Living alone in Singapore is becoming an increasingly common trend, regardless of age. When looking at young adults, a polled survey by the National Population and Talent Division showed that half of the singles surveyed were not dating. As these adults choose to move out and live away from their families, we see more elderly living by themselves. This can be seen from national data, where the proportion of elderly living alone rose by 2% between 2010 and 2020.
As a Singaporean interested in purchasing a home by yourself, you may be interested in the kinds of schemes offered by the Housing Development Board (HDB) for you. Read on to find out more!
Can an HDB flat be owned by one person?
Although the idea of buying HDB flats is usually associated with families, it is possible to own an HDB flat under a single name. Under HDB’s current policies, here are the possible ways to do so:
Young Singles
If you are single, you can only purchase a flat if you are 35 years old or above.
The only exception here is if you are widowed or an orphan. In this scenario, you can purchase any resale flat if you are 21 years old or above.
After reaching the magic age of 35, there are 2 options for you to buy an HDB by yourself: A new Build To Order (BTO) flat or a second-hand flat in the resale market.
Build To Order Flats
If you want to buy a subsidised home and do not mind waiting for it to be completed, you may consider buying a new BTO flat. Unfortunately, singles are restricted to purchasing 2-room Flexi Flats in non-mature estates.
This is to allow enough supply for the larger 3-5 room HDB flats to others who need the additional space (Read: Couples who intend to start a family soon).
However, with a living space of up to 46 sqm, a 2-room flat provides enough living space for one to call his or her home. Equipped with a bedroom, bathroom, kitchen and living room, it has all the basic features any home in Singapore has.
Imagine unwinding in that spacious living room all by yourself after a long day at work.
In addition to the subsided price of a BTO, you may also be eligible for the Enhanced CPF Housing Grant (Singles) if your average monthly income is less than $4,500. Here is how much you can get in grants:
| Average Monthly Income | Grant amount |
|---|---|
| Not more than $750 | $40,000 |
| $751 to $1,000 | $37,500 |
| $1001 to $1,250 | $35,000 |
| $1,251 to $1,500 | $32,500 |
| $1,501 to $1,750 | $30,000 |
| $1,751 to $2,000 | $27,500 |
| $2,001 to $2,250 | $25,000 |
| $2,251 to $2,500 | $22,500 |
| $2,501 to $2,750 | $20,000 |
| $2,751 to $3,000 | $17,500 |
| $3,001 to $3,250 | $15,000 |
| $3,251 to $3,500 | $12,500 |
| $3,501 to $3,750 | $10,000 |
| $3,751 to $4,000 | $7,500 |
| $4,001 to $4,250 | $5,000 |
| $4,251 to $4,500 | $2,500 |
Lastly, you may want to note that the flexi flat also comes with a 99-year lease, similar to other BTO flats.
Flexi flats with shorter lease periods are also offered to senior citizens. Check out the details below!
Resale Flats
Considering a bigger space to call your home, or cannot take the long wait for BTO projects to be completed? You may want to consider buying a resale flat instead.
The main drawback of purchasing a resale flat as a single is its high price. Even though HDB flats are subsidised by the government, the price of resale flats is governed by market forces, making them much more expensive than BTO flats.
To mitigate these high prices and increase affordability, the government has introduced more CPF housing grants for singles to purchase resale flats. Other than the Enhanced CPF Housing Grant (Singles) (described above), singles may also be eligible for the following grants:
| Grant Name | Grant Amount |
|---|---|
| CPF Housing Grant (Singles) | – $25,000 (2- to 4- room flat) – $20,000 (5-room flat) |
| Proximity Housing Grant (Singles) | – $15,000 (Living with parents/child) – $10,000 (Living within 4km of parents/ child) |
Compared to their BTO counterparts, there are fewer restrictions imposed on the sale of resale flats. Here is a comparison of the main points:
| BTO Flats | Resale Flats | |
|---|---|---|
| Type of flat | 2-room Flexi only | All flat types, excluding 3Gen flats |
| Location | Non-mature estates | Any location |
| Monthly household income ceiling | $7,000 | No income ceiling |
| Ownership/ interest in property in Singapore or overseas | – Must not own or have any interest in any local or overseas private property, and – Not sold any private property 30 months before the flat application | – Must not own or have any interest in any local or overseas private property, and – Not sold any private property 15 months before the flat application * These conditions do not apply to senior citizens aged 55 and above who are moving from a private property to a 4-room or smaller resale flat. |
| Additional amount payable | $15,000 | – |
Senior Citizens
Other than the methods listed above, senior citizens aged 55 or above who are single can also purchase a BTO HDB flat under the following schemes:
Short-lease Flexi Flats
A new HDB flat is usually bought with a 99-year lease from the government. This form of contract means we are essentially paying for a ‘rental’ of 99 years. However, such a long ‘rental period’ may not be suitable for senior citizens, who end up paying more versus the length of the lease they need.
An HDB unit is returned to the government when the owner passes on. Therefore, a shorter lease which covers their living years is more cost-effective for senior citizens.
In response, the government came out with the idea of short-lease Flexi Flats in 2015. These 2-room flats have shorter leases of 15 – 45 years (in 5-year increments), which aim to last the buyer until he or she is at least 95 years old. Using an illustration from MND, you can save almost 70% by purchasing a flat with a 15-year lease instead of a 99-year one!
| 99-year Lease | 40-year Lease | 15-year Lease | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost price | $110,000 | $62,800 | $36,700 |
| Savings (compared to 99-year lease) | – | 43 % | 67 % |
These short-lease flexi flats are available for senior citizens aged 55 and above. Similar to regular 99-lease flexi flats, singles can enjoy the Enhanced CPF Housing Grant (Singles) (described above) if they meet the eligibility requirements.
Community Care Apartments
If you are a senior citizen aged 65 or above, another way that allows you to purchase an HDB alone is by buying a Community Care Apartment.
Recognising the living and social needs of ageing Singaporeans, the government introduced the Community Care Apartment scheme under a multi-ministerial initiative. Besides providing a roof over their heads, these apartments also come with dedicated care services by trained caregivers and social spaces for the elderly to mingle. Some of these care services include basic health checks and a 24-hour emergency response system.
You may want to note that the care services provided are subject to additional fees.
As an elderly living alone, you will also be delighted to know that your Community Care Apartment comes with a suite of elderly-friendly features, such as grab bars, slip-resistant flooring and even panic buttons to alert your caregiver during emergencies!
Similar to short-lease flexi flats, affordability is a crucial feature of Community Care Apartments. For example, these flats are adequately sized, having a combined living/dining room/kitchen, a bedroom and a bathroom, which help reduce costs.
Furthermore, these flats also come with short leases of 15 – 35 years (in 5-year increments) that aim to last the buyer until he or she is at least 95 years old. By not paying for a full 99-year lease, you will need to pay less for your new home.
Undecided on which type of flat to choose? Here is a comparison of the main points between short-lease flexi flats and Community Care Apartments:
| Short-lease Flexi Flat | Community Care Apartment | |
|---|---|---|
| Age | 55 years or above | 65 years or above |
| Facilities available | None | In-house elderly-friendly features and dedicated care services |
| Monthly household income ceiling | $14,000 | $14,000 |
| Remaining lease of flat | Lease must last buyer until at least age 95 | Lease must last buyer until at least age 95 |
| Ownership/ interest in property in Singapore or overseas | Any owned private property must be sold within 6 months upon completion of the flat purchase | Any owned private property must be sold within 6 months upon completion of the flat purchase |
| Additional amount payable | $30,000 (to be pro-rated according to the lease chosen) | $30,000 (to be pro-rated according to the lease chosen) |
| CPF Grants available | Enhanced CPF Housing Grant (Singles) | Enhanced CPF Housing Grant (Singles) |
| Selling/ Renting | Cannot be sold or rent out in the open market | Cannot be sold or rent out in the open market |
Conclusion
Although HDB flats are mainly targeted at couples and families for settling down, there are many ways to own a flat under a single name. This is great news for singles who want to move out of their family home and buy their own flat. Unfortunately, you will need to be 35 years old or above to do so, which applies to both BTO and resale flats. Furthermore, singles are restricted to 2-room flexi flats in non-mature estates for BTO flats.
If you are a senior citizen wanting to own a flat under your name, you will also be delighted to know that current schemes such as short-lease flexi flats and Community Care Apartments also cater to singles.
I hope that this article gave you a greater understanding of how you can own an HDB flat under a single name. Do check out this page for more guides on HDB-related topics!
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