A resale flat is an HDB flat bought from its current owner on the open market rather than directly from HDB. The price is negotiated between buyer and seller, and the transaction is submitted to HDB for approval.
Key takeaways
- No income ceiling applies to buying a Standard or unclassified resale flat, but a resale Plus or Prime flat carries a monthly household income ceiling of SGD 14,000, and income ceilings also apply to qualify for CPF housing grants and an HDB housing loan.
- A flat can only be sold on the open market after the Minimum Occupation Period — 5 years for a Standard or unclassified flat, and 10 years for a Plus or Prime flat.
- The buyer pays the seller an Option Fee of between SGD 1 and SGD 1,000 for the Option to Purchase, and an Option Exercise Fee that brings the combined total to no more than SGD 5,000.
- A valid HDB Flat Eligibility (HFE) letter is needed before a buyer obtains an Option to Purchase and when the resale application is submitted.
- HDB accepts a complete resale application within 28 working days, and resale completion is about 8 weeks from that acceptance.
How the resale process works
- The buyer obtains an HFE letter setting out eligibility, grants and HDB housing loan amount
- Buyer and seller agree a price, and the seller grants an Option to Purchase against the Option Fee
- The buyer submits a Request for Value if CPF savings or a housing loan will be used
- The buyer exercises the Option and pays the Option Exercise Fee
- Both parties submit their portions of the resale application; HDB verifies eligibility and grants approval
- The transaction completes at an appointment about 8 weeks after HDB accepts the application
Valuation and price
The resale price is whatever buyer and seller agree, but the amount of CPF savings and housing loan that can be applied is based on HDB’s valuation of the flat. Where a buyer is paying with CPF savings or a housing loan, the Request for Value is submitted by the next working day after the Option to Purchase is granted. Any part of the price above the valuation is Cash Over Valuation and is payable in cash.
Conditions attached to resale flats
Resale flats are subject to the Ethnic Integration Policy and Singapore Permanent Resident quotas that apply to each block and neighbourhood, so the pool of eligible buyers for a given flat can be limited. A resale Plus or Prime flat carries further conditions on the buyer: the household has to include a Singapore Citizen, stay within a monthly household income ceiling of SGD 14,000, and clear the 30-month wait-out period that applies to private property owners. Those buyers then take on the 10-year Minimum Occupation Period and the prohibition on renting out the whole flat, although subsidy recovery does not apply to a flat bought on the open market.
Key resale flat figures
| Item | Figure |
|---|---|
| Option Fee | SGD 1 to SGD 1,000 |
| Option Fee and Option Exercise Fee combined | no more than SGD 5,000 |
| Minimum Occupation Period — Standard and unclassified flats | 5 years |
| Minimum Occupation Period — Plus and Prime flats | 10 years |
| Resale completion | about 8 weeks after HDB accepts the application |
Figures as at 2026. Source: HDB.
Worked example
A buyer agrees a resale price of SGD 600,000 and pays an Option Fee of SGD 1,000 for the Option to Purchase. If HDB’s valuation comes back at SGD 580,000, the SGD 20,000 difference is Cash Over Valuation and is payable in cash, because CPF savings and the housing loan are worked out against the valuation. Actual amounts depend on the flat and the transaction.
Related terms
All Singapore glossary terms →Related calculator
Work out the resale levy that applies when moving from a subsidised flat to a second one.
This page is provided for educational and informational purposes only. It does not constitute financial advice. All figures and worked examples are estimates for illustrative purposes, are subject to change, and do not reflect any individual’s circumstances. Always refer to HDB and seek independent professional advice before making any financial decisions.