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Buying a Build-To-Order (BTO) flat is one of the biggest steps young Singaporeans take in their journey to adulthood. To smooth your way forward, we’ve compiled a comprehensive guide to buying your BTO.
Step 1: Check your eligibility
You need to meet the following criteria to buy a BTO flat:
- At least one of the applicants is a Singaporean Citizen
- At least one other applicant is either a Singapore Citizen or a Singapore Permanent Resident.
- Be at least 21 years or older
- You do not own any private residential property, be it overseas or locally, and you have not sold any private residential property within the last 30 months
- You have not enjoyed more than 1 housing subsidy, such as any of the following
- Bought a flat from HDB
- Bought a resale flat with a CPF housing grant
- Bought a DBSS flat from a developer
- Bought an Executive Condo (EC) from a developer
- Received other forms of housing subsidy eg. SERS
- Depending on the flat type, your monthly household income must not exceed a certain amount:
| Flat type | Income ceiling |
| 2-room Flexi (99-year lease) | S$7,000 |
| 2-room Flexi (short lease) and Community Care Apartment | S$14,000 |
| 3-room | S$7,000 or S$14,000, depending on the project. Each project will usually specify the income ceiling during the sales launch. |
| 4-room and 5-room | S$14,000 S$21,000 for extended or multi-generation families |
Couples and families
You must meet these application requirements for BTO flats:
- You are applying with your spouse (and children, if any)
- You are applying with your parents and siblings
- You are applying solely with your children (if you’re divorced or widowed)
- You are applying with a fiancé/fiancée
- You are an orphan, and you are applying with a sibling
Singles
Meanwhile, singles can either apply on their own or with up to three other singles.
But you’ll have to be at least 35 years old, and can only apply for a 2-room Flexi flat in a non-mature estate.
Seniors
There are two flat options for seniors sold via the BTO route. These are:
- 2-room Flexi flat (short lease)
- Community Care Apartment
Here are the main criteria for the respective flat types:
| Flat type | Short lease 2-room Flexi flat | Community Care Apartment |
| Lease duration | 15 to 45, in 5-year increments | 15 to 35, in 5-year increments |
| Age | At least 55 years old | At least 65 years old |
| Monthly income | S$14,000 | |
| Remaining lease | The lease should cover all applicants and essential occupiers up to the age of 95 | |
| Property ownership | If you have any local or overseas private residential property, you need to sell it within 6 months of getting the keys to the flat | |
Head over to HDB’s website for more info on this.
Be sure to apply for the HDB Flat Eligibility (HFE) letter before the BTO sales launch. It will inform you of your eligibility on the following:
- Buy a new (BTO, SBF or open booking) and/or resale flat
- Receive CPF grants, including the amount
- Get an HDB housing loan, including the amount
Additional reading: October 2025 BTO application rates show strong demand in Bukit Merah and Bishan
Step 2A: Get an HDB housing loan
You must meet the following criteria to be eligible for an HDB housing loan.
- At least one applicant is a Singapore Citizen
- Your gross monthly household income does not exceed S$14,000 (S$21,000 for extended families and S$7,000 for singles buying a 2-room Flexi flat in a non-mature estate)
- You do not own or have not owned any private residential property in the 30 months before the HFE letter application
- You do not own more than one local or overseas non-residential private property within 30 months before the HFE letter application
An HDB loan can finance up to 80% of your flat’s price or value (the lower of the two). The remaining down payment of 20% can come from cash, CPF, or a combination of the two.
Step 2B: Take a private bank loan instead of an HDB loan
A private bank loan requires you to pay at least 5% of your flat in cash. Another 20% can be paid through a combination of cash or CPF. Up to 75% of your flat price or value (the lower of the two) can be financed by the bank.
Read more: Deciding between HDB loan vs bank loan? Here’s a quick reference.
The bank’s mortgage officer will give you the details of any other requirements.
Get in touch with 99.co’s mortgage broker to get the best rates!
The comprehensive path to homeownership
1. BTO announcements
HDB will launch the sale of new flats through the BTO exercise every three months in February, May, August and November.
At the same time, they’ll announce the locations and estimated number of units of the projects for the next BTO launch. You can browse through these details on HDB’s Flat Portal.
2. The application period
Every BTO launch typically has a one-week application period. During this time, you can apply for a flat online. There is a non-refundable administration fee of S$10 to apply.
You are only able to apply for one flat type at one location for each launch, so do take the time to plan out the pros and cons list as soon as you find out about the available BTO exercises.
It’s not a first-come, first-basis. So you don’t have to apply right after HDB launches an exercise! During the week-long application period, HDB will update the BTO application rate daily (at 8 am, 11 am, 2 pm and 5 pm). So you can monitor the application rate in the meantime to gauge your chances of getting a BTO queue number.
Read more: How to increase your HDB BTO ballot chances
We also do reviews of these BTO projects, which you can check out here.
3. The selection process
Applicants tend to outnumber the available units, especially in mature estates. As such, a balloting process is used to decide who gets the flat (for more details on how the ballot works, visit the HDB website).
You will know the results of the ballot up to two months later. HDB will send you a notification as to whether you’re successful. Remember to check your email!
Once you’ve gotten your BTO queue number, you should be checking the HDB Flat Portal regularly to see the progress of the flat selection. Knowing which flats are left will help you shortlist the best unit for you before your BTO flat booking appointment.
HDB flats for sale up to S$500k
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4. Flat booking appointment at HDB Hub
If you’re shortlisted, you’ll be invited for an appointment to book a flat four weeks after the ballot results.
You’ll have to bring the following documents to the appointment:
- IC of all listed applicants and occupants
- If you’re employed or serving NS under the Singapore Armed Forces, Civil Defence or Police Force, you’ll need to log in to your Singpass to verify your digital IC
- Passport, if you are not a Singapore resident
- Birth certificates of your children, if you applied with them
- Your birth certificate and both your parents’ marriage certificates, if you are buying a BTO under the Multi-Generation Priority Scheme or the Married Child Priority Scheme
- Marriage certificate, if you are married
- Divorce certificate, if you’re divorced
- Death certificate, if your spouse is deceased
You’ll also need a valid HFE letter before you go for the flat booking appointment.
Bring your NETS card too! At this stage, you’ll need to pay the option fee.
| Flat type | Option fee |
| 2-room Flexi | S$500 |
| 3-room | S$1,000 |
| 4-room and bigger | S$2,000 |
The option fee will form part of the downpayment.
Read more: Buying via BTO, SBF or Open Booking? Everything you need to know about the payment timeline
If you’re applying for the Deferred Income Assessment, you’ll have to apply for it during the flat booking appointment. Head over to HDB’s website for more info on this.
5. Sign the Agreement for the Lease
Within nine months, you will be invited to sign the Agreement for Lease.
At this stage, you’ll be required to pay for the following:
- Downpayment
- Buyer’s Stamp Duty (BSD)
- Legal fee
HDB will notify you of the exact date that the development will be finished. From there, all you need to do is wait to collect your keys.
Application for a BTO unit from start to finish will take at least four to five years, during which you and your partner should be financially prudent and start saving enough to pay for your mortgage as well as your renovation.
[Additional reporting by Virginia Tanggono]
BTO application FAQ
What are the eligibility criteria to apply for a BTO flat in Singapore?
To be eligible for a BTO flat, at least one applicant must be a Singaporean Citizen, and another must be either a Singapore Citizen or a Singapore Permanent Resident. Applicants must be 21 years or older, not owned any private residential property locally or overseas in the last 30 months, and have not enjoyed more than one housing subsidy. The monthly household income must also not exceed specified limits depending on the flat type.
What are the requirements for obtaining an HDB housing loan for a BTO flat?
To qualify for an HDB housing loan, at least one applicant must be a Singapore Citizen. The gross monthly household income should not exceed S$14,000 (S$21,000 for extended families and S$7,000 for singles buying a 2-room Flexi flat in a non-mature estate). Applicants should not own or have owned any private residential property in the 30 months before the HFE letter application, nor should they own more than one non-residential private property during this period. An HDB loan can finance up to 80% of the flat’s price or value.
What is the process and timeline for applying for a BTO flat during a BTO exercise?
The BTO application process includes checking eligibility, applying during the BTO launch period, and participating in the balloting process. Applications are typically open for a week during each BTO launch. Applicants should apply for one flat type at one location and follow the updates on application rates. The results of the ballot are known up to two months later. If successful, applicants will be invited for a flat booking appointment, where they pay an option fee and apply for the Deferred Income Assessment if necessary. The entire BTO application process from start to finish can take four to five years.
Buying a BTO flat? Let us know in the comments section below.
If you found this article helpful, 99.co recommends How to increase your HDB BTO ballot chances and FAQs: “Can I BTO during MOP?” – Commonly asked questions about buying HDB flat eligibility.
About Ananda Bayu
Ananda has been wrangling Singapore's complex real estate trends into readable bites since 2020. She writes like she's explaining it to a friend over kopi — because who has time for jargon? When off the clock, she’s probably doom-scrolling through cat memes on X, convincing herself it's the highest tier of "creative inspiration".
Looking to sell your property?
Whether your HDB apartment is reaching the end of its Minimum Occupation Period (MOP) or your condo has crossed its Seller Stamp Duty (SSD) window, it is always good to know how much you can potentially gain if you were to list and sell your property. Not only that, you’ll also need to know whether your gains would allow you to right-size to the dream home in the neighbourhood you and your family have been eyeing.
One easy way is to send us a request for a credible and trusted property consultant to reach out to you.
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