Commentary

Can Every HDB Flat Be A Valuable Nest Egg For Retirement? Not Everyone Agrees. Here’s Why.

  • March 27, 2023
  • 6 min read
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Ryan J

Ryan is an old school print journalist gone digital. He's lived in almost every type of housing in Singapore, from flats to landed homes. Over the past 18 years, he's been a content developer for companies large and small, a co-founder in an education business, and sometimes a voice on the radio. He also spends too much time and money on painting little plastic soldiers.

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Meme
Meme
5 months ago

Very well written on that last few paragraphs. Don’t forget that Lawrence Wong had on several occasions reminded Singaporeans to manage their expectations on the value of aging hdb and hdb WILL go to zero at the end of the lease.

Other than SERS and VERS (info’s not out yet on what VERS entails except it’s less generous than SERS), current options to monetise flats for retirement are lease buyback, renting out spare rooms, downgrading to smaller flat, things we won’t consider as ‘valuable nest egg for retirement’. They are at most, supplementary for retirement. PM Lee should stop using such overly optimistic words that sound like overpromises that come back to bite Pap in the ass. It’s irritating Singaporeans who can clearly see hdb for what it is – flats that will go to zero at the end of 99 year lease.

Samuel Tan
Samuel Tan
5 months ago

Hello Stacked team, I’ll just like to add that using indices like HDB resale index may be much less relevant for owners of HDB when planning for retirement. These indices tend to be cross sectional average (average of whole market pool, continuously new flat added, and old removed). In fact, a homeowner needs to look at longitudinal study (i.e. single project by project), which like likely be much more grim without any million dollar fresh btos pulling up the average.

Lin Ah Shui
Lin Ah Shui
5 months ago

Lawrence Wong said your HDB flat after 99 years from built date will be zero 00. How to be a good bird nest? Probably good for one generation. If you buy a resale flat with remaining lease of less than 30 years, then you are in trouble. I bought mine recently with 36 years remaining. Thanks goodness just nice because I’m now 70 years old. So cannot keep for my children. Maybe HDB should consider lease extension at subsidised rate for the elderly. This I would call giving us back the NATIONAL SERVICE. Thank you.

Samuel Tan
Samuel Tan
5 months ago

Hello Stacked team, I’ll just like to add that using indices like HDB resale index may be much less relevant for owners of HDB when planning for retirement. These indices tend to be cross sectional average (average of whole market pool, continuously new flat added, and old removed). In fact, a homeowner needs to look at longitudinal study (i.e. single project by project), which will likely be much more grim without any million dollar fresh btos pulling up the average.

Ultra Shiny Marines
Ultra Shiny Marines
5 months ago

You have rightly pointed out the hard truth, that HDB must choose between two mandates:
1) Provide affordable housing
2) Provide profitable housing

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