Acquiring Private Property

You and your spouse you can choose to acquire private residential properties locally or overseas if you can fulfil the eligibility conditions that apply to your flat.

 

 

Fulfilling the Minimum Occupation Period (MOP)

Before you and your spouse can acquire private residential property, you have to fulfil the MOP of your flat. Find out how this is computed.

How is the MOP computed?

The MOP starts from the date you take possession of your flat (including subsequent changes to flat ownership through a total change in owners) to the following dates, whichever is earlier:

  • Date on which the Option to Purchase (OTP) the private property is exercised
  • Date of the sale and purchase agreement of the private property, regardless of whether it is still under construction or ready for possession

The computation excludes:

  • The period of renting out or non-occupation of the flat
  • Any infringement of the lease of the flat by the owner

Here is an overview of the MOP for the different types of flats.

 

Mode of Purchase MOP                   
Flats bought from HDB  

Unclassified[1]/ Standard flats: 5 years

Plus and Prime[2] flats: 10 years
Flat bought under the Design, Build and Sell Scheme (DBSS) from property developer 5 years
Flat bought under the Selective En bloc Redevelopment Scheme (SERS)

For SERS sites announced before 7 April 2022 

At designated replacement site(s):

  • Either of the following, whichever is earlier:
    • 7 years from the date of selection of the replacement flat
    • 5 years from the date of collecting the keys

Flats purchased elsewhere with portable rehousing benefits:

  • 5 years from the date of collecting the keys

For SERS sites announced on or after 7 April 2022

  • 5 years from the date of collecting the keys 
Resale flat bought on the open market Unclassified[1]/ Standard flats: 5 years

Plus and Prime[2] flats: 10 years
Flat bought under the Fresh Start Housing Scheme 20 years

[1] Unclassified flats refer to flats sold before the October 2024 sales exercise and not classified as Standard, Plus or Prime.
[2] Prime flats include Prime Location Public Housing (PLH) flats sold before the October 2024 sales exercise.

 

In addition, you should note that:

  • During the MOP of the flat, the flat owner, his/ her spouse and occupiers are not allowed to acquire private residential property. This includes exercising the Option to Purchase (OTP) or signing the sale and purchase agreement of the property, regardless of whether it is under construction or ready for possession.  
  • Acquiring private residential property to hold on trust for another person, or being a beneficiary of a property held on trust is also not allowed. 
  • After the MOP of the flat, there is no limit on the number of private properties which can be acquired.
  • Periods of non-occupation, such as the renting out of your whole flat or any infringement of the lease of the flat, will be excluded in the MOP computation.

How to find out if you have met the MOP

You may check if you have met the MOP to acquire a private property.

Retaining the HDB flat after acquiring private residential property

You should note that:

Households with at least 1 Singapore Citizen flat owner

The flat owner can retain the HDB flat if the owner, spouse, or occupier acquires the private residential property after the MOP.

 

Households where all flat owners are Singapore Permanent Residents

  • If all the owners of the flat are Singapore Permanent Residents (SPR), the owners are required to notify us before the owner, spouse or any occupier listed in the flat exercise the Option to Purchase (OTP) for purchase of a private residential property located in Singapore. SPR owners may write to us on your intention to acquire a private residential property. 
  • In addition, the SPR flat owners must sell the flat within 6 months of acquisition of completed/ uncompleted local private residential property by the flat owner, spouse or occupier.

 

 

Recommended