Preview of a New Launch: What to Expect Before Booking Day

For most Singapore new launches, the days or weeks before booking day are called the preview. The showflat opens, indicative prices appear and buyers finally see the details they have been waiting for. If you are following LinkTown Residences (Hougang Central Residences), the preview is when most of your decision-making will happen, so it is worth knowing what to expect before the dates are announced. This is our guide to the preview of a new launch: what a new launch preview in Singapore usually involves, and how to prepare for the LinkTown Residences preview.

What a preview usually is

A preview is a viewing period before sales open. Developers often invite people who have registered interest to view first, usually by appointment, before the showflat opens more widely. The length varies: some previews run for a weekend or two, others for several weeks. Practices differ from developer to developer and from launch to launch, so treat what follows as a guide to what is common, not a description of what LinkTown Residences will do.

A typical preview visit involves walking through the model units, studying the scale model of the development, and then sitting down with a salesperson to go through unit types, stacks and indicative prices. Our showflat page has a checklist of what to look at in the model units themselves.

What information usually becomes available

Before the preview, buyers work with estimates. During it, the picture usually gets much clearer:

• Indicative price ranges. Developers often share price ranges by unit type, sometimes by stack. These can still be adjusted before booking day. For Hougang Central Residences, the only figures today are analysts’ estimates of around S$2,500–2,600 psf, which are estimates, not prices. See the price list page for what they imply.
• Unit mix. How many units of each type there are. This tells you how much competition there may be for the type you want.
• Floor plans. Final layouts and sizes. The sizes on this site are indicative, based on the developers’ recent project Parktown Residence, and will be replaced.
• Site plan. Where the blocks, facilities, drop-off and car park sit. For an integrated development, it also shows how the homes relate to the mall and bus interchange.
• Stack information. Which stacks face which direction, what each overlooks, and how layouts repeat from floor to floor.
• Expected TOP date and payment scheme. Usually in the sales kit, and worth reading closely.

How to use the preview window well

Shortlist stacks, not just unit types

Two units of the same type can feel very different depending on facing, floor and view. Use the site plan and stack information to narrow down to two or three stacks you would be happy with. Popular stacks can go early, so having a second and third choice reduces the pressure later. Our guide on how to choose a unit stack goes through facing, floor and view in more detail.

Check affordability against real numbers

Once indicative prices are out, work out the full cost of each shortlisted unit: the price, buyer’s stamp duty, any ABSD that applies to you, and legal fees. Then check the cash you need upfront against what can come from CPF and your loan. Rules on stamp duty and loans change, so verify them with IRAS, MAS and your bank rather than relying on summaries.

Prepare your loan in principle

An in-principle approval (IPA), sometimes called approval in principle, is a bank’s preliminary indication of how much it may lend you, based on your income and existing debts under TDSR. It is not a final loan offer, and terms can change. Having one before or early in the preview means you shortlist units you can actually finance, instead of finding out afterwards. Ask your bank how long its IPA remains valid, since preview and booking dates are not yet known.

Bring every decision-maker

If you are buying with a spouse, parent or sibling, try to visit together. It saves a second round of discussion and makes it easier to agree on a shortlist. Our guide to booking a showflat appointment covers slots, timing and what to bring.

What a preview does not mean

A preview is not a reservation. Viewing the showflat, receiving a price range or expressing interest does not secure a unit or a price. Units are chosen on booking day and secured when the Option to Purchase is issued on payment of the booking fee. Indicative prices can also move between the preview and launch.

Be cautious of anyone who says they can hold a unit for you during a preview. Our purchase timeline explains where the preview sits among the later steps, and the registration page explains how registering differs from an Expression of Interest.

If you miss the preview

Missing the preview does not always mean missing the project. Large launches often have units left after booking day, though the choice will be narrower. After launch, our balance units page will track what is still available.

Register to get the LinkTown Residences preview dates and indicative price ranges as soon as they’re released.

Frequently asked questions

What happens during a new launch preview in Singapore?

The showflat usually opens to registered buyers by appointment, and indicative price ranges, the unit mix and the site plan are often shared. Practices vary by developer.

When is the LinkTown Residences preview?

Preview dates have not been announced. The launch is expected in early 2027, and UOL’s August 2026 results guide a 2H 2027 launch.

Does attending a preview reserve a unit?

No. A preview lets you view the showflat and information. Units are chosen on booking day and secured only when the Option to Purchase is issued on payment of the booking fee.

Should I get an in-principle approval before the preview?

It helps. An in-principle approval from your bank gives you a working loan limit, so you can shortlist units you can afford. Verify the terms with your bank.