Most Flats Offered In HDB Balloting Snapped Up

Source : The Straits Times, Dec 10, 2007

WHO says HDB flat applicants are choosy? They are not, going by the almost full take-up rate of 3,034 units of four-room and bigger flats offered in the past four bi-monthly sales carried out by the Housing Board.

Even the Board is pleased with the response to the sales under the combined balloting and walk-in system, describing it as 'very good' in a statement on Monday.

The units were snapped up in the bi-monthly sales exercises which were introduced by the HDB in April.

The overall take-up rate of the 3,034 units in four different zones was 96 per cent, or 2,917 units.

In two of the balloting exercises for 843 flats offered in established towns and the North and West zones , all the units were taken up.

The HDB is offering another 315 flats in the North-East zone for sale in December.

Interested flat buyers can submit their applications online from Monday till Dec 17.

HDB will conduct a computer ballot of all the submitted applications after the closing date to determine the queue positions of the applicants.

Applicants will then be notified of their appointments to book a flat, subject to availability.

Those who have missed the application period can submit their applications online from 8 am on Dec 18.

Households with gross monthly income of up to $8,000 are eligible to buy the 4-room and bigger flats offered for sale, subject to eligibility conditions such as citizenship, family nucleus, and non-ownership of private property.

Eligible first-timers can also apply for the Additional CPF Housing Grant (AHG) of up to $30,000. To qualify, they must have been in continuous employment over the past 24 months prior to the date of the flat application, and have an average gross monthly income of $4,000 or less over the same period.

Applicants can visit HDB's e-sales website to get more details on the December bi-monthly sales exercise or e-mail hdbsales@hdb.gov.sg.