Woman's failed attempts at securing Singaporean housing spark viral TikTok debate
A female applicant surnamed Chua recently went public on social media after failing to secure a Build-To-Order (BTO) flat despite 13 applications spanning three years, prompting widespread discussion about the balloting process and eligibility for Sales of By-Lot flats offered under Special Buyer's Scheme.
Key Points
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1A Singaporean woman reportedly failed to secure three Build-To-Order (BTO) flats after applying approximately thirteen or fourteen times over about two years.
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2The Housing & Development Board clarified that the specific units she was offered during Special Buying Flats exercises were available only for original BTo applicants, not her later applications in subsequent rounds.
Developments
Perspectives
A TikTok video featuring a Singaporean woman who claims to have failed at obtaining a Built-To-Order (BTO) flat after applying multiple times has gone viral, prompting public discussion on social media.
— [Mar 17] After woman's post about applying for BTO 11 times goes viral"The Housing Development Board clarified that the Sales of By-Lot flats offered in recent exercises are available to all Singaporeans and not just those who applied during original Build-To-Order launches.
— [Mar 15] Units in SBF exercises are offered to all Singaporeans, not just those of original BTO launches: HDB"The woman reported applying for a four-room flat approximately thirteen times over the course of three years but was unsuccessful on every attempt."
— [Mar 17] Woman fails to get BTO after 13 triesA TikTok video featuring Ms. Chua's viral experience applying for 13 (later corrected from) Built-To-Order flats went public after the Housing & Development Board acknowledged her claims on Facebook, noting that she was unsuccessful in booking due to high demand at specific locations despite some projects having leftover units available elsewhere over a three-year period involving multiple applications.
A woman reported to HDB via Facebook after claiming she was denied Build-To-Order (BTO) flat selections because her balloted queue positions exceeded supply, despite applying multiple times for popular locations. In response on March 14, an unsourced article from The Straits Times cited muted demand in certain Plus and Prime projects with available balance units that the woman had not been asked to select or informed about during previous unsuccessful applications.
A Singaporean woman named Chua applied approximately thirteen times between three years and was unsuccessful each time. She questioned the HDB for offering unsold flats from popular projects via Sale of Balance Flats (SBF) instead to applicants with queue numbers, citing her own experience in Bukit Merah Ridge where she held a number exceeding available units yet received no notification when balance listings appeared later than expected during selection processes
The Housing Board clarified via email to user @xinandxuan (Ms Chua) that Sale-of-Balance-Flats are available after all eligible Build-To-Order applicants have selected units, subject only to ethnic quotas. Ms Chua had previously questioned the availability of balance flats in a Bukit Merah project and cited her unsuccessful application due to receiving queue number 3,120 for one unit among just 1,226 offered four-room flat