HDB Addresses Woman’s Frustration After 13 Unsuccessful BTO Applications

The Housing Development Board (HDB) has responded to a woman’s TikTok video detailing her repeated failures to secure a Build-To-Order (BTO) flat, despite applying 13 times. The case highlights the challenges faced by some Singaporeans in obtaining public housing, particularly in popular locations.

Applicant’s Experience

Ms. Chua shared her experience on TikTok, expressing frustration after numerous unsuccessful BTO applications between November 2020 and May 2023. She questioned why unsold flats from BTO launches were offered through the Sale of Balance Flats (SBF) exercise instead of being offered to applicants like herself who had already been assigned a queue number. She had a queue number of 3,150 for a four-room flat in Bukit Merah Ridge in May 2022, but was not offered a unit despite 202 balance units being available.

Ms. Chua also recounted a brief glimmer of hope in December 2023 when she received an invitation to book an appointment for a February 2023 BTO exercise, only to be informed days later that all four-room flats allocated to Chinese applicants had been taken. After multiple attempts, she ultimately purchased a resale flat.

HDB’s Explanation

In a Facebook post on March 14, HDB explained that flats offered in SBF exercises consist of unsold, unselected, or returned flats from previous BTO launches. These flats grow available only after eligible BTO applicants have selected their units, adhering to ethnic quota limits. Flats may be returned or cancelled due to changes in applicants’ plans, and are then offered through SBF to provide all Singaporeans with an opportunity to apply through a fair and transparent process.

HDB stated that the woman had applied 11 times for a four-room flat in popular locations like Kallang/Whampoa and Bukit Merah, where demand significantly exceeded supply. In her final application under the May 2023 SBF exercise, she was invited to select a flat but declined, eventually opting to purchase a resale flat with CPF Housing Grants.

Demand and Supply in Recent Launches

Recent BTO launches have seen varying levels of demand. According to The Straits Times, four-room flats in Kallang/Whampoa and Queenstown were the most popular in the February 2025 launch, but overall demand was muted, potentially due to the concurrent SBF exercise which offered over 22,000 applicants 5,590 units. The median application rate for three-room and larger BTO flats was one first-timer family per unit.

In February 2025, HDB launched 10,622 flats in the February 2025 BTO and SBF exercises, including 5,032 BTO flats across five projects in Kallang/Whampoa, Queenstown, Yishun, and Woodlands.

A project in Kallang/Whampoa, Crawford Heights, launched in October 2024, features 312 Prime flats in three- and four-room layouts and introduces HDB’s new White flats layout for customizable spaces as reported by SRX.

Advice for Applicants

Ms. Chua advised prospective homebuyers to set a limit on their BTO application attempts and consider resale flats if the wait is prolonged. HDB encourages applicants with urgent housing needs to consider projects with lower application rates to improve their chances of securing a flat.