Singapore removed the 15-month wait-out period for private property owners who sell their private homes before buying non-subsidised HDB resale flats, effective July 28, 2026. National Development Minister Chee Hong Tat said the measure has "met its purpose and will be removed with immediate effect" [1, 2, 3].
The wait-out period, introduced in September 2022 as a cooling measure to moderate demand and prioritise first-time homebuyers, was causing inconvenience to households with genuine housing needs wanting to switch from private housing to public resale flats [1, 2, 4, 3]. Chee acknowledged that "households with genuine housing needs faced inconveniences and disruption in their plans to switch" due to the wait-out period [3].
Previously, only private property owners aged 55 and above moving to four-room or smaller flats were exempted. Now, private owners of all ages may buy non-subsidised HDB resale flats of any size without delay [1, 2, 3, 5]. The change aims to ease difficulties faced by those wanting to downsize or switch housing types.
HDB resale flat prices have cooled after years of rapid growth. After peaking at 10.4% growth in 2022, prices declined 0.1% in the first quarter of 2026 and 0.3% in the second quarter [1, 2, 6, 3]. NUS Business School's Sing Tien Foo pointed out the index rose nearly 25% over two years, leading to the wait-out rule’s introduction to protect first-time buyers from competition by private homeowners [4].
The supply of resale flats is expected to improve as more flats meet their Minimum Occupation Period (MOP), helping meet demand [1, 6]. Since 2022, about 1,800 appeals to waive the wait-out period have been made annually, with roughly 25% approved, mostly for those facing financial hardship or special circumstances [1, 6].
Private homeowners buying HDB resale flats will still be required to sell their private property within six months after purchase [7]. The 30-month wait period remains for obtaining HDB loans, applying for subsidised flats, or buying Executive Condominiums [7].
