THE upcoming Housing and Development Board (HDB) Build-To-Order (BTO) exercise will allow eligible first-timers who are single to apply for new two-room flexi flats across all Standard, Plus and Prime projects islandwide.
On Friday (Oct 4), Singapore’s housing authority said this represents a “significant shift” from the previous restriction to only non-mature estates.
The October 2024 exercise will offer 1,902 two-room flexi flats in 10 out of 15 BTO projects in Ang Mo Kio, Bedok, Bukit Batok, Jurong West, Kallang/Whampoa, Pasir Ris and Sengkang.
This also marks the start of the framework that classifies new BTO flats under the Standard, Plus and Prime categories.
The new classification will not be applied to existing owned flats and flats launched for sale before the October 2024 BTO exercise.
Singles may also continue to buy a resale flat of any size, except for 3Gen flats and those sold under the Prime Location Housing model.
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Meanwhile, HDB will set aside up to 65 per cent of non-senior two-room flexi flats across all categories of projects in a BTO exercise for first-timer singles.
The income ceiling for singles purchasing a new two-room flexi flat from HDB remains at S$7,000. The minimum age for singles who wish to apply for a HDB flat, be it a BTO or resale unit, remains at 35.
Eligible first-time flat buyers who are single may also tap housing grants; those with a monthly household income of up to S$4,500, for example, may apply for the grant of up to S$60,000 from the enhanced CPF housing grant (EHG).
Those purchasing a resale flat may receive up to S$115,000 in housing grants comprising the EHG, a CPF housing grant of up to S$40,000, and a proximity housing grant of up to S$15,000.
From mid-2025, singles will also be among those entitled to priority access when they apply for a BTO flat to live with, or near their parents.
HDB said it “recognises the role of singles in caring for their parents, and takes into consideration their preference to live closer to their elderly parents”. More details of the priority access will be released soon.
“We will continue to review our housing policies and make adjustments where necessary, to ensure they continue to support the housing needs and aspirations of singles who wish to have a place of their own,” added the board.
Since 2013, eligible first-time applicants who are single have been allowed to buy two-room flexi BTO flats in any non-mature estate, as an alternative to buying a resale HDB flat under the Single Singapore Citizen Scheme introduced in 1991.
Removing this restriction to allow singles to apply for such flats islandwide was first announced by then-prime minister Lee Hsien Loong in his final National Day Rally speech in 2023.
