Now 35yrs old and above can buy all types of HDB flats!
drawer
I think it is a good policy,it can bring a sense of belonging to those ppl who are single to this country.Also those single ppl wont be so "cham" like before can only buy a 3 room flats.What do u ppl think?
Qitai
I think it is more important to lower or exempt the age requirement more than allowing them to buy a bigger flat. Why should a single need such a big flat for? I suspect the intention is more of trying to control the property market than to bring the benefit to the singles. At least, I do not see the reasoning for allowing singles to have bigger flats.
robertteh
In our hurry to solve the problem of single housing, we give singles the right to buy HDB resale flat of all types. Now we can expect more single persons defeating our procreation policy.
In our hurry to give births, the government goes all out to please the women folk a lot more than necessary like granting them more leave to give births.
Problems will increase manifolds in the work place with employers. Many of them are going to avoid employing women creating different kind of problems.
A more complete solution is to entitle women to more incentives without creating so many problems with employers. Entitle employers to something as well like special bonus when they have more women employees giving births. A tax incentive of certain percentage will boost productivity all at the same time.
miong
At age 35 most single Singaporeans, especially graduates, would have earned more than $3000.
For those earning less than $3000, it would cost them an arm and a leg to buy resale 4 - 5 rooms HDB flats.
Is this another of HDB's cunning scheme to rob the poor and add value to HDB's already bulging treasure chest .......
Or a Government plot to jack up property prices?.
av98m
At the end of the day, I would still like to know why after serving 2.5 years of National Service and being a productive member of society, and paying taxes, I'm still not allowed to buy a brand new HDB flat of any size. The government's cynical approach towards social engineering really makes me sick. Perhaps for those of us who have problems getting married, the government can issue us wives like we are issued rifles in the Army. (Yes, I'm being sarcastic here) Punishing citizens who are single, many of whom I'm sure are single not by choice, and quite possibly in the lower income group, is morally wrong. Why not just allow singles to buy brand new 3 room flats, if the argument is that singles should not buy 5-room flats.
Atobe
With the help of a near monopolistic control over Parliament, the Government (aka the Ruling Party) has the freedom of changing legislations to suit their methods and objectives of Governance.
Changing the Law to allow SINGLE Singaporeans to buy any HDB flats, is simply helping the HDB to clear large quantity of flats that have been built and remain vacant over the last five years and more.
Such vacant flats can be found in the new towns of Woodlands, Senkang, Choa Chu Kang, and in the fringe areas of Bukit Panjang - Bukit Batok areas.
The large amount of public funds that have gone to waste in building and unable to sell these vacant homes for more then five years is result of misplaced confidence in anticipating public demand, and with their own supreme sense of past successes in design and planning of new towns.
This large amount of public funds that have been tied up in vacant buildings for such a long period, would have attracted severe reprimand from the Head of any Private Property Developer.
This response is merely to look good with a change in their own political objective, and to give another ADDITIONAL touch-up to the PUBLIC IMAGE of the new PM - reinforcing the increasing account of the number of changes since he step into office, and over such a short period of time.
With the reputed methodology of long term planning of this Government by the Ruling Party, were these changes not planned long ago, and only allowed to be released for the political benefit of the new PM ?
paperchicken
I tot they relax one rule than replace with more rules.
miong
Right!
When HDB announced halt to more buildings because of surplus of 17,000 flats, I thought heads should roll.
But, no, Government did not bat even an eye over this matter.
Should'nt the minister of National Develpment be held accountable for expensive mistakes like this one.
I know HDB has already made more than 14 billion dollars in profits - does not give National Develpment the right to waste a few hundred millions without worrying about it.
Why no heads roll?
paperchicken
....... and they give back a bit of money then collect more elsewhere.
miong
Dropping salary ceiling from $8,000 to $3,000 for singles to buy 3 room flats is a definite sign that Government doesnt care about helping singles.
There is no relief in sight for singles as far as housing problem is concerned.
Qitai
Net effect of new policy - more revenue to HDB due to (1) they get to clear the vacant houses; (2) less grant given out.
Great! All these announced in the form of "taking care of singles" when it is clearly the opposite.