First-time Buyers' Chances of Securing HDB BTO Flats

Mr Derrick Goh asked the Minister for National Development in view of HDB assuring first-timer families applying for HDB BTO flats in non-mature estates (NME) that they have a nine in 10 chance of securing success within the first three tries (a) whether the application has to be in consecutive sequence for the NME; and (b) for FTF who apply for flats many times across various estate types, whether they have an equally high chance of success if their cumulative three applications in NME are not in consecutive sequence.

We wish to clarify that almost 90% of first-timer (FT) families applying for Build-To-Order (BTO) flats in the non-mature estates (NMEs) had a chance to book a flat within their first two tries, and not three, over the past few years.

FT families get two ballot chances, as compared to second-timer applicants, who will get one ballot chance. FT families who have had two unsuccessful BTO applications in the NMEs will also get one additional ballot for each of their subsequent BTO application in the NMEs. As a result of these policies, our records show that, over the past few years, virtually all FT families had a chance to book a BTO flat in the NMEs within three tries.

FT families will be accorded the additional ballot chances, even if their BTO applications in the NMEs are not in consecutive sequence. That is, FT families may apply for BTO flats in the mature estates (MEs) or in the Housing and Development Board (HDB)'s Sale of Balance Flats (SBF) exercises in between their BTO applications in the NMEs. HDB will automatically accord the additional ballot chances on FT families' third and subsequent BTO application in the NMEs, if they remain unsuccessful in all their earlier flat applications.

However, the count of unsuccessful BTO applications in the NMEs will be reset to zero if the FT family applicant chooses to not book a flat when given the chance to do so, in any BTO or SBF exercises. Therefore, we strongly encourage applicants to book a flat when offered the opportunity to do so.