The 15-month wait-out period was removed with immediate effect on 28 July 2026. Private residential property owners and ex-owners who buy a non-subsidised HDB resale flat without an HDB housing loan no longer need to wait 15 months after selling their private home.
The change matters most to condo and landed owners who want to right-size into an HDB flat, and to their buyers. Anyone who needs an HDB loan, a grant or a new flat still faces a 30-month wait.
What Changed When the 15-Month Wait-Out Period Was Removed
The wait-out was introduced on 30 September 2022 as a temporary cooling measure. Owners had to wait 15 months after disposing of their private property before buying a non-subsidised resale flat. Singapore Citizens aged 55 and above moving to a 4-room or smaller flat were already exempt.
According to HDB’s notice, the Government removed it after resale prices dipped in the first half of 2026: by 0.1% in the 1st Quarter and 0.3% in the 2nd Quarter, following five quarters of slower or no growth.
HDB also pointed to a growing number of flats reaching their Minimum Occupation Period and entering the resale market:
| Year | BTO flats reaching MOP |
|---|---|
| 2025 | 8,000 |
| 2026 | 13,500 |
| 2027 | 15,000 |
| 2028 | 19,500 |
Source: HDB, July 2026.
Who Still Waits 30 Months
The removal is narrow. HDB says the existing 30-month wait after disposing of a private home still applies if you want to:
- Buy a new flat from HDB, with or without grants
- Buy a resale flat with a CPF Housing Grant
- Buy a new Executive Condominium unit from a developer
- Take an HDB housing loan for any flat purchase
So the faster route is open mainly to owners who can pay for a resale flat with cash, CPF and a bank loan. Our explainer on HDB loan vs bank loan covers what changes when you borrow from a bank instead of HDB.
The short version: Since 28 July 2026, condo and landed owners can buy a non-subsidised HDB resale flat without waiting 15 months, provided they do not take an HDB loan. Grants, new flats, ECs and HDB loans still carry a 30-month wait, and the private home must be sold within six months of completion.
What It Means for Right-Sizers and Sellers
If you own private property and want an HDB flat, you can now sell and buy in a shorter sequence. You still need a valid HDB Flat Eligibility (HFE) letter before buying. HDB says those whose HFE applications were being processed on 28 July had their status updated automatically, and those with pending waiver appeals could apply for an HFE letter directly.
You must dispose of your private property, whether in Singapore or overseas, within six months of completing the flat purchase.
Stamp duty needs care. Additional Buyer’s Stamp Duty depends on how many residential properties you own on the date you buy, so the order of the sale and the purchase can change the bill. Check the IRAS rules for your situation before you sign, and run the numbers in our stamp duty calculator.
If you are selling an HDB flat, the pool of possible buyers is a little wider. In its 3rd Quarter 2026 data, however, HDB said it had not seen a significant increase in the prices or number of resale flats bought by private property owners since the change.
What the Market Did Next
HDB’s Resale Price Index fell 0.1% in the 3rd Quarter of 2026 to 202.5, a third straight quarterly dip, while resale transactions rose 19.5% to 7,645. Our report on HDB resale prices in Q3 2026 has the full figures.
HDB described the measure as temporary from the start and says it will keep monitoring the market and adjust policies as needed.
What To Do Next
- If you own private property and plan to right-size, apply for your HFE letter on the HDB Flat Portal before you commit to a flat.
- Map the sale and purchase dates, including the six-month disposal deadline, with our HDB resale timeline planner.
- Work out what a bank loan would cost each month in the mortgage repayment calculator, and read how to buy a house in Singapore for the full sequence.
- For stamp duty on your exact dates, check IRAS’s pages or ask your conveyancing lawyer.
