Minimum age for singles to buy flats to remain: Lawrence Wong

·Senior Editor

6 March 2018 at 5:40 am

The minimum age of 35 for singles to purchase a HDB flat is “still valid” given the high marriage rates among those below that age and the strong demand for flats among singles, said National Development Minister Lawrence Wong in Parliament on Tuesday (6 March).

Speaking during the Committee of Supply (COS) debate on Budget 2018, Wong noted that more than 12,000 singles have bought new two-room flats so far. Application rates remain high and his ministry is “trying our best to clear the backlog”.

Wong added that 27,000 singles have purchased resale flats in the past five years. Enhancements to the Proximity Housing Grant have also been made; singles who buy a resale flat to live with their parents now get a higher grant of $15,000, while there is a $10,000 grant for singles who want to live near their parents.

With the various schemes, this means that singles may now receive up to $60,000 in grants when buying their resale flat.

“In any case… we still have a backlog to clear, and I think we should focus on that,” added Wong.

Wong was responding to Marsiling-Yew Tee Member of Parliament Alex Yam’s query on whether the minimum age for a single to purchase a flat could be reviewed.

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