15-month wait-out curb lifted for private property owners buying HDB resale flats

The government will lift a 15-month wait-out period imposed on private property owners looking to buy an HDB flat in the resale market, a market restriction rolled out in 2022 as prices in the public housing market rocketed up.

The wait-out period was aimed at moderating demand for Housing Development Board flats in the resale market to keep them affordable, especially for first-time home buyers.

Exceptions were made for those aged 55 and above who are moving from a private property to a four-room or smaller HDB resale flat, a two-room flexi flat or a community care apartment intended for seniors.

The move was announced by National Development Minister Chee Hong Tat in a speech at the opening of the Singapore Economic Conference on Tuesday (Jul 28).

Chee noted that the public housing market has seen a moderation in resale flat prices over the past few quarters, following multiple rounds of cooling measures as resale prices surged. Most recently in Q2 2026, resale prices fell 0.3 per cent, extending a 0.1 per cent dip in Q1 and a significant reversal from a high of 10.4 per cent growth in 2022.

“We recognise that with the 15-month wait-out period, households with genuine housing needs faced inconveniences and disruption in their plans to switch from private property to public housing resale,” said Chee.

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“MND indicated from the onset that this was intended to be a temporary measure to help moderate demand and stabilise resale prices,” he added. “As market conditions improved, we have assessed that 15-month wait-out period has met its purpose and will be removed with immediate effect.”

With the change, private property owners of all ages will no longer face a wait-out period to buy a non-subsidised HDB resale flat of any size.