Today’s blog post will be a written version of a YouTube video that we did in Oct 2019 where we talked about how to plan the timeline for selling and buying a HDB flat in Singapore concurrently without contra.
If you prefer to watch a video instead of reading, feel free to watch the video below:
Otherwise, read on!
A lot of home buyers that we met when we conduct our viewings, have not sold their place but have started looking for their next house.
Thus, out of curiosity, we will ask them why.
And most of the time, their main concern is that they would not be able to find a house that they like after selling their current home.
If that happens, they will be “homeless’’.
We at Let’s Talk Property agree that this is a very genuine concern and we totally understand how they feel.
However, the problem is that even if they find a house that they like…
The timeline will be an issue!
So today in this blog post, we are going to share with you how we manage our client’s timeline when we do buying and selling concurrently.
Without further ado… let’s dive in.
When our clients have sold their house, meaning that the buyers are ready to exercise the OTP (Option To Purchase)
We will request for the cobroke to give us timeframe of 60 days to submit the HDB resale application. (We will explain in the later part about how we use the 60 days timeframe to do our buying of a HDB flat)
Usually after we submit within the 60 days, it will take about 10 days before we receive the resale approval letter.
Upon receiving the resale approval letter, it will take about 8 weeks to the HDB completion.
Now whenever we do a selling & buying concurrently, the most important factor to time is when the CPF refund comes in so that you able to finance your next home purchase. (If you are using CPF to pay for your next home)
It will take maximum of 21 days after the selling completion for your CPF to return back to your account.
Therefore, knowing when the CPF will be refunded is most crucial factor in order to time the buying completion.
Now for the buying, we need to work backwards.
The buying completion will take about 8 weeks after the submission.
Before the submission, we will have to exercise our next home purchase.
Remember, earlier we mentioned that we need a timeframe of 60 days?
These 60 days is used to do viewings and find a suitable house.
When you manage to find a suitable house, you will make an offer and assuming the offer is accepted, you will request for a valuation before exercising the OTP.
Once the OTP is exercised, we will put in a 21 days timeline for the HDB resale application so that we have better flexibility to submit our resale application for buying.
For this timeline to work, there are 2 important things you must have:
1) The extension of stay granted by the buyer
Because technically, upon the HDB completion of sales for your current house, you have to move out and handover the keys to the buyer.
With the extension of stay, you can even renovate your new place after the buying completion.
This will save you a lot of trouble.
2) You need to engage a private law firm to do your selling and buying conveyancing concurrently if your existing loan is a bank loan.
Conclusion
So this is how we help our clients manage their timeline for their buying and selling concurrently.
Of course, there many factors along the way that you must take note of depending on each individual scenario.
Thus we recommend that you consult us to help you in your upgrading process to ensure that everything is done smoothly.
Wondering if it’s the right time to buy, sell, or wait it out?
These decisions can be tough, and there isn’t a one-size-fits-all answer.
But don’t worry, that’s where we come in!
At Let’s Talk Property, we are here to provide clarity to you and guide you step-by-step in your real estate journey!
Whether you’re a first-time buyer or a seasoned investor, we hope to partner with you to create a clear plan that’s tailored to your unique needs and provide objective guidance to help you make the best real estate decision.
So, if you’re looking to buy, sell, or just want to chat about your real estate options, we’re here for you!
With our extensive on-the-ground experience, you can trust us to provide a top-notch real estate experience that’s both informative and stress-free.
Matthew developed a keen interest in property during his first job at a Real Estate Training Academy and owned his 1st property in the Singapore Core Central Region at the age of 31. He is a strong believer in making the right property choices as it can become a very powerful retirement tool.