Oldest HDB Blocks in Singapore: Shortest Remaining Leases (2026)

Updated Jun 2026 · By Keith Teo · Based on 233,055 transactions · Source: data.gov.sg

The oldest HDB blocks in Singapore have as few as 39 years remaining on their 99-year lease. Block 19 at Balam Road in Geylang has the shortest remaining lease at 39 years (built 1967).

What the oldest HDB blocks tell you about lease decay

The oldest HDB blocks still trading have just 39 years of lease remaining, and they cluster in a handful of early estates: the 1967 blocks along Balam Road and Circuit Road in Geylang, the 1966 Teban Gardens Road blocks in Jurong East, and the Commonwealth Close blocks in Queenstown. Once a 99-year lease is down to around 40 years, remaining lease becomes the dominant factor in price, because the value curve gives up ground slowly in its first few decades and then accelerates. These blocks are the clearest real-world illustration of how that curve behaves.

Age alone does not make a flat a bad buy, but it changes the calculation entirely: financing tightens as the lease shortens, CPF usage is capped, and the pool of future buyers narrows. 3,123 blocks across 23 towns already have under 60 years left, so this is not a fringe concern. Some of the oldest clusters are also long-running SERS candidates, which adds a layer of speculation that rarely pays off on the timeline buyers hope for. Before considering any older block, read how lease decay affects HDB value year by year, browse the Geylang blocks that top this list, and weigh them against the genuinely cheapest HDB towns where longer leases are still affordable.

Top 20 Oldest HDB Blocks by Remaining Lease

Top 20 HDB blocks with the shortest remaining lease as of Jun 2026
Rank	Block	Street	Town	Built	Remaining Lease	Median Price
#1	Blk 19	Balam Road	Geylang	1967	39 yrs	$260,000
#2	Blk 20	Balam Road	Geylang	1967	39 yrs	$261,500
#3	Blk 22	Balam Road	Geylang	1967	39 yrs	$250,000
#4	Blk 23	Balam Road	Geylang	1967	39 yrs	$280,000
#5	Blk 24	Balam Road	Geylang	1967	39 yrs	$249,000
#6	Blk 34	Circuit Road	Geylang	1967	39 yrs	$302,500
#7	Blk 62	Circuit Road	Geylang	1967	39 yrs	$281,000
#8	Blk 64	Circuit Road	Geylang	1967	39 yrs	$307,500
#9	Blk 37	Teban Gardens Road	Jurong East	1966	39 yrs	$232,000
#10	Blk 39	Teban Gardens Road	Jurong East	1966	39 yrs	$286,500
#11	Blk 82	Commonwealth Close	Queenstown	1967	39 yrs	$281,000
#12	Blk 83	Commonwealth Close	Queenstown	1967	39 yrs	$297,500
#13	Blk 85	Commonwealth Close	Queenstown	1967	39 yrs	$312,500
#14	Blk 87	Commonwealth Close	Queenstown	1967	39 yrs	$287,500
#15	Blk 90	Commonwealth Drive	Queenstown	1967	39 yrs	$272,900
#16	Blk 91	Commonwealth Drive	Queenstown	1967	39 yrs	$322,500
#17	Blk 93	Commonwealth Drive	Queenstown	1967	39 yrs	$300,888
#18	Blk 28	Hoy Fatt Road	Bukit Merah	1967	40 yrs	$280,000
#19	Blk 28	Jalan Bukit Merah	Bukit Merah	1967	40 yrs	$290,000
#20	Blk 21	Balam Road	Geylang	1967	40 yrs	$286,500

Towns With the Most Ageing HDB Stock

Town	Blocks Under 60 Yrs	Avg Remaining Lease	Oldest Built	Median Price
Queenstown	103	45 yrs	1967	$355,000
Bukit Timah	7	47 yrs	1974	$560,000
Toa Payoh	170	48 yrs	1967	$355,000
Marine Parade	54	49 yrs	1975	$521,500
Bukit Merah	217	50 yrs	1967	$450,000
Geylang	176	51 yrs	1967	$418,000
Kallang/Whampoa	178	51 yrs	1969	$445,000
Central Area	53	53 yrs	1971	$485,000
Bedok	337	53 yrs	1972	$385,000
Ang Mo Kio	300	53 yrs	1976	$371,500
Clementi	145	53 yrs	1978	$411,000
Pasir Ris	3	53 yrs	1980	$315,000
Choa Chu Kang	20	54 yrs	1978	$362,500
Woodlands	81	55 yrs	1974	$350,000
Jurong East	152	56 yrs	1966	$405,000
Jurong West	175	56 yrs	1970	$385,000
Bishan	42	57 yrs	1973	$537,500
Hougang	185	57 yrs	1975	$412,000
Serangoon	112	58 yrs	1978	$482,500
Yishun	195	58 yrs	1978	$370,000
Tampines	245	58 yrs	1982	$445,000
Bukit Batok	172	58 yrs	1983	$380,000
Bukit Panjang	1	59 yrs	1986	$381,500

Lease Implications for Old HDB Blocks

HDB blocks with short remaining leases face several restrictions that buyers should be aware of:

CPF restrictions: The remaining lease must cover the youngest buyer until age 95. Blocks with under 60 years may see reduced CPF usage, and blocks under 30 years cannot use CPF at all.
HDB loan eligibility: HDB loans require at least 60 years remaining lease at the time of purchase. Blocks below this threshold can only be financed with bank loans.
Lease decay acceleration: Under Bala's Table (SLA leasehold relativity model), value loss accelerates as lease shortens. A flat with 40 years remaining retains roughly 63% of freehold value, but at 20 years this drops to about 40%.
Resale difficulty: Fewer eligible buyers means smaller buyer pool and potentially longer time to sell.

Lease Distribution Across All HDB Blocks

Remaining Lease	Blocks	% of All HDB Blocks
Under 40 years	17	0%
40–49 years	587	6%
50–59 years	2,519	26%
60–69 years	2,701	28%
70–79 years	2,284	24%
80+ years	1,604	17%

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the oldest HDB block in Singapore?

Block 19 at Balam Road in Geylang has the shortest remaining lease at 39 years, with a lease start year of 1967.

How many HDB blocks have less than 60 years remaining?

3,123 HDB blocks across 23 towns have less than 60 years remaining on their lease as of Jun 2026.

Can I use CPF to buy an old HDB flat?

CPF usage depends on the remaining lease covering the youngest buyer until age 95. Blocks with under 60 years may see reduced CPF eligibility, and blocks under 30 years cannot use CPF at all for the purchase.

Can I get an HDB loan for an old flat?

HDB loans require at least 60 years remaining lease at purchase. Flats below this threshold must use bank loans, which typically require larger down payments.

Will old HDB flats lose value faster?

Yes. Under Bala's Table (the SLA leasehold relativity model), lease decay accelerates over time. A flat with 40 years remaining retains about 63% of freehold equivalent value, but at 20 years this drops to roughly 40%. The 3,123 blocks with under 60 years are in the steeper part of the decay curve.

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