How to Apply for a BTO
If you are planning to apply for a BTO (build to order), the first thing that you should do is check with the HDB. The HDB will make an announcement via their InfoWEB, the newspapers and other media outlets. In these announcements you will find important information such as the location, pricing, designs, number of units available and the quotas for race.
If you plan on applying you should make sure that you are eligible to buy a flat and that you can also get approved for a loan. If you have already met these eligibility requirements, you should check to make sure that you have budgeted for the option fees, legal fees, costs of renovation, down payments required, resale levy and home protection insurance that will be required. You should also check to make sure that you have also budgeted for any other anticipated costs beyond these.
After you have finished with these preliminary steps, you should submit your application to the HDB by using the online application form which is located at www.hdb.gov.sg. If you would prefer to complete the application in person, you can go locally to an HDB hub or branch to submit the application. A non-refundable fee of $10 will be collected as an application fee.
At the close of the application period, the HDB will release the queue position of each applicant. If there is enough demand for the positions, a computer ballot program is used in order to determine the queue position for each of the applicants. The applicants that have not been short-listed are notified at this point in the process.
If you have been short-listed by the application process, the option fee is then required.
The costs of the option fees are the following:
1. $2,000 for 4/5 room and executive flats
2. $1,000 for three room flats
3. $500 for two room flats
4. $250 for one room flats
You will also need to make sure that your paperwork is in order as you will be required to show specific documents. These documents include identity cards, birth certificates, passports for non-citizens, income verification documents that note the income ceiling for buying a flat, income documents that note the income ceiling if a CPF or Special Housing Grant has been taken out.
After the HDB reviews everything, if the everything is in order, the HDB will give you a call and allow you to sign the lead. The process can take from roughly three to six months. If you are looking for a housing loan, you will need to submit these documents when you go to sign the lease. You will also be required to make a down payment that is roughly 1-3% of the legal and stamp fees.
After everything has been submitted the application will be satisfied and you will be able to go collect the keys for your new Build to Order in roughly three years.
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