How to buy Executive Condominium (E.C) in Singapore?

Core nucleus
 

A household’s eligibility for housing subsidies is assessed based on the core nucleus, which is formed by the applicant(s) and occupier(s) who enable the household to meet the eligibility conditions for the EC unit purchase. They must remain in the EC application, as well as during the minimum occupation period (MOP) after the EC unit purchase.
 

Your household must comprise 1 of the following groups:

• You and your fiancé or fiancée

• You and your spouse, and child(ren)

• You, your parents and siblings. If you are an unmarried/ widowed/ divorced Singapore Citizen (SC) buying an EC with parents, at least 1 of your parents must be a SC or Singapore Permanent Resident (SPR).

• You and your child(ren) under your legal custody, care and control (for widowed/ divorced persons). If the care and control of your child is shared with your ex-spouse, you must obtain his/ her written agreement before you may list your child in an EC application. 

• You and your siblings who are orphans and single, i.e. unmarried, divorced or widowed persons@ may apply for an EC unit with the following criteria:

  • All your siblings are listed in the same application, and they are not applying for/ owning/ renting a flat separately.

  • At least 1 of your deceased parents was a SC or SPR.

• You and up to 3 other singles as core applicants

•  Divorced or widowed persons who have child(ren) and can form a family unit will not qualify to buy a flat as orphaned siblings.
   

Citizenship

Fiancé and fiancée, married couples and/ or parent(s) with child(ren), orphaned siblings

You must:

• Be an SC

• Include at least 1 other SC or SPR

Two or more singles

• All singles applying jointly for an EC unit must be SCs.

Age

• At least 21 years old

• At least 35 years old, if two or more singles are applying jointly

Monthly household income ceiling

The total income of all persons listed in the EC application must not exceed $16,000.

You will be guided by the property developer on the submission of documents, such as income documents, when you book an EC unit.

 

First-timer households

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Citizen Top-Up (for SC/ SPR households)

You may apply for the Citizen Top-Up of $10,000 when a qualifying member of your SC/ SPR household obtains Singapore citizenship. You must submit your application to HDB within 6 months of being eligible for it.

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Ownership/ Interest in property in Singapore or overseas other than HDB flat

Interest or ownership in a property

You have acquired a property through purchase or when it is:

• Acquired by gift;

• Inherited as a beneficiary under a will or from the Intestate Succession Act; or

• Owned, acquired, or disposed of through nominees.

Private residential property

All applicants and occupiers listed in the EC application:

• Must not own or have an interest in any local or overseas private property; and

• Must not have disposed of any private property in the last 30 months before the EC application.

Non-residential property

For EC land sales launched on or after 9 May 2023 (including those where the tenders have not closed) all persons listed in the EC application can, as a household, own up to 1 non-residential property at EC application and up to 30 months before EC application. 

Note:

A private residential property includes but is not limited to a house, building or land that is under a residential land zoning (including land with multiple land zoning[1]), Executive Condominium (EC) unit, privatised HUDC flat and mixed use development[2].

Non-residential property is a property under a non-residential land zoning and/ or the permitted use does not include housing.

[1] E.g., residential with commercial at 1st storey or commercial and residential
[2] E.g., properties with a residential component, such as HDB shop with living quarters.

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Previous housing subsidies

A subsidised housing unit refers to:

• A flat bought from HDB

• A resale flat bought on the open market with CPF housing grant

• A Design Build and Sell Scheme (DBSS) flat bought from a property developer

• An EC unit bought from a property developer

• Other forms of housing subsidy (e.g. enjoyed benefits under the Selective En bloc Redevelopment Scheme (SERS), privatisation of HUDC estate, etc)
   

Payment of premium or resale levy

If you and/ or any core applicants or core occupiers have taken a housing subsidy, you are considered a second-timer^. All second-timer core applicants and core occupiers will need to pay their respective resale levies, if applicable, when buying an EC unit from the property developer. Find out more on the resale levy payable.

If you and/or any core applicants or core occupiers have taken 2 housing subsidies, you are not eligible to apply or be listed as a core occupier in an EC application.

^ If you are a single buying with up to 3 other singles, you and/ or your core applicants must be first-timers to be eligible to buy an EC unit from the property developer.
 

Ownership/ Interest in HDB flat

If you or any persons listed in the application owns or has an interest in any HDB flat, you must dispose of the flat within 6 months of completion of the EC unit purchase.

Undischarged bankrupt

Prior consent must be obtained from the Official Assignee (OA) or the private trustee for the purchase of an EC unit.

You do not need to seek prior consent from the OA or the private trustee if you are listed as an occupier of the EC unit.
 

Wait-out period before applying to buy an EC unit from a property developer

Cancellation of application after booking a flat from HDB

If you have booked a flat from HDB and subsequently cancel your flat booking, you must wait out a 1-year period from the date of the cancellation before you may apply or be listed as a core occupier to buy an EC unit from a property developer.

Termination of the Sale and Purchase Agreement for an EC unit

If you had previously bought an EC unit from a property developer with a CPF Housing Grant and subsequently terminated the Sale and Purchase Agreement, you must wait out a 5-year period from the date of the termination before you may apply or be listed as a core occupier to buy an EC unit from a property developer.

Owners/ Ex-owners of an EC unit bought from a property developer

If you currently own or have recently disposed of your ownership in an EC unit, you must wait out a 30-month period from the date of disposal of the EC unit before you may apply or be listed as a core occupier in an application to buy another EC unit from a property developer, subject to other eligibility conditions.