HDB Singapore : The A-Z guide

Unless you are a newcomer to SIngapore, you would probably be extremely familiar with this acronym. HDB stands for Housing Development Board and it has come to represent the tall apartment structure that 80% of Singaporeans live in. 

For those who are not familiar, HDB flats are flats built by the government which are then sold to the citizens on a 99 year lease. ( A small percentage of HDB flats is kept by the government to lease out to low income citizens.) Brand new flats are known as BTOs and when they are sold by the first lessors to subsequent owners, they are known as resale flats. Resale flats can be sold to Singapore Citizens as well as Permanent Residents who meet the criteria.  

These flats are heavily subsidized by the government and prices differ according to the location they are in. For example, a flat in the city center or city fringe would cost more than that further in the edges like Pasir Ris or Jurong West. Singapore Citizens also qualify for various grants depending on their current incomes. 

If you are planning to purchase a HDB flat, sell your current one to upgrade or downgrade or just more information on renting, you should find the info you need below.