SINGAPORE--Singapore private home sales plunged last month as developers pared back launches.

Developers sold 153 units in August, excluding executive condominiums, sliding 79% from July, the Urban Redevelopment Authority said Tuesday. This was lower than the 2,142 units sold in August last year.

The decline was likely due to the seventh month of the lunar calendar, which started in mid-August this year and is typically viewed as an inauspicious period for purchasing property in Singapore. In 2025, the lunar seventh month started closer to the end of August.

Despite softer sales last month, Huttons Asia Chief Executive Mark Yip said this was a common seasonal trend and doesn't indicate weak demand for new homes.

However, Yip noted that the number of project launches from September to November seems limited, which could weigh on the overall number of units put up for sale this year. Huttons estimates developers to launch up to 7,000 private residential units in Singapore this year, the lowest since 2023.

The real-estate services provider expects around 7,000 units to be sold in the city-state this year, compared with about 10,800 units in 2025.