New to all this? Start here. See exactly how buying and selling happen, step by step, and pick up the things that quietly cost people money. No jargon you can't follow, no sales pitch.
The whole journey, from "I like this one" to keys in your hand. Pick what you're buying — the steps change a fair bit between them.
Selling up — to upgrade, downsize, or cash out. Pick what you're selling, and watch the timing traps near the end.
The things we wish every buyer knew before they started. Tap any one to open it.
Every term the tools and agents throw at you — translated once, with what it actually means for you.
The little contract that reserves the home for you for about two weeks while you sort your loan. You pay a small fee for it.Once you "exercise" it, the deal is firm.
Banks won't let all your monthly repayments add up to more than 55% of your income.More income or less debt → bigger budget.
A tighter cap: your home loan alone can't exceed 30% of your income.Why HDB budgets feel smaller than condo ones.
The most a bank will lend — usually 75% of the price on your first loan. You find the other 25%.Drops to 55% if the loan runs past age 65 or 30 years — lower still on a second home loan.
Banks check you could still pay if rates jumped to about 4%, even though you'll likely pay less.It's why the "safe" loan feels conservative — that's the point.
A tax everyone pays on the price, roughly 1–6% depending on how much the home costs.Budget for it in cash, on top of the down payment.
Extra duty if it's not your first home, or you're a PR/foreigner. Can be very large.The single biggest cost surprise when upgrading.
A penalty for selling a private home within a few years of buying it.Hold past the window and it's zero.
You can use CPF for a home, but on selling you must put back what you used plus the interest it would have earned.It quietly eats into your cash proceeds.
A bank only lends, and CPF only applies, up to its own valuation of the home.Pay above valuation and the difference is cash on top.
At least 5% of the price must be paid in actual cash — CPF can't cover this part.The first real cash hurdle to clear.
Usually 5 years you must live in an HDB before you can sell it or buy private.Sets the earliest you can upgrade.
A 99-year home slowly loses value — and loan/CPF eligibility — as the lease counts down.Matters most on older flats and for resale.
An online letter from HDB that confirms what you can buy, borrow, and claim in grants before you start.Your first step for any HDB purchase.
That's completely normal — and exactly what we're here for. Tell us your situation and we'll point you to the right next step. No obligation.
Plain-language summaries to get you oriented — not financial or legal advice, and the rules change. Always confirm the specifics with a banker, lawyer, HDB, or with us before you commit.