{
  "id": 9903834,
  "title": "‘Should we move houses?’: Property agents step in as parents plan for Primary 1",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/26/should-we-move-houses-property-agents-step-in-as-parents-plan-for",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-09-26T04:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Straits Times",
    "slug": "straits-times",
    "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/parenting-education/should-we-move-houses-property-agents-step-in-as-parents-plan-for-primary-1"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In Singapore, property agents are stepping in to help families plan for their child's primary school education. Linda Sim, a property agent, has been preparing for her daughter's Primary 1 entrance into Nanyang Primary School (NYPS), a highly competitive school in Bukit Timah. She achieved this by purchasing a condominium unit along Duchess Avenue, which is within a 1km radius of both NYPS and Raffles Girls' Primary School (RGPS).\n\nProperty agents have begun offering advice on primary school choices, effectively acting as Primary 1 strategists or consultants. Their services, which are free, include providing school maps and advising clients on school options as part of broader property consultations. Some agents even go as far as creating detailed online maps combining registration data, historical balloting records, and nearby property information.\n\nThe recent changes to the Primary 1 registration system from 2027 could make these decisions more complex, particularly for families considering moving near sought-after schools. The minimum number of Phase 2C places will increase from 40 to 60 at most primary schools, with some two-track schemes where half the places are initially reserved for children living within 2km of the school. This change could diminish the advantage of living closer to a preferred school within Phase 2C.\n\nReactions to these changes among property agents have been mixed. Some parents are reevaluating the need to pay a premium to live near a preferred school, while others sense a growing dread among alumni parents worried about increased competition for places. Despite these shifts, demand for popular schools is unlikely to disappear, as perceptions have been built up over time.\n\nSome property agents have found a business model that combines helping families improve their child's chances of entering a desired school and investing in property that could appreciate in value. This dual approach could initially attract more parents seeking advice as they try to navigate the new system. However, over time, the two-track scheme may reduce the predictability of living closer to a school, making property-based strategies less certain.\n\nExperts suggest that parents who have access to more information about the registration process and the ability to navigate it effectively have an advantage. The emergence of Primary 1 advisory services mirrors the growth of tuition industries around high-stakes exams like the PSLE (Primary School Leaving Examination). These advisory services cater to two types of resources: financial (the ability to buy or rent a home close to a desired school) and informational (knowledge and support in calculating balloting probabilities, weighing options, and preparing backup plans).",
  "summary": "Some agents market themselves as Primary 1 strategists, while others offer school maps and advice.",
  "key_points": [
    "Property agents help families plan for Primary 1 education.",
    "Agents offer free advice on school choices and property consultations.",
    "New registration system changes may complicate decisions."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}