How to sell your HDB flat: a seller’s planning guide
Start with your next home and the cash you need, then work backwards. Check eligibility, set a price, choose viewing arrangements and follow the HDB transaction steps.
5 min read · Figures checked 12 October 2026 · By Michelle Lee Ling Ching, CEA R009798I
1. Check that you can sell before making moving plans
Register your Intent to Sell in My Flat Dashboard. HDB shows your eligibility, quota information and the earliest date you can grant an Option to Purchase. You must wait at least 7 days after registration before granting the OTP. Registration is free and lasts 12 months; it must remain valid at the relevant transaction stages.
If you are replacing this flat, write down where you will live between homes, how much cash you can use before completion, and which dates are flexible. A desirable sale price does not solve a gap between moving out and collecting your next keys.
2. Set a price range and a separate cash budget
Use completed transactions for comparable flat types, leases and floors. An asking price on a portal is only a seller’s opening position. Compare several nearby sales and decide what would make your own home more or less attractive to the same buyers.
Calculate proceeds at a cautious price as well as your target. Separate the mortgage repayment, CPF refund and cash costs. Include any levy relevant to your next purchase. Keep the buyer’s deposit in the same calculation so it is not counted twice.
3. Choose who will market the flat and host viewings
Decide how much of the work you can take on before comparing fees. Can you answer viewing requests, show the flat and organise documents? If an agent is involved, put the fee, viewing responsibilities, advertising and termination terms in the agreement. Compare the amount including GST and any conditional charges.
4. Prepare the listing and keep a record of offers
Prepare accurate photos and a description that sets expectations about condition, layout and availability. Agree viewing slots with everyone living there. Keep a simple record of feedback, offers, the buyer’s proposed timing and any conditions; a higher offer with an unworkable move-out date may need more discussion.
5. Move from the agreed offer to the HDB application
Use HDB’s prescribed OTP and check the buyer’s valid HFE letter before granting it. The option period is 21 calendar days. Read the form before signing, including the agreed period for submitting the resale application after exercise; avoid relying on verbal promises about dates.
After exercise, both sides submit their portions and supporting documents. The second party must submit within 7 calendar days of the first. HDB’s roughly 8-week completion process starts when it accepts the complete application, not when your listing goes live.
Your handover planning checklist
- Keep all owners informed of the agreed dates and required documents.
- Follow HDB’s instructions for inspections, endorsements and payments.
- Arrange movers and your next accommodation around the confirmed completion date.
- Confirm any extension of stay through the required process before relying on it.
- Plan the final condition check, belongings removal and key handover with the buyer.
Common questions
Yes, if the service scope fits your needs. Agree who hosts viewings, what marketing is included and the full fee before appointing the agent.
Start with Intent to Sell and your next-home plan. Then work out your proceeds and choose how much help you need with marketing, viewings and the transaction.
No. Marketing and the OTP stages come first. HDB’s approximately eight-week processing period starts after it accepts the complete resale application.
Sources
Written by
Michelle Lee Ling Ching
Michelle Lee Ling Ching · CEA Registration Number: R009798I · ERA Realty Network Pte Ltd · CEA Licence Number: L3002382K · Tel: +65 9680 1106
We are a fixed-fee HDB agent, non-exclusive and paid on completion. See our HDB seller fee and what it covers.
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