Since the implementation of the Eligibility Notification policy on May 9th this year, the Housing and Development Board (HDB) in Singapore has processed over 50,000 applications. The objective of this policy is to provide potential homebuyers with early insights into their eligibility for home ownership and the loan and grant amounts they can receive.

The government encourages potential homebuyers to apply for Eligibility Notification as early as possible and provide the necessary information and supporting documents to better access support and information for making informed homebuying decisions.

However, the HDB system is not yet capable of handling the complex process of integrating eligibility assessments with data from various agencies, leading to a higher-than-expected proportion of cases requiring manual processing.

As a result, some buyers experience longer processing times for their HFE applications. Senior Minister of State for National Development and Foreign Affairs mentioned that HDB is working diligently to expedite the processing of pending applications and hopes that homebuyers can understand and be patient.

Data indicates that approximately 31% of HFE applications can be processed within 21 days.

To expedite processing, authorities encourage potential homebuyers to apply for Eligibility Notification as early as possible, ideally at least one month before the start of sales events.

Furthermore, ahead of the October BTO sales launch, HDB has enhanced system capabilities to cope with potential peak periods, ensuring a smoother homebuying process.

Even in cases of application delays, HDB has accommodated by ensuring that applicants who receive assessments after 21 days are still eligible to participate in the May BTO sales launch and is providing assistance to all applicants seeking help from HDB.

The implementation of this policy aims to provide homebuyers with more information and support for making informed homebuying decisions."