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HDB Grants in 2026: What You Can Actually Get on a Resale Flat

First-timer families buying an HDB resale flat can combine the Enhanced CPF Housing Grant, Family Grant and Proximity Housing Grant for a theoretical maximum of up to $230,000, though most working households receive far less since the EHG shrinks as income rises. Singles buying resale can qualify for up to $115,000 combining the same grant types. Only the EHG applies to BTO flats, while the Family and Proximity Grants are for resale purchases only, and taking a bank loan does not reduce any grant entitlement.

Sarah Chen·11 Aug 2026

En bloc at 70%: what the proposed consent thresholds mean for your mortgage

Sarah Chen·5 Aug 2026

Private rents +0.7%, HDB +0.4%: the landlord maths after tax, maintenance and mortgage

Rising private and HDB rents in 2Q2026 don't mean rental properties are self-financing, since gross yield ignores property tax, maintenance and mortgage instalments, which for most high-yield condos exceed rental income. The key is distinguishing a liquidity problem, where rent covers interest, maintenance and tax but not principal repayment, from a genuine pricing problem where rent falls short even before principal, since only the former can be fixed by adjusting loan rate, tenure or LTV.

Sarah Chen·5 Aug 2026

The en bloc window reopened for older condos. Here is which sites actually sell.

Two collective sales closed in 2026, and a revised ABSD timeline for developers now gives larger projects six to seven years to complete and sell. Deals tend to go through on sites that are freehold, built 20 to 40 years ago, under 200 units, near an MRT station, and with a significant gap between current and maximum allowable plot ratio. Buying an older condo as an en bloc bet is speculative, and the mortgage obligation is real whether or not a collective sale ever materialises.

Sarah Chen·4 Aug 2026

Still on a 3.5% loan? The 2026 refinancing math, and how to sequence it

If you locked in a mortgage during the 2022 to 2024 rate spike, you are likely still paying 3.5% or more, while current fixed rates sit around 1.4% to 1.6%, making refinancing the highest-impact financial move available to most Singapore homeowners. To capture the saving without penalties, start the process four months before your lock-in ends, confirm you pass the TDSR stress test at 4.0%, and compare packages across multiple banks before committing.

Sarah Chen·3 Aug 2026

If singles could buy HDB before 35: the math before the policy

A potential policy change could allow singles to buy HDB flats before age 35, but eligibility is not the same as affordability. The real constraints are loan quantum under TDSR and MSR, downpayment savings, and limited supply of 2-room flats. Until the policy details and supply response are confirmed, singles should focus on understanding their borrowing limits and building their savings.

Sarah Chen·30 Jul 2026

Prices cool, launch crowds don't: Singapore's private home market at mid-2026

Singapore's private home prices rose 0.5% in Q2 2026 and rents grew 0.7%, suggesting a slowing market overall. However, well-located new launches like Dunearn House still sold over half their units on debut, showing that headline moderation does not mean discounts in sought-after segments. Buyers should size their financing against actual transacted prices in their target segment rather than the national average.

Sarah Chen·29 Jul 2026

New CEA rules from 2027: what tougher agent standards mean for buyers

From January 2027, CEA rules require property agents to complete at least three transactions every three years to renew their licence, or pass a refresher exam. A new listing verification platform will reduce fake and duplicate entries, and commission data collection will improve transparency around agent fees. These changes improve the quality of information and agent competence around your transaction, but do not affect stamp duties, eligibility rules, or what you can buy.

Sarah Chen·29 Jul 2026

The 15-Month HDB Wait-Out Period Is Gone: What It Means for Your Move From Private to Public Housing

Singapore has removed the 15-month wait-out period for private property owners buying HDB resale flats, effective 28 July 2026. This means downgraders can now purchase a non-subsidised resale flat without an HDB loan immediately after selling their private home, as long as they complete the sale within six months of the resale flat purchase. The 30-month wait-out period for subsidised flats and executive condominiums from developers remains in place.

Sarah Chen·28 Jul 2026

ULI 2026: Singapore's private homes are now the priciest in APAC, yet HDB stays the region's only attainable buy

Singapore's HDB flats remain the only attainable public housing in the Asia Pacific region at 4.3 times median household income, while private homes now average over S$2.3 million, making them the most expensive per square metre in APAC. The gap between the two sectors creates distinct financing challenges: HDB buyers must work within MSR and TDSR limits, while upgraders face higher LTV cash requirements, steep Buyer's Stamp Duty, and potential ABSD exposure. Where you sit within the HDB market determines which set of financing constraints applies to your next move.

Sarah Chen·27 Jul 2026

Your rate dropped from 2.8% to 1.6%. Why does the monthly instalment barely move?

When mortgage rates fall, the monthly instalment drops only modestly because it bundles both interest and principal repayment together. The rate change only affects the interest portion, while the principal portion stays the same, diluting the visible impact. Looking at total interest paid or the outstanding balance at the end of a lock-in period gives a far more accurate picture of the true saving.

Sarah Chen·25 Jul 2026

Why a small leasehold condo beat every two-bedder in Aljunied, Paya Lebar and Eunos

Legenda @ Joo Chiat outperformed every two-bedder in the Aljunied, Paya Lebar and Eunos corridor over the past decade because four factors aligned: boutique scale limiting competing supply, a lower entry price that amplified ROI, efficient unit layouts, and scarce new leasehold supply nearby. The lesson for buyers financing a two-bedder is not to chase the next Legenda, but to apply those same four checks to entry price, competing supply, loan flexibility and net return before committing to a loan.

Sarah Chen·24 Jul 2026