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123 articles on home financing.

Does HDB check your credit report for a BTO? What actually happens before key collection

HDB checks your credit report during the HFE letter application, where it retrieves your CBS credit report in the background using your consent. The loan amount is then reassessed again before key collection, so changes in income or debt during the BTO waiting period can reduce the loan you qualify for. A Debt Management Programme does not automatically disqualify you but reduces your borrowing capacity through its impact on your MSR and TDSR.

Sarah Chen15 Jul 2026

Affordability & Financial Planning

What does it really take to afford a landed property?

Affording a landed property in Singapore depends less on the sticker price and more on five interacting factors: your real loan quantum under TDSR at the 4% stress rate, how far that falls below the 75% LTV cap, the cash cost of BSD, a properly sized renovation or A&A reserve, and the liquidity buffer you retain after all of it. A buyer committing to a S$6 million-plus landed home in a single name should model all five before signing, and prioritise a location with durable demand to protect the equity locked in.

Sarah Chen14 Jul 2026

Regulations & Policy

Prime CCR sales jump 25% as the broader market cools: what it signals for everyone else

Prime CCR home sales rose nearly 25% year on year in the first half of 2026, driven largely by new citizens and PRs who benefit from lower ABSD rates compared to foreign buyers. This divergence from a softening broader market reflects capital seeking stable assets rather than growth, and does not directly forecast movement in mass market or suburban segments. The same financing rules, including LTV caps, TDSR, and stamp duty payable in cash, apply across all price points regardless of property tier.

Sarah Chen14 Jul 2026

Mortgage Basics & FAQs

Why that boutique condo may cost you more: a financing view on construction quality

Boutique condos often carry higher long-term costs than buyers expect because smaller developers typically lack the scale, quality controls, and contractor leverage of larger conglomerates. Poor build quality drives up defect repair costs, MCST maintenance spending, and special levies, all of which affect household cash flow and the collateral value underpinning your mortgage. Before buying, check BCA CONQUAS scores, MCST financials, and sinking fund balances to assess the true financing risk.

Sarah Chen13 Jul 2026

Home Buying 101

Living overseas, buying overseas? The financing trade-offs every Singaporean should weigh

Singaporeans living abroad face asymmetric borrowing conditions when buying overseas versus at home. Purchasing a foreign property can reduce your Singapore loan capacity through TDSR, trigger higher ABSD rates on a future Singapore purchase, and introduce currency risk if you plan to repatriate value. If a Singapore home remains the long-term goal, buying here first generally preserves your citizen ABSD advantage and stronger financing terms.

Sarah Chen13 Jul 2026

Affordability & Financial Planning

Can you fully use your CPF for a resale HDB? The age-95 lease rule explained

You can use your CPF OA up to the Valuation Limit only if the flat's remaining lease covers the youngest buyer to at least age 95. If the lease falls short, your CPF usage is prorated based on how much of the lease covers the youngest owner relative to the years needed to reach 95. Any shortfall must be made up in cash, as lenders will not increase the loan to compensate.

Sarah Chen11 Jul 2026

Home Buying 101

3Gen HDB flats: who can buy one, and how the financing actually works

A 3Gen HDB flat is designed for multi-generational households where grandparents, parents, and children live together, and eligibility requires all three generations to be co-applicants and co-owners. Financing works by pooling incomes across generations, which increases borrowing power under the MSR but can shorten loan tenure due to older applicants' ages, and may aggregate existing debts if a bank loan is used. Running the numbers both with and without older borrowers on the loan is essential before committing.

Sarah Chen8 Jul 2026

Affordability & Financial Planning

Why the mean-versus-median wealth gap is really a mortgage story

Singapore's large mean-versus-median wealth gap reflects that most households hold concentrated balance sheets built around an HDB flat, CPF savings, and a mortgage. Because the mortgage is the one major liability a household can actively manage, reviewing and optimising it at every lock-in expiry is one of the most direct ways a typical family can improve its net worth. Getting the mortgage rate down first is low-risk and actionable before considering other uses for surplus cash.

Sarah Chen8 Jul 2026

Home Buying 101

Aircon Inspection Before Buying a Home in Singapore: What to Check, and What It Is Worth Off the Price

Before signing the Option-to-Purchase for a Singapore resale home, buyers should inspect the aircon system for age, mould, rust, and service history, as hidden aircon costs typically run S$2,000 to S$8,000 in the first year. A ten-minute self-check at the second viewing, combined with a S$150 to S$300 professional inspection for older or ducted systems, can reveal documented findings that justify S$500 to S$5,000 off the OTP price. Sellers in broker-managed transactions rarely walk away from a repair credit when confronted with clear evidence, making aircon inspection one of the highest return-on-effort steps in the Singapore home-buying process.

Sarah Chen7 Jul 2026

Affordability & Financial Planning

Can you afford it, and can you refinance it? Two ends of the Singapore mortgage journey

Whether you can afford a mortgage and whether you can manage it later in life are two sides of the same question. For upgraders, TDSR and age-related LTV rules shape what you can borrow, but the real risk lies in exit assumptions like sale timing and the HDB wait-out period. For retirees, refinancing with a new lender is difficult without income, but repricing with your existing bank typically does not require fresh income documentation, keeping your options open.

Sarah Chen7 Jul 2026

Home Buying 101

Understanding your sales proceeds

Sales proceeds are what remains after deducting your outstanding home loan, CPF refunds (principal plus accrued interest back to your own account), and selling costs such as agent commission and legal fees from your selling price. The CPF refund is the most commonly overlooked deduction, as accrued interest grows over time and the amount returned goes to your CPF account rather than as cash in hand. Understanding these deductions in advance helps you accurately plan for your next property purchase or financial move.

Sarah Chen3 Jul 2026

Home Buying 101

44% ROI in Serangoon: what Chiltern Park teaches buyers about picking a profitable two-bedder

Chiltern Park's two-bedders achieved a 43.92% average ROI over a decade due to four identifiable factors: a low entry price relative to fair value, location scarcity limiting new supply, a unit size with broad buyer appeal, and a modest quantum that supports liquidity. Buyers can apply this same framework to any project by assessing entry price against district comparables, surrounding land availability, unit size demand depth, and loan affordability across a full rate cycle.

Sarah Chen3 Jul 2026

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All articles

Does HDB check your credit report for a BTO? What actually happens before key collection

What does it really take to afford a landed property?

Prime CCR sales jump 25% as the broader market cools: what it signals for everyone else

Why that boutique condo may cost you more: a financing view on construction quality

Living overseas, buying overseas? The financing trade-offs every Singaporean should weigh

Can you fully use your CPF for a resale HDB? The age-95 lease rule explained

3Gen HDB flats: who can buy one, and how the financing actually works

Why the mean-versus-median wealth gap is really a mortgage story

Aircon Inspection Before Buying a Home in Singapore: What to Check, and What It Is Worth Off the Price

Can you afford it, and can you refinance it? Two ends of the Singapore mortgage journey

Understanding your sales proceeds

44% ROI in Serangoon: what Chiltern Park teaches buyers about picking a profitable two-bedder

Tools & Resources

Cashew Mortgages