Selling HDB timeline or the sales transaction timeline is one of the most important details to note, whether you are selling an HDB flat, condo, or any other type of property.
Even if you don’t plan to sell now, it is good to prepare ahead. Observing the selling HDB timeline – or selling condo timeline – closely is a big help when planning crucial things, such as your move-out dates, negotiations with the buyer, and even how far ahead you need to start to sync with your new HDB completion timeline.
Perhaps you need funds and want to convert your assets (in this case, your investment property) into a more liquid form for immediate use. Or maybe you want to upgrade from an HDB flat to a condo and are planning for the transition – the selling HDB timeline will inform your next course of action.
Whichever the case and whatever your reason to sell, the rest of your plans will likely be built around this selling HDB timeline. In this article, we will also address the burning question: When will I get my cash proceeds after selling condo or HDB?
So how fast can you expect to convert your property into cash? We’ll take a look at a typical selling HDB timeline and a condo/private property, and dive deeper into several factors within your control that can delay or accelerate the process for you.
Selling HDB Timeline
| Doing the necessary paperwork, calculations/valuations and putting up your home for sale via agent or DIY | One to three weeks |
| Viewings and negotiations | One day to four months |
| Granting of Option to Purchase (OTP) to buyer | One day (minimum seven days after completing the HDB resale checklist document) |
| Buyer exercises OTP | One day to two weeks |
| Buyer and seller both submit resale applications online (and Temporary Extension of Stay if needed) | One to seven days (seller and buyer must submit separately and within 7 days of each other) |
| Endorse HDB resale documents, pay fees | Within 10 to 16 working days |
| HDB inspection and approval | Within 28 working days |
| Attend HDB resale completion appointment | About eight weeks after HDB accepts resale application |
The average selling HDB timeline is about six months. Read our 9-step guide to selling your property in Singapore to help you in your journey.
Selling Condo Timeline
| Doing the necessary paperwork and putting up your home for sale via agent or DIY | One to three weeks |
| Viewings and negotiations | One day to six months |
| Granting of Option to Purchase (OTP) | One day |
| Both sides engage solicitors, buyer exercises OTP and signs the Sales and Purchase agreement | One day to two weeks after granting OTP |
| Buyer pays Buyer’s Stamp Duty and ABSD as applicable | One day to two weeks after exercising OTP |
| Completion of Sales and Purchase, full payment made | Eight to 10 weeks after exercising OTP |
While two months is the minimum period to sell a condo, a more realistic selling condo timeline is about five months.
Speed Up the Selling HDB Timeline and Condo Sale Process
1. Find a Good Property Agent
While it is possible for homeowners to DIY, having an experienced and competent property agent will be able to help you significantly in the selling process – whether it’s speed, efficiency or closing the best deal. Selling a property is not something anyone does often unless you do it for a living.
Hence, it is only expected that while you may take weeks and days to do research and settle the paperwork, a seasoned property agent – especially one who has handled transactions in your area – knows everything like the back of their hand. Note that any missing documents, errors or issues concerning the paperwork will also slow down the process.
2. Tidy Up
First impressions matter. A buyer has only 10 to 15 minutes of his/her viewing to form an opinion on your house and part of that opinion is decided by the feeling it gives him/her. Just like a man wouldn’t go for a job interview with stubble on his chin and his shirt untucked, if your place is cluttered and messy, it’s hardly going to leave a good impression.
By crowding the space in your house, your mess also makes your house look smaller than it is, and hence less comfortable and less value for money.
Cleaning up makes a big difference to the spaciousness of your house, and the general good vibes it gives a buyer who wants to envision themselves living in it.
3. Brighten Up
Brighter flats have been found to make viewers think and feel more positively about the property, and hence more likely to form a good opinion of its value – and also more likely to pay your asking price, or make an offer faster for fear of losing out on this great experience.
Try to ensure your viewings occur at times that showcase the brightness of your flat best – if it’s naturally bright and airy, try to schedule daylight viewings. If your flat is dark in the daytime due to the sun’s direction, try to schedule evening or night viewings – bright lighting in your house is a bonus during these times, so turn them all on!
4. Invest in Light Renovation
If your flat has accumulated some wear and tear over the years, it makes sense to rectify that to ensure your home is on its best behaviour when potential buyers come to visit. Strike a balance between how much needs rectifying, and how much you’re willing to spend – after all, money spent on renovation doesn’t necessarily lead to a proportionate increase in flat value.
At the very least, patch up holes and cracks where possible, and give your house a new, bright coat of paint.
5. Take Good Photographs
Ever heard of property styling or home staging? The first impression someone would have of your house would probably be online (e.g. via PropertyGuru listings). Before they even pick up the phone to schedule a meeting with you, they will need to be sufficiently intrigued by what they see – specifically, the photographs you post.
Put in the effort to take good photos that showcase the space and best features of your house with the right lighting and rearrangement of furniture if necessary – it’ll pay off. If you’re no Instagrammer yourself, then put in a bit of investment and get a professional to come do it for you.
6. Offer a Good and Realistic Price
To ensure minimal resistance to the price you are asking, you have to ask for a realistic price in the first place. Doing your homework about the prices obtained in the area in recent times is important, either in consultation with your agent or by yourself if you’re going solo. If you scare away buyer after buyer, this could delay your sale timeline. The price should also be fair to you, and not a fire sale.
You may also check the expected property valuation of your property and price it accordingly. If you price too high, the buyer may incur Cash Over Valuation (COV) and have to pay extra cash, increasing the chances of them backing out of the deal.
When Will I Get My Cash Proceeds After Selling Condo or HDB?
Whether for HDB or private property, you will generally receive your sale proceeds from the sale through a cashier’s order on the completion date (i.e. either your second HDB appointment or the date of completion of the Sales and Purchase Agreement), if your sales proceeds are in cash. This cashier’s order can be banked in and the funds utilised as soon as the bank processes it.
However, if CPF is involved, you would have to wait about 15 working days for the money to return to your CPF account before it can be utilised again to complete the purchase of a subsequent property.
One last thing: if you’re planning to sell your home to upgrade or rightsize, you’ll probably want to settle the logistics of your next living situation concurrently. This is because you typically must move out of your home within six months of exchanging hands on the property. Applying for a Temporary Extension of Stay for up to three months is possible if your buyer agrees.
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