
Since its launch in 2018, the Housing and Development Board (HDB) Resale Portal has helped streamline the buying and selling process of resale flats.
The portal was hailed as a breakthrough for the HDB resale market, integrating all the eligibility checks on a single platform. In addition, it also takes away the need for the need to engage HDB valuers separately, as the process is automated.
If you are intending to sell your HDB flat, this step-by-step guide shows how you can use the HDB resale portal to do so.
One common misconception is that you don’t need to use the HDB Resale Portal if you are already engaging a property agent to sell the flat on your behalf. This isn’t true. Even if you are using an agent to help you sell your HDB flat, you would still need to access and use the portal to complete the transaction.
Read Also: What Happens To Your Money After You Sell Your Flat In Singapore
#1 Get Your SingPass Account Ready
As with making any transaction with government agencies, the pre-requisite is to apply for a SingPass account.
If you do not have a SingPass account, or if you have forgotten your password, you may apply for a new account or reset your password online or visit any SingPass counters in-person with your original NRIC for verification.
#2 Login to HDB Resale Portal To Register Your Intent To Sell
Before selling your flat, you must first register via the portal your intention to sell your flat. Your personal particulars will be automatically retrieved from the Government’s MyInfo service, minimising the need to enter data manually. Do note that sellers (and buyers) have to register their Intent to Sell or Intent to Buy personally via the HDB Resale Portal so that they are aware of their eligibility to sell or buy, and what it takes to do so. Property agents can guide their clients through the resale process thereafter.
The Intent to Sell will also provide a preliminary assessment of your eligibility to sell, and relevant information such as the Ethnic Integration Policy / Singapore Permanent Resident (EIP/SPR) Quota for their block, the status of upgrading and billing of upgrading costs, and recent transacted prices of nearby flats, to guide your selling decisions.
Do also note that as a seller, you must register your intent before putting your flat on the market. After registering your Intent to Sell, you will have to wait out a 7-day cooling-off period before you can grant the buyers an Option to Purchase.
Once you have registered, you will be able to get information about the Ethnic Integration Policy (EIP) and see your flat’s Singapore Permanent Resident (SPR) quota. Do note that the ethnic group and non-Malaysian Permanent Residents has to be within the prescribed block and neighborhood limits.
#3 Grant HDB Option-To-Purchase To Buy
Once you have found a buyer who has agreed to the sale price, the next step will be to grant the buyer an official HDB Option-to-Purchase (OTP). You can only grant OTP to buyers at least 7 days after registering your Intent to Sell. HDB advises sellers to use this cooling-off period wisely and to consider the housing options available.
To grant the OTP, you will need to log in to the portal to download and print out the OTP form and sign it. If you have a property agent, they can help you with this. Your buyer will also have to pay you an Option Fee in exchange for the signed OTP form.
The OTP will be valid for 21 days from the day you grant the buyer the OTP, during which the buyer has to confirm his decision to purchase the flat. The OTP cannot be granted to someone else. During this period, the OTP cannot be granted to someone else. Do also note that your buyer can only request an HDB valuation after the OTP has been granted.
If the buyer does not wish to exercise the OTP, you can keep the option fee. Otherwise, the buyer will pay the Option Exercise Fee before signing on the OTP form. Do note that the amount for the option fee and Option Exercise Fee is negotiable, but the total sum cannot exceed $5,000.
Read Also: Guide To Understanding Option To Purchase (OTP) In Singapore
#4 Submit Resale Application to HDB
Once the OTP is signed, you and the buyer will need to submit the application, including supporting documents required for purchase, to the portal. Do note that while either party can submit the resale application first, the second party has to submit the documents within 7 calendar days of the submission of the first party.
Supporting documents in this instance include OTP contract details, buyer’s and seller’s particulars, declaration of purchase and documentary proof of existing housing loan with HDB or banks.
#5 Endorse Resale Documents
After the resale documents are submitted, both parties will be notified via SMS to endorse the documents on the portal within 6 days from the SMS notification.
#6 Pay Resale Fees Online
Once the documents are endorsed, both parties will be required to pay online for the legal and stamp fees using the portal. You will each pay an administrative fee (inclusive of GST) of $40 or $80, depending on the flat type. Do note that you will have to pay for this using a credit card.
Flat Type |
Resale Application Fee (Payable by buyers and sellers) |
1 and 2-room |
$40 |
3-room and bigger |
$80 |
#7 Wait for Approval from HDB
Once the payment for legal and stamp fees are made, both buyer and seller will have to wait for HDB’s approval for the sale to proceed. If the application is in order, HDB will notify the flat sellers and buyers of its acceptance of the application via SMS and emails within 14 working days, and post the application progress update in the HDB Resale Portal. The date of HDB’s acceptance of the resale application marks the beginning of the 8-week processing time. Once the resale application is approved, the letter will be made available on the HDB Resale portal and you will be notified via SMS
#8 Attend Resale Completion Appointment
To complete the whole transaction process, both buyer and seller will need to attend the Resale Completion Appointment at HDB Hub to finalise the transaction.
While the process may sound intimidating at first, it is relatively seamless, and the automated process helps to eliminate errors in filling up the details.
In addition, the process from acceptance from OTP to completion of the resale application typically takes 8 weeks, which is half of the time taken for the resale application via the usual paperwork process.
The shorter time stems from doing away with one of the two appointments with HDB, as all the necessary forms and checks are completed via the portal, making it a well-received process for many sellers and buyers.
Read Also: Step-By-Step Guide To Upgrading From An HDB Flat To A Private Property
This article was first published on 10 March 2020 and updated on 4 October 2021 with additional information.
Listen to our podcast, where we have in-depth discussions on finance topics that matter to you.
