Quick answer
A show unit is meant to depict a specific unit or unit type, and licensed developers must build it under the Housing Developers (Show Unit) Rules. Before you step in, read the scaled floor plan and the notice at the entrance: the unit address, the breakdown of areas such as bedrooms, balcony, air-conditioner ledge and void, the floor-to-ceiling heights, and the building plan approval number and date. Inside, follow the solid lines on the floor that mark walls, doors and windows not built in the show unit, and read the written notices on finishes, fittings and appliances. Curtains, lighting, wallpaper, wall panels and appliances may be decoration only.
The show unit is only half of the check. Before accepting a booking fee, the developer must give you a set of mandatory information, including scaled plans, the strata area breakdown and the specifications of the building. URA states that you do not have to proceed with the purchase after reviewing it. Treat what you see in the showflat as a guide, and rely on the plans, specifications and Sale and Purchase Agreement (S&PA) for what you are actually buying.
Six checks at the showflat
Read the unit address on the plan and ask how your unit or stack differs.
Check how much of the strata area is balcony, air-con ledge or void.
Look for stated heights and any lower areas under beams or box-ups.
Solid lines show walls, doors and windows not built in the show unit.
Separate what is provided from items for display purposes only.
Compare what you saw with the written specifications before you book.
What the show unit must show, and what to ask
| Item | What URA guidance requires | What to ask or check |
|---|---|---|
| Unit floor plan | Drawn to scale with the full unit address; mirror units excluded; a breakdown of the floor and other spaces | Is the unit I am considering the same type, or a mirror or different stack? |
| Void areas | The plan must state whether void areas are included in the strata area | How much of the quoted area is usable floor space? |
| Floor-to-ceiling height | Stated for all areas; lower heights from beams, bulkheads or box-ups noted at the entrance | Where are the lower ceilings in my unit? |
| Walls, doors and windows not built | Marked on the floor with solid lines and explained by prominent notices | How will the rooms feel once these are in place? |
| Cupboards and wardrobes | Installed with the same specifications, dimensions and materials as the depicted unit | Which cabinets and wardrobes are included? |
| Finishes, fittings and appliances | Written notices for each room or space; display-only items may be labelled as such | Which brands and items will actually be provided? |
| Disclaimers | Notes disclaiming the developer’s responsibility for the accuracy of plans or models are not allowed | Raise any inaccuracy you notice with the developer before booking |
Summarised from URA’s Housing Developers (Show Unit) Rules guidelines (guide version March 2018) and the Home Buyer’s Guide. Confirm the details for your own unit with the developer and your lawyer.
Key takeaways
- A show unit depicts one specific unit or unit type. Other units may differ in layout, materials or fittings.
- Start with the scaled floor plan and entrance notice: unit address, area breakdown, ceiling heights and building plan approval details.
- Solid lines and notices on the floor show walls, doors and windows that are not built in the show unit.
- Decoration such as curtains, lighting, wallpaper and some appliances may not be provided. Read the notices in each room.
- Before accepting a booking fee, the developer must give you mandatory information, and you do not have to proceed after reviewing it.
- Ask for written confirmation of anything offered outside the specifications in the S&PA.
Background
Housing developers selling uncompleted private homes are regulated by URA under the Housing Developers (Control and Licensing) Act and its rules. URA’s housing developer page lists show units among their key requirements: show units must be erected in accordance with the Housing Developers (Show Unit) Rules, and the developer must submit a declaration on completion of the show unit that it complies with the rules. The Show Unit Rules came into operation in 2015.
URA’s guidelines on those rules set out what a show unit must depict, how items not built must be marked, and what written notices must be displayed. URA’s Home Buyer’s Guide then gives buyers a step-by-step checklist for the show flat visit, booking, and the S&PA. This article organises that guidance into one checklist.
Latest guidance
The URA Buying Property page used for this article was last updated on 29 June 2026, and the URA Housing Developers page was last updated on 30 October 2026. The show unit guidelines carry the guide version March 2018. The Home Buyer’s Guide checklists do not show a date. All were reviewed on 5 November 2026.
Separately, URA Circular COH 2026-01, effective 22 May 2026, introduced frameworks under which developers with severe safety-related non-compliance or major defects may be disqualified from land sales or placed on a sales suspension list for up to five years. URA publishes the list of affected parties. This does not change what a show unit must depict, but it is one more item a buyer can check about a developer.
Who is affected
This guide is for buyers visiting showflats for uncompleted private residential projects sold by licensed housing developers, including buyers comparing several new launch condos in Singapore.
It is most useful before booking day, when you are still shortlisting unit types and can ask the developer questions without any commitment.
Who is not affected
Buyers of completed resale condos do not deal with show units or developer mandatory information; they view the actual unit and contract with the seller. HDB flats follow HDB’s own processes.
URA’s guide notes that projects with four or fewer units are not licensed under the Act. Buyers of those units should take extra care with due diligence and seek legal advice on the contract terms.
This article does not give legal, tax or loan advice for a specific purchase.
What remains unchanged
- The show unit is a guide to one unit or unit type, not a promise that every unit looks the same.
- Licensed developers must use the standard Option to Purchase and S&PA forms; amendments need the Controller of Housing’s approval.
- The booking fee is paid for the issue of an Option to Purchase.
- The specifications in the S&PA, not the showflat decoration, describe what the developer must provide.
- No price, rental, completion date or future value is guaranteed.
Planning considerations
1. Settle your budget before the visit
A showflat is designed to look its best, so decide your budget and unit types before you go. URA advises buyers to buy within their financial means and to check bank financing early, preferably before paying the upfront deposit. The TDSR and affordability guide explains the loan limits to look at first.
2. Read the floor plan and entrance notice first
Before entering, check the scaled floor plan and the notice at the entrance for the unit address, the breakdown of areas, the floor-to-ceiling heights and the building plan approval number and date. The guidelines require the plan to state whether void areas are included in the strata area, and any lower ceiling heights caused by beams, bulkheads or box-ups to be stated in a notice at the entrance. If the unit you want is a different stack or a mirror layout, ask what changes.
3. Walk the floor markings
External walls, parapets and railings must generally be built in the show unit. Where they are not, and where internal walls, doors or windows have been left out, their positions must be marked on the floor with solid lines and explained by prominent notices. Unbuilt doors are marked in the closed position. Picture the room with those walls and doors in place, because that is what will be built.
4. Separate what is provided from decoration
Written notices must describe the materials, finishes, fittings, equipment and appliances for each room or space. Items shown for display only may be labelled that way. URA’s guide notes that curtains, lighting, wallpaper, wall panels and appliances may be decoration only. Note what is actually included so you can compare it with the specifications later.
5. Look beyond the unit
The location plan must be drawn to scale with streets and prominent features within 500 metres marked, and the site plan must label all buildings and communal facilities, including the electrical substation and bin centre. Use them to check where your stack sits in relation to these. The floor plan selection guide covers layout, stack and facing in more detail.
6. Review the mandatory information and specifications
Before accepting your booking fee, the developer must give you mandatory information, including the scaled location, site and unit floor plans, the strata area breakdown, the specifications of the building, the number of car park lots, conditions imposed by the authorities, any approved S&PA amendments and the developer’s past projects. The developer must obtain your written acknowledgement that you received it. The Schedule of Strata Units with share values must also be available; your share value affects your share of maintenance charges, which the maintenance fee and sinking fund guide explains. If anything is promised outside the specifications, such as a free appliance, ask for written confirmation.
7. Check the developer and the agent
URA provides an online check of whether a housing developer’s licence is valid, and publishes the list of parties under land sales disqualification or sales suspension. Agents at a showflat represent the developer’s interests; they must be licensed and registered with CEA, and they are not allowed to offer you any benefit, in cash or in kind. URA’s guide also notes that a blank cheque given for the booking fee is not a commitment to purchase, and you can ask for it back if you do not proceed.
8. Know the timeline after booking
URA’s guide states that the booking fee is between 5% and 10% of the purchase price, that the developer must deliver the S&PA within 14 days from the date of the option, and that you have three weeks from delivery to exercise it by signing and paying the balance down payment of 20% of the price less the booking fee. If you do not exercise, the developer may forfeit 25% of the booking fee. The progressive payment guide covers the payments that follow.
9. Compare more than one project
Seeing several showflats with the same checklist makes it easier to compare layouts, specifications and value fairly. The new launch condo page explains how Melvin helps buyers shortlist and compare projects. Legal, loan and tax matters remain with your lawyer, bank and the relevant agencies.
FAQ
Official sources
- Urban Redevelopment Authority — Buying Property — last updated 29 June 2026
- Urban Redevelopment Authority — Housing Developers — last updated 30 October 2026
- Urban Redevelopment Authority — Housing Developers (Show Unit) Rules: Items to Note — guide version March 2018
- Urban Redevelopment Authority — Home Buyer’s Guide, Step 2: Show Flat
- Urban Redevelopment Authority — Home Buyer’s Guide, Step 3: Booking and Option to Purchase
- Urban Redevelopment Authority — Home Buyer’s Guide, Step 4: Sale and Purchase Agreement
- Urban Redevelopment Authority — Circular COH 2026-01 on deterring errant developer behaviour — 22 May 2026
- Singapore Statutes Online — Housing Developers (Show Unit) Rules 2015
This article provides general educational information. Contract, loan, CPF, stamp duty and legal matters depend on the actual purchase and should be confirmed with the developer, your lawyer, your bank or the relevant agency before a binding commitment is made.