2,700,000 | S$1,866 |
| 1,765 to 1,798 sq ft | 7 | S$3,158,000 | S$2,938,000 to S$3,280,000 | S$1,784 |
| 2,217 sq ft | 1 | S$3,050,000 | One sale | S$1,376 |
| 4,747 sq ft | 1 | S$4,399,000 | One sale | S$927 |
With about one or two sales a month, Kovan Residences has a thinner record than the larger condos nearby. The two biggest units each sold only once, at a much lower psf, so treat those two rows as single data points rather than a market price. URA records give the floor range and the size of each unit, not the number of bedrooms. Check the floor plan of any unit you view.
How does the shorter lease affect a Kovan purchase?
A buyer at Kovan Residences today gets about 80 of the 99 years. A new 99-year lease at Hougang Central starting around 2026 would run about 19 years longer. The remaining lease matters when you sell later and when a buyer after you borrows or uses CPF, because rules on both depend on how many years are left. Check the current CPF rules on using savings for a home against the lease you would be buying.
The same lease date also explains part of the price gap with newer condos nearby. The Florence Residences and Riverfront Residences both have leases that started in 2018.
How much will Hougang Central cost?
Nobody knows yet. The developers have not published a price list, a unit mix or floor plans. The only confirmed number is the land price: about S$1.5 billion, or S$1,179 per square foot of permitted floor area. The selling price will be higher than the land rate, because it also has to cover construction, financing, marketing and the developers' margin. Our land price guide explains what that figure does and does not tell you.
What would the price gap cost each month?
For an 883 sq ft home, a Kovan Residences buyer paid a median of S$1,595,000 across seven sales. If Hougang Central launched at S$2,500 psf, the same size would cost S$2,207,500. That is S$612,500 more, with S$153,125 more downpayment and about S$1,698 more in monthly repayments.
| Case | Price | Downpayment (25%) | Loan (75%) | Monthly repayment | Buyer's Stamp Duty |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kovan Residences, actual median (S$1,807 psf) | S$1,595,000 | S$398,750 | S$1,196,250 | S$4,422 | S$49,350 |
| Hougang Central scenario at S$2,100 psf | S$1,854,300 | S$463,575 | S$1,390,725 | S$5,140 | S$62,315 |
| Hougang Central scenario at S$2,300 psf | S$2,030,900 | S$507,725 | S$1,523,175 | S$5,630 | S$71,145 |
| Hougang Central scenario at S$2,500 psf | S$2,207,500 | S$551,875 | S$1,655,625 | S$6,120 | S$79,975 |
The loan limit is lower if you already have a housing loan or take a longer tenure. The MAS loan rules set the limits, and MoneySense explains how banks assess what you can afford. Additional Buyer's Stamp Duty is not in the table. A Singapore Citizen pays none on a first home and 20% on a second. IRAS publishes the current rates for every buyer profile.
Which is better for getting around?
Both are on the North East Line, one stop apart, so the daily trip to the city is similar. Hougang Central adds a planned Cross Island Line interchange, with Phase 1 targeted by LTA for 2030, and a new bus interchange in the same development. Kovan has the station and its existing shops, market and food centre today, so you can test the routine before you buy.
The Cross Island Line schedule is LTA's target and can change. The completion date for the Hougang Central homes has not been announced.
Who does each one suit?
- You need a large family unit soon. Kovan Residences. Every recent sale was 883 sq ft or larger, and over half were 1,259 sq ft or more.
- You plan to hold for a long time or leave the home to your children. Hougang Central's fresh 99-year lease runs about 19 years longer.
- You want the lowest total price for a large unit. Kovan Residences, on the scenarios above. A large unit at Hougang Central could cost hundreds of thousands more.
- You want to resell within a few years. Compare how many units change hands. Kovan Residences averaged about 1.5 sales a month over the period, fewer than the larger condos nearby.
- You own a flat and plan to upgrade. Check the timeline and stamp duty for selling and buying before you commit to either.
What should you check before deciding?
For Kovan Residences, check recent sales of the same size and floor range, the remaining lease on the title, and how the remaining lease affects your CPF use and loan. For Hougang Central, wait for the price list, unit mix, floor plans and completion date. None of these has been released.
Sources (retrieved 11 November 2026): URA private residential transaction records for Kovan Residences, December 2024 to September 2026, via the URA Data Service; CapitaLand and CICT award release (14 January 2026); UOL 1H2026 results presentation; CPF Board; MAS loan rules; IRAS stamp duty; LTA Cross Island Line. Medians and repayment figures are our own calculations from these sources.
Next: Hougang Central vs The Florence Residences, Hougang Central vs Riverfront Residences, or ask about a specific unit.