Published: 28 July 2026 (Channelnewsasia)
The Government has officially removed the 15-month wait-out period for eligible private property owners buying an HDB resale flat.
📌 Important: Not Every Private Homeowner Is Automatically Eligible
Before looking at the market impact, it’s important to understand what this announcement actually means.
The removal of the 15-month wait-out period does not remove all existing HDB rules.
The policy mainly benefits eligible private property owners purchasing a non-subsidised HDB resale flat. Buyers must still satisfy HDB’s eligibility requirements, including financing conditions and other applicable rules.
📌 Important Timeline Requirement
Another key point many people may overlook is the transaction timeline.
Eligible private homeowners can now purchase an HDB resale flat first, but they must dispose of all their private residential properties (both in Singapore and overseas) within six months of completing the HDB purchase, where applicable.
This gives homeowners much greater flexibility compared to the previous requirement of selling first and then waiting 15 months before buying.
This is one of the biggest housing policy changes this year, but the bigger question is:
What happens next?
Many people assume HDB prices will start climbing again.
Personally, I don’t think that’s the most likely outcome.
My Thought
In my opinion, the Government removed the 15-month wait-out period because the HDB resale market has already started to moderate.
When this cooling measure was introduced in 2022, HDB resale prices were rising rapidly.
Fast forward to today, the market looks very different.
We’re seeing:
- More BTO projects reaching completion.
- Shorter waiting times for selected BTO launches.
- More resale flats entering the market after fulfilling their MOP.
- Many first-time buyers choosing to wait for a BTO instead of paying today’s resale prices.
As a result, resale demand has softened compared to the peak.
The Government likely feels the market no longer requires such a restrictive measure.
What Could Happen Next?
This is where things get interesting.
Without the 15-month wait, private homeowners who were previously delaying their plans now have more flexibility.
Instead of waiting over a year after selling their condo, they can move directly into an HDB resale flat.
This could encourage more owners who have been sitting on the sidelines to finally make a move.
Could More Private Homes Come Onto the Market?
This is something I’ll be watching closely.
If more private homeowners decide that right-sizing now makes sense, we may gradually see an increase in private property listings.
More listings don’t automatically mean prices will fall.
However, when buyers have more choices, sellers generally face greater competition.
That means pricing strategy becomes even more important.
Instead of simply asking for the highest possible price, sellers may need to position their property more attractively to stand out.
What About HDB Prices?
Some people believe removing the wait-out period will immediately push HDB prices higher.
I see it differently.
The HDB market today has much stronger supply than it did a few years ago.
With more BTO completions, more resale stock and many buyers still waiting for new launches, I believe resale prices are more likely to remain stable than experience another sharp surge.
What I do expect is more transactions, rather than significantly higher prices.
In other words:
Properties may move faster, but not necessarily at much higher prices.
Stay Real Research
To track whether this policy has a real impact on the market, I’ve started recording the number of properties listed for sale across Singapore.
Research on 28 July 2026:
This gives us a baseline.
Over the next one to two weeks, I’ll monitor the market again to see whether the number of listings increases, especially in the private property segment.
Rather than relying on assumptions, let’s see what the data tells us.
Will the Rental Market Be Affected?
Another impact that many people may overlook is the rental market.
Previously, private property owners who wanted to right-size to an HDB resale flat had to sell their private property and then wait 15 months before they could buy.
During that waiting period, many had little choice but to rent a home temporarily.
With the removal of the 15-month wait-out period, this group of homeowners can now move directly from their private property into an HDB resale flat.
This means one source of rental demand may gradually disappear.
Will rental prices fall because of this?
In my opinion, probably not in a significant way.
The rental market is still driven by many factors, such as:
- Employment and expatriate demand
- Immigration and population growth
- New housing completions
- Overall rental supply
However, I do expect the rental market to become slightly less competitive, especially for larger family-sized homes that were previously rented by private homeowners waiting out the 15-month period.
It may not be a major shift, but it is another piece of the puzzle that landlords should keep an eye on.
Final Thoughts
The removal of the 15-month wait-out period is certainly positive news for homeowners who have been waiting to right-size.
But whether this policy leads to higher HDB prices or simply more market activity remains to be seen.
One thing is certain: the property market doesn’t move because of one policy alone.
Supply, demand, interest rates, buyer confidence and affordability all continue to play a role.
For now, I’ll continue tracking the numbers and share future updates so we can see how the market responds.
Thinking of selling your condo, upgrading from an HDB, or right-sizing to unlock your housing equity?
Every homeowner’s situation is different. Before making a move, understand your options and the numbers behind them.
If you’d like a personalised discussion, feel free to reach out.
Stay Real. Make Smart Moves.
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