How Much Money Should You Save While Waiting For Your BTO Flat

7,960 Build-To-Order (BTO) HDB flats are expected in the upcoming November HDB BTO sales launch, the highest number of flats on offer in 2026. If you’re hoping to ballot for one of these, be sure to apply and obtain your HDB Flat Eligibility (HFE) Letter first. Because the entire BTO process can take three to five years, it’s good to keep in mind how much you should save while you wait.

Read Also: November 2026 BTO Sales Launch Guide: Bayshore, Caldecott, Tengah, Chencharu

You’ll need to make a handful of cash payments throughout your homebuying journey, especially at the start, so do take note to set these amounts aside.

#1 Application Fee

When applying for a flat online, you will need to pay an admin fee of $10. Note that this amount is non-refundable, even if you are not successful in your HDB application.

Amount In Cash: $10, non-refundable

#2 Option Fee

For each BTO project, HDB will shortlist a number of applicants, up to two times that of the flat supply. If you are shortlisted and invited to book a flat, you must pay an option fee when booking. The amount payable depends on the flat type booked and will form part of your downpayment.

The option fee for 2-room Flexi flats is $500. The option fee for 3-room flats is $1,000, and for 4-room or larger units is $2,000.

Amount In Cash: $500 to $2,000, depending on the size of the flat booked.

#3 1st Partial Downpayment (When Signing The Agreement For Lease)

Regardless of whether you are taking a home loan from HDB or a bank, or you’re not taking any housing loan at all, the downpayment is 25% of the flat purchase price.

You typically pay this amount at two points in the homebuying journey.

First, when signing the Agreement for Lease. This is typically within 9 months of booking an uncompleted flat. If you are taking an HDB loan, or if you’re not taking a loan at all, you must pay 10% of the purchase price, but you can pay this amount from your CPF Ordinary Account (OA) funds, including the CPF housing grant if eligible. If you have insufficient funds in your CPF OA, you must pay in cash.

However, if you take a home loan from a bank, the downpayment amount at this stage is 20% of the purchase price. Note that at least 5% of the purchase price must be paid in cash as part of the downpayment. You can pay the remaining 15% of the purchase price in cash or from your CPF OA savings.

In the rare scenario where the loan tenure exceeds 25 years, or the loan period extends beyond your 65th birthday, your loan-to-value (LTV) limit is at 55%, and you must pay at least 10% of the purchase price in cash, and the remaining 10% in cash or CPF OA savings.

Amount In Cash: At least 5% of the purchase price in cash but depends on whether you have sufficient CPF OA savings and whether you take a home loan from the bank.

Read Also: Complete Guide To HDB’s Staggered Downpayment Scheme (SDS)

#4 Stamp Duty

You will need to pay Buyer’s Stamp Duty (BSD), which is a tax paid on documents signed when you buy property in Singapore. This amount is paid when you sign the Agreement for Lease.

The amount is based on the purchase price of the flat and will not exceed 4%. If you have sufficient CPF OA savings, you can pay the stamp duty in full. Otherwise, you will need to pay the difference in cash.

Amount In Cash: Less than 4% of the purchase price, but only if you have insufficient CPF OA savings, or wish to pay the amount in cash.

Read Also: How Much Buyer’s Stamp Duty (BSD) And ABSD Singaporeans, PRs And Foreigners Need To Pay – And When

#5 Legal Fees / Conveyancing Fees

Legal fees are payable when you sign the Agreement for Lease. The exact amount depends on the flat’s purchase price, but it typically comes to less than 0.1% of the purchase price.

If you are taking a bank loan, you will need to engage a law firm. They typically charge a flat rate of between $2,000 and $2,500.

If you have sufficient CPF OA savings, you can pay the legal fees in full. Otherwise, you will need to pay the difference in cash.

Amount In Cash: Less than 0.1% of the purchase price, but only if you have insufficient CPF OA savings, or wish to pay the amount in cash.

#6 HDB Caveat Registration Fee

This is an official notice to the Singapore Land Authority to protect your interest in the flat. This will cost $64.45 and is paid when you sign the Agreement for Lease.

Amount In Cash: $64.45, but only if you have insufficient CPF OA savings or wish to pay in cash.

#7 2nd Partial Downpayment (When Collecting Your Keys)

After three to five years, once the BTO project is ready for residents to move in, HDB will notify you that you can collect your keys.

This is when you will need to complete the downpayment. If you took an HDB loan, or you didn’t take any loan at all, then you’ll need to pay the remaining 15% of the purchase price. This amount can be paid in full from your CPF OA funds if you have enough. If not, then you need cash for the remaining amount.

If you took a home loan from a bank, then you pay the remaining 5% of the purchase price in cash or from your CPF OA savings. If your LTV limit is 55%, then you must pay the remaining 25% of the purchase price.

#8 Survey Fee

The survey fee is an administrative cost that pays for the surveyor inspecting the condition of the new flat. The amount depends on the flat’s size and ranges from $163.50 for a 2-room Flexi flat to $408.75 for an Executive Flat.

You pay this amount when you collect your keys.

Amount In Cash: $163.50 to $408.75, but only if you have insufficient CPF OA savings or wish to pay the amount in cash.

Read Also: 8 Things You Should Not Do With Your CPF In 2026

#9 Registration Fee

If you took an HDB loan, then you will need to pay a Mortgage In-Escrow registration fee of $38.30. This amount is fixed regardless of the size of your flat.

You pay this amount when you collect your keys.

Amount In Cash: $38.30 if you have taken an HDB loan, but only if you have insufficient CPF OA savings or wish to pay the amount in cash.

#10 Stamp Duty For Deed Of Assignment

If you take a home loan from HDB or a bank, you will need to pay stamp duty for the Deed of Assignment. This is calculated at 0.4% of the loan amount, subject to a maximum of $500.

Amount In Cash: 0.4% of the loan amount, if you have taken a home loan, but only if you have insufficient CPF OA savings or wish to pay the amount in cash.

Putting It All Together

Taking a 4-room BTO flat costing $345,000 as an illustration, and assuming you are taking an HDB loan, here is how much you will need to pay at the two main points in the homebuying journey – from the application process to signing the Agreement for Lease, and then at the point of key collection three to five years later.

Applying for a BTO flat

Collection of Keys

Read Also: How Much Cash Do You Really Need Before Buying A Resale HDB Flat?