The Ultimate Guide to Selling Your HDB Resale Flat in 2025

So, the time has come to move on from your beloved HDB flat. Whatever your reasons, navigating the ins and outs of selling a house can feel overwhelming at times, what with all the procedures and paperwork involved.

Fear not, though! Think of us as your trusty roadmap - follow this guide to maximise your profit when you sell your HDB resale flat in 2025. Just make sure your flat has reached its Minimum Occupation Period (MOP) of five or ten years before diving into Step 1.

Here's the Full HDB Selling Procedure in 2025

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Before Selling Your BTO Flat or Resale HDB Flat

Before you get the ball rolling and put your flat on the market, it's crucial to check if you've fulfilled your MOP. If you're looking to sell your BTO flat or resale HDB, do note that the five- or ten-year period only kicks in from the day you collect the keys, and that any prolonged time you are not residing physically in your HDB flat (for studies or work abroad, for example) is not included in the MOP calculation.

Of course, life can sometimes throw a curveball, and if you need to sell your HDB flat before your MOP is up, you might be able to appeal to HDB.

You might also be happy to know that selling a relatively new BTO flat often yields the highest value in the current market.

Step 1: Register Intent to Sell

To officially get the ball rolling, register your Intent to Sell. To do that, you need to:

1. Go to the HDB resale portal
2. Click "I am a Buyer or Seller"
3. Log in with your Singpass

Upon registration, you'll receive:

• An instant assessment of your eligibility to sell
• The Ethnic Integration Policy/Singapore Permanent Resident (EIP/SPR) Quota for your block
• The status of upgrading and billing of upgrading costs
• Recent transacted prices of nearby HDB flats

IMPORTANT: Your HDB Intent to Sell is valid for only 12 months (1 year), so you need to submit the HDB resale application within that time. Otherwise, you'll have to submit another application.

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Step 2: Calculate HDB Sale Proceeds

While HDB resale prices have been rising (do note that property market trends are dynamic, so check the HDB Resale Price Index and transaction data for the latest numbers), it does not guarantee that you'll sell at the same high prices. It's best to be realistic about these things, and there's no better way to do that than doing the math. You can follow the full, detailed calculation of your HDB sale proceeds here.

Alternatively, Use Our HDB Resale Cash Proceeds Calculator

Financial calculations can get quite technical, and we understand that not everyone has the time to do them. However, with our HDB Resale Cash Proceeds Calculator, you can automatically compute how much cash you can keep after you sell your home.

All you have to do is input your outstanding loan, CPF refund, and accrued interest, and resale levy (if any), and you'll get your estimated net cash proceeds. The agent, HDB admin, and legal fees will all be factored into the calculation.

Essential Factors Impacting Your HDB Sale Proceeds

Phase	Factors	Details
Before Selling Your Flat	Outstanding Loan	Your existing home loan balance needs to be settled from the sale proceeds, including interest.
	Used CPF Funds	Any CPF funds used for the purchase of the flat, along with accrued interest, must be refunded.
When Selling Your Flat	Resale Price	The agreed resale price of your flat will be the primary factor determining your sales proceeds.
	Buyer's Deposit	Typically, the buyer will provide a deposit (usually 5% of the purchase price) upon signing the OTP.
After Selling Your Flat	CPF Refunds	CPF monies used for your flat, including accrued interest, must be refunded before using CPF for another property.
	Investing in Next Property	The remaining cash proceeds can be used towards the purchase of your next property.

By considering these factors, you can better understand and estimate your potential HDB sales proceeds. This will help you plan your next steps effectively, whether you're changing homes, rightsizing, or reinvesting in another property.

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Step 3: Post Your HDB Resale Flat for Sale

Now that you've registered your Intent to Sell and gotten an idea of how much to expect at the end of your sale, it's time to put your HDB resale flat in the market.

How to Post Your HDB Resale Flat for Sale With a Property Agent

When you engage an Ohmyhome property agent, we'll handle everything - from listing your property to putting in money - so it stays on top of property search portals.

How to Post Your HDB Resale Flat for Sale Without a Property Agent

You can download the HomerAI app on Google Play or App Store to post your listing for FREE and reach hundreds of ready buyers.

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Step 4: Arrange Viewings and Conduct Negotiations

Remember what we said about keeping your Ohmyhome app notifications switched on? Well, that's to make sure that you won't miss any keen buyers putting in offers or requesting a viewing of your place.

Once offers start rolling in, your Ohmyhome Super Agent will be in touch to arrange all the viewings at a time that suits you best.

Selling an HDB flat successfully often comes down to creating the right buzz, and that's where a clever strategy comes into play. Here's a nifty tactic our agents often employ to really get buyers interested and generate some healthy demand for your listing: they'll typically schedule all the viewings on a single day rather than spreading them out over a week or several weekends.

By having potential buyers come and go in quick succession, they'll see other interested parties also viewing your property. This can create a bit of FOMO, encouraging them to put their best foot forward to secure your HDB flat.

The result? You might just find yourself with a flurry of offers, potentially even exceeding your initial expectations.

With all that interest in your flat, you'll want someone experienced in your corner to handle the price negotiations, ensuring you achieve your desired outcome - or even better! Our property agents will expertly manage these discussions on your behalf, taking that weight off your shoulders.

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Before Granting the Option to Purchase (OTP) to Your Buyer, Remember These 3 Things

1. You need to complete the Intent to Sell at least seven days before granting the Option to Purchase (OTP).
2. The buyer needs to have a valid HDB Flat Eligibility (HFE) letter before you can grant the OTP.
3. If the buyer intends to get a bank loan, they must have a Letter of Offer before they can exercise the OTP.

Step 5: Grant Option to Purchase to HDB Buyer

Upon registering your Intent to Sell, you will have a seven-day cooling period before you're allowed to grant the OTP. You can download a copy of the HDB-prescribed OTP form on the HDB resale portal.

Remember: Once you have issued an OTP to a buyer, you cannot accept any other offers for about 21 days. (This is the same amount of time a buyer has to exercise the OTP. More on this below.)

Also, signing the OTP means that you officially accept the buyer's offer to purchase your flat, so make sure you're satisfied with the deal before doing so.

After granting the OTP, you may collect an Option fee from the buyer, which is non-refundable should the buyer not go through with the sale. The fee can range from $1 to $1,000, though the market norm these days is $1,000.

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Step 6: Discuss Temporary Extension of Stay with HDB Buyer

If you cannot move out of your home by the completion date, you can submit your request for a Temporary Extension of Stay along with your HDB resale application. The buyer will have to state their consent when they submit their resale application.

Basically, this is a private agreement between you and the buyer that allows you to stay in your flat for up to three months after the resale is complete.

Your Ohmyhome property agent can provide a template for you and the buyer to sign. If you're selling your HDB resale flat on your own, we can still help with the documentation, so you can save on agent fees and eliminate paperwork stress. Find out more about Ohmyhome's documentation services here.

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Step 7: Buyer Will Exercise the OTP and Pay the Option Fee

After you've agreed on a price with the buyer and discussed any Temporary Extension of Stay terms, the buyer can now exercise the OTP and send you the exercise fee payment. This payment, along with the Option fee, will form the deposit.

The deposit cannot exceed $5,000. Therefore, if the buyer paid $1,000 for the Option fee, the exercise fee should be less than $4,000.

Again, the OTP is only valid for 21 days and must be exercised within that period. Buyers have up to 4 p.m. on the 21st day (weekends and public holidays included) after the date of OTP issuance to exercise the OTP.

What If the OTP is Cancelled?

If the buyer chooses not to proceed with the purchase, the OTP will lapse and expire. You can then restart the viewing process with other prospects.

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Step 8: Submit HDB Resale Application

Whew! You're finally on the last leg of the HDB selling process. At this stage, you and the buyer may complete the resale application on the HDB resale portal. But here's the catch: You and the buyer have to submit your applications separately within seven days of each other, so you'll have to agree on a timeframe to execute this.

Here's a list of details you'll need to provide when filling out the HDB resale application form:

1. Resale flat address
2. OTP details
3. Soft copy of OTP
4. Your personal particulars

To submit your HDB resale application, you'll have to pay an administrative fee based on the property:

• 1- and 2-room flats: $40
• 3-room and bigger flats: $80

You can check the status of your application on the HDB resale portal.

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Step 9: Contact a Conveyancing Lawyer

Conveyancing basically means transferring the title of your property to another person, and it usually involves:

• Checking if there are no outstanding mortgages or legal claims against the HDB resale flat to ensure that it's eligible for transfer of ownership
• Negotiating and finalising the terms of the sale, like the terms of the OTP
• Arranging for the transfer of ownership to be registered with the relevant authority, which may involve paying for the stamp duty or other fees

If you have an existing bank loan, you also need to engage a conveyancing lawyer to refinance it. Now, there are two ways you can get a conveyancing lawyer:

1. Engage HDB's legal services. You can go to the Legal Fees Enquiry Facility to get an estimate of the legal fees you'll have to pay.
2. Consider our legal services if you're looking for your own conveyancing lawyer. Find out more about Ohmyhome's legal conveyancing service here.

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Step 10: Endorse HDB Resale Documents

You will receive an SMS from HDB within 10 working days informing you when you can accept the terms and conditions for all the documents prepared through the HDB resale portal. You'll have to endorse all the HDB resale documents within six days of receiving the SMS. Once it's been endorsed, you will receive an in-principle approval for your HDB flat resale.

Step 11: Pay Legal Fees and Other HDB Resale Costs

You're getting close to the finish line!

With the paperwork out of the way, it's time to make some payments. If you've opted for HDB's legal services, their Legal Fees Enquiry Facility can give you a cost estimate. Alternatively, if you've appointed your own solicitor, they'll guide you through the fees payable.

For those seeking a seamless and transparent legal process, Ohmyhome offers comprehensive conveyancing services to assist you with all the legal aspects of selling your HDB. Our fees start at $1,800 nett and cover a range of essential services:

• Sale & Purchase
• Mortgage & Real Estate Planning
• Retail & Corporate Real Estate
• Lasting Power of Attorney
• Letters of Administration
• Letter of Probate
• Notary Public
• Wills

On top of the legal fees, you'll also need to factor in the $40-$80 administrative fee for processing your HDB resale transaction.

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The HDB Flat Inspection May Also Happen at This Stage

Technical Executives from an HDB branch will inspect your flat for any structural damage and unauthorised modifications. This is to ensure that your apartment does not compromise the integrity of the entire building or the safety of the new flat owners.

If anything gets flagged during the inspection, you can't complete the HDB resale transaction until the flat's original state has been restored. Should you be out of the country and unable to attend this inspection, you can have another person attend on your behalf, such as a Power of Attorney.

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Step 12: Receive HDB Approval Letter

Hurrah! You're three steps away from the finish line! After the inspection, expect to receive an SMS or email notification that HDB's approval letter has been posted on the HDB resale portal. This is a good sign that your transaction is well and truly underway.

Your HDB appointment will take place eight weeks from the date of the acceptance of resale application if the necessary documents are submitted accurately and on time.

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Step 13: Prepare for the Resale Completion Appointment

Ok, last few steps!

To prepare for your HDB resale completion appointment, you'll need to:

1. Fix any unauthorised renovation work.
2. Terminate automated GIRO payments and settle outstanding payments like property tax (payable up to the end of the year) or service and conservancy charges (payable up to the day of the resale completion).
3. Prepare to vacate your flat before the date of completion so the buyer can move in on time.
4. After vacating, ensure that you're ready to hand the keys over to the buyer during the completion appointment.

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Step 14: Attend Resale Completion Appointment

This is the last thing you'll have to do to complete your HDB selling process - attend the HDB resale Completion Appointment at HDB Hub. During this appointment, you will witness the following:

1. Signing of the transfer document of the resale flat
2. Signing of the mortgage document/agreement (only applicable for HDB loans)
3. Handover of keys (if the buyer opted for a bank loan, the bank's lawyer could be authorised to collect the keys on the buyer's behalf)

You will receive your net sale proceeds at this point. HDB will refund any CPF monies to your CPF account within 10 to 14 working days from the date of the completion appointment.

However, do take note that the HDB resale application will be cancelled if any of the following occur:

1. You or the buyer does not go through the sale or purchase of the flat for any reason whatsoever.
2. You or the buyer withdraws your application by giving notice in writing to HDB.
3. You do not have sufficient CPF savings or cash to finance the purchase of the resale flat.
4. The information given in the resale application by you or the buyer is incorrect, or any information has been omitted by either party.

You or the buyer is not eligible to retain the resale application under HDB's policies.

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And You're All Done! Congratulations on Selling Your Home!

If you've made it this far, you deserve a medal. As you now know, the time it takes to sell an HDB flat depends on a huge variety of factors, some within the seller's control; others, not so much.

However, you can still maximise your chances of a successful resale by having all your documents and preparations in order before each step. And, of course, with an experienced property agent by your side, you can let go of your worries as you let them do the heavy lifting.

Let Us Assist You in Selling Your HDB Resale Flat

That's something Ohmyhome can guarantee for you. Our Super Agents are consistently ranked among the Top 1% in Singapore and have already guided over 8,000 happy customers through. This dedication to exceptional service is reflected in the consistent 5-star ratings we've received on Facebook and Google, a testament to the positive experiences of those who have chosen to sell their HDBs with us.

Ready to experience the Ohmyhome difference? Simply drop us a message on WhatsApp or our live chat, which you'll find at the bottom right-hand corner of the screen, to book an appointment with our agents.

Not Ready to Speak to a Property Agent? Stay Updated With HomerAI!

HomerAI is our home ownership management and e-Valuation tool that provides accurate home valuation estimates, the latest transaction prices, and cash statuses. With monthly updates, you can track if your property value has increased, stayed the same, or decreased.

With HomerAI, you can also know:

• What your home is worth based on the recent transactions in your area
• How much cash you can keep after selling
• If you have enough to buy your next home

FAQs About Selling Your HDB Resale Flat

How long is the process of selling an HDB flat?

The entire process of selling an HDB flat typically takes about eight to 12 weeks from the date the OTP is granted to the completion of the sale.

How long does it take for HDB to approve resale?

HDB usually takes around eight weeks to process and approve the resale application after you and the buyer have submitted all necessary documents.

Do I need an agent to sell my HDB flat?

While it's not mandatory to have an agent to sell your HDB flat, many choose to engage one for their expertise, market knowledge, and to handle the paperwork and negotiations.

Can I sell HDB during MOP?

No, you cannot sell your HDB flat during the MOP, which is typically five years. You must complete the MOP before selling your flat.

How much goes back to CPF after selling HDB?

The amount to be refunded to your CPF account includes the principal amount withdrawn for the property purchase, plus accrued interest, which is calculated at 2.5% per annum.

How much deposit do you pay for an HDB resale?

The buyer typically pays a deposit of up to 5% of the purchase price upon signing the OTP. This includes an option fee (up to $1,000) and an exercise fee (up to $4,000).

While the Information is considered to be true and correct at the date of publication, changes in circumstances after the time of publication may impact the accuracy of the Information. The Information may change without notice, and Ohmyhome is not in any way liable for the accuracy of any information printed and stored or in any way interpreted and used by a user.