How to Buy an HDB Flat

To buy an HDB flat, you should first apply for an HDB Flat Eligibility (HFE) letter, which is needed before you can apply for a BTO flat, SBF flat, or buy a resale HDB flat. You can then use the information in your HFE letter to calculate your housing budget, and search for HDB flats within this budget.

Once you have found an HDB flat, you can either apply for a BTO or SBF flat from HDB during a sales launch, or reach out to the resale flat seller to obtain an Option to Purchase (OTP) and submit a resale application to HDB.

Step 1: Apply for an HDB Flat Eligibility (HFE) letter

The HFE letter will inform you of your eligibility to:

• Buy a new or resale HDB flat.

• Receive CPF housing grants, and the amount.

• Take up an HDB housing loan, and the amount.

 You must have a valid HFE letter before you can:

• Apply for a flat from HDB during a sales launch, sale of balance flats or open booking of flats exercises

• Obtain an OTP from a flat seller for a resale HDB flat, and submit a resale application to HDB.

 You can apply for an HFE letter on the HDB Flat Portal.

It typically takes about one month for an HFE letter application to be approved, and the processing time may be longer during peak periods (e.g. the month before or during a sales launch), so you should apply for an HFE letter early. Your HFE letter will be valid for 9 months from the date of issue. Learn more about how to apply for an HFE letter. 

Step 2: Calculate your housing budget

For a preliminary estimate, you can use the budget calculator on the HDB Flat Portal to calculate your estimated housing budget.

With your approved HFE letter, you can go one step further and calculate your actual housing budget, which takes into consideration:

• Your cash savings

• Your CPF Ordinary Account (OA) savings

• CPF housing grants

• Estimated housing loan from HDB or financial institutions (FIs) like banks

Learn more about CPF housing grants and housing loans for HDB flat buyers. 

Step 3: Search for HDB flats within your budget

Once you have calculated your housing budget, you can start looking for flats. On the HDB Flat Portal, you can find:

• BTO, SBF, and open booking flats offered at ongoing and/ or upcoming HDB sales launches

• Resale HDB flats listed by flat sellers

Learn more about the various types of HDB flats, as well as the Standard, Plus and Prime classification.

Next steps for buying a BTO flat, SBF flat or resale HDB flat

Your next steps will depend on whether you are looking to buy a BTO flat, SBF flat or a resale HDB flat.

Buying a BTO or SBF flat

If you are looking to buy a BTO or SBF flat, you will need to apply for a flat during an HDB sales launch. If your application is successful, you will be invited to book a flat and sign the Agreement for Lease. Once your flat is completed, HDB will contact you to collect the keys to your flat.

Learn more about how to buy a BTO or SBF flat.

Buying a resale HDB flat

If you are buying a resale HDB flat, you will first need to obtain an OTP from the flat seller. If you wish to take up a housing loan or use your CPF savings to finance the purchase of the flat, you will then need to submit a Request for Value to HDB. The Request for Value will determine the flat’s value which will inform how much CPF you can use and your housing loan amount.

Should you decide to exercise the OTP, both you and the seller must submit your respective portions of the resale application.

Learn more about how to buy a resale HDB flat.