Glossary · Market terms

En bloc

By Winfred Quek · CEA R073319H · Singapore property glossary

What is En bloc? En bloc, or collective sale, is when the owners of an entire condominium development sell the whole property together to a developer for redevelopment. It requires 80 percent owner consent by share value and strata area, rising to 90 percent for developments under 10 years old, and the process typically takes 18 to 36 months.

En bloc payouts are calculated using each unit's share value and strata area, not a preferential formula for larger or higher floor units, so the proportion of the total sale price an owner receives is fixed by the development's title documents, less costs.

The process starts with a sale committee formation, moves through owner consent gathering to the 80 or 90 percent threshold, then Strata Titles Board approval, before completion. Plot ratio, the URA set maximum buildable floor area relative to land size, is a key driver of en-bloc value: developments with unused development potential are far more attractive to developers.

For owners, en-bloc is a high reward but genuinely low probability outcome; most ageing developments never reach the consent threshold. It is worth assessing a specific development's attractiveness score before holding a purchase decision on the hope of an en-bloc windfall.

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Winfred Quek is an Associate Marketing Consultant at Crestbrick Pte Ltd (CEA Licence No. L31010886H). CEA R073319H. This page is for general information only and does not constitute financial, investment, or legal advice. Verify current figures with IRAS, HDB, CPF Board, or MAS before making any decision.

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