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The perks and pitfalls of young couples going solo for a BTO flat

There is an average of 350 cases a year, where one spouse is listed as an owner and the other an essential occupier with no legal rights to the flat

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Ry-Anne Lim

Ry-Anne Lim

Published Thu, Feb 13, 2025 · 05:00 AM
    • HDB says that it does not track the number of appeals for a change of BTO flat ownership structure prior to key collection.
    • HDB says that it does not track the number of appeals for a change of BTO flat ownership structure prior to key collection. PHOTO: BT FILE

    THINKING of purchasing a Build-To-Order (BTO) flat under just one partner’s name to avoid paying stamp duty on a second property in the future? You may want to think twice.

    Holding the BTO flat under a sole owner bears some long-term planning benefits for young couples, but experts warn of potential drawbacks, especially in the current uncertain economic landscape.

    Statistics from the Housing and Development Board (HDB) showed that about 3 per cent of BTO flat buyers had one spouse listed as an owner and the other spouse as an essential occupier between 2014 and 2023.

    HDBSingapore residential propertyResidential propertyResidentialBTO

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