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Hi Agents,

We need some guidance whether safe to proceed, we are both, below 55.

Plan:
Sell: Current flat (TOP 2016, 87sqm) for ~$1.2M.
Buy: Resale flat (TOP 2005, 115sqm) for ~$1.2M.

My understanding of the rules (please confirm):

CPF Refund: Since I am below 55, when I sell, all CPF goes back to my OA (not stuck in RA). Correct?

Retirement Sum (BRS/FRS): These restrictions only kick in at age 55, so they don't affect my purchase now. Correct?

Lease: The 2005 flat has ~79 years left. I did the math (Age + 79 > 95), so I can use full CPF. Correct?

Levy: Buying a resale flat means no Resale Levy. Correct?
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10 Answers

Hi, appreciate your sharing over PropertyGuru, able to share over coffee on how it works and what are your option moving forward.

Looking forward to assist you at WhatsApp +65 9696 4398  or email me at stewartlim96964398@gmail.com

Cheers
Stewart
PropNex Senior Associate Division Director Read More
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Hi Do contact me at 97970200  to understand more and discuss.
CPF refund Goes to OA (not RA)
Retirement sum no impact until age 55
95 yr rule Age + 79 > 95 = Full CPF
Resale levy not applicable for Resale
Mark, your RIGHT choice
Propnex Read More
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Hi,

1) You are right about the CPF situation, but not completely.
2) The RA is make up of combination of SA + OA if applicable.
3) Meaning if your RA has sufficient amount to fulfill the RA amount, the CPF board will not touch your CPF OA.
4) You can only utilize funds in OA for property purchase.
5) So, after understanding the CPF portion, you may proceed if you still wish to go ahead on your plan.
6) Although the CPF will create a new account; RA, they will still allowed you to use anything above BRS for property purchase.
7) Most of the working people has sufficient funds under SA to fulfill BRS, so, you might not need to rush in your plan.
8) Yes, as long as the youngest age (you & your spouse) + 79 > 95, you can use full CPF.
9) Yes, if the current flat is a BTO/SBF or resale flat with grant, you are not subject to resale levy when buying a resale flat.

All The Best!!!

Hope the above answers your main concerns, but if there are more queries, please feel free to contact me at 90110636  or email: ling.ck7@gmail.com if more information is needed.
I'll be glad to assist.

Best regards
Ling CK
 9011-0636 
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https://www.linkedin.com/in/ckling/
https://agents.huttonsgroup.com/R056727F/ Read More
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You are spot on from what i see here.

——

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Hi

Yes to all your questions. Since both of you are below 55, all your CPF utilized + accrued interest stuck in the current property, will be fully refunded to your CPF OA upon sale. You can utilize it fully for the next flat purchase, up till the valuation limit of that next flat, since the next house balance lease lasts you both until 95 years old. No resale levy for buying resale flat.

Hope the above clarifies. I am well-versed with HDB and private property transactions, having helped more than 100 home-owners to smoothly complete their housing plans over the years. Please reach out to me at (65) 9 7 4 3 2 3 9 5 for a more in-depth discussion :)

May I have more info on your requirements so as to make better recommendations? Thanks and looking forward to chat more

Warm Regards,

Ivan Ng
ERA Senior Marketing Director
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-- HDB Toa Payoh 5-RM Sellers of Million-Dollar HDB, Mr. & Mrs Leong

We were fortunate to have met Ivan Ng. He was thorough in going through what the complicated home-selling process required of us and more so in understanding what we would like to achieve from the sale of our unit. His responsiveness and assurance, was a trait that we really appreciate. We managed to secure a sale that exceeded our expectation with Ivan’s advises. The offered price for our unit was a record set for the flats in the neighborhood. This was definitely supported by the fact that Ivan’s listing of our unit was detailed and stood out from other listings. Because of this, we also engaged Ivan's service to help us search and buy our new resale home. After some searches and viewings, we managed to secure one at a reasonable price with his help. With Ivan’s cheery and positive demeanour, selling our unit to procuring a new one, was a smooth journey for us. It was a pleasure to have worked with him.

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1
Whether it is safe or not depends on the actual property you are selling and buying.

It sounds like you are swapping a smaller newer property for an older but bigger one, so you have to first understand why the prices are currently as such and where they are headed before you make that move.

Policy wise, your understanding is generally correct. However, a small thing like a cash-over-valuation situation or mismanaged timeline might throw everything off the rail and leave you without the ability to finance it properly, while being in a high risk of negative sale in the future. This can be easily avoided if you have a skilled agent supporting your move.

Meanwhile, there are major undercurrents affecting the HDB resale market in 2026 that will have a huge impact on your liveability in certain estates as well as your financial security as a home owner in selected estates.

I'm a Harvard graduated real estate agent with a degree in economics, and have supported clients on more than $1 billion in transactions. Happy to share more and help you check that your planned transition is safe from those impacts.

Just reach out to me via whatsapp or email below and I can guide you to make the safest transition to a bigger / better home.

Kay Cloud
The Harvard Educated Agent
Propnex Realty Pte Ltd
cloud@propnex.com
Tel: (+6.5.) 8.5.6.7.4.5.8.5
Whatsapp -> https://wa.me/6585674585 Read More
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Hi! Excellent homework — you have done your research well and most of your understanding is correct. Let me verify each point precisely.

Point 1 — CPF Refund on Sale:
Yes, correct. As you are both below 55, all CPF principal used plus accrued interest will be refunded back to your OA in full upon sale. Nothing is retained in RA at this stage. ✔
Point 2 — Retirement Sum Restrictions:
Yes, correct. BRS and FRS restrictions on CPF usage only apply at age 55 and above. Since you are both below 55 these do not affect your ability to use CPF for the purchase now. ✔
Point 3 — Lease and CPF Usage:
Your calculation is on the right track but there is an important nuance here. CPF's rule states that the remaining lease must cover the youngest buyer to age 95. So the formula is:

Remaining lease of 2005 flat — approximately 79 years as you noted
If the youngest of you two is say 35, then 35 + 79 = 114 — full CPF usage permitted ✔
If the youngest is closer to 40, then 40 + 79 = 119 — still fine ✔
The threshold to watch is if your age + remaining lease falls below 95 — at that point CPF usage gets pro-rated

As long as your youngest age plus 79 years exceeds 95 you are fully covered. Based on your numbers this should be fine but verify your exact ages against the remaining lease carefully before proceeding.
Point 4 — Resale Levy:
This is where your understanding needs a small correction. The Resale Levy applies when you sell a subsidised flat and buy another subsidised flat — meaning a new BTO or EC directly from HDB. Since you are buying a resale flat from the open market, no Resale Levy applies. ✔
One additional point you did not mention but should check:
HDB Loan Eligibility — since your current flat was purchased in 2016, check whether you have taken an HDB loan before. If yes, your LTV for a second HDB loan may be affected. If using a bank loan this is less of a concern but factor in TDSR compliance with both your incomes.
Overall assessment:
Your plan is sound and well thought through. The numbers stack up and the regulatory understanding is largely accurate with the minor lease nuance noted above.
I would be happy to do a full financial assessment for your specific situation — including nett CPF refund, estimated cash proceeds and loan eligibility — before you commit to anything. Would that be helpful? Read More
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✔1 ACCOUNT HIERARCHY:
The Retirement Account prioritizes Special Account savings first, leaving Ordinary Account funds available for housing if the sum is met.

✔2 PROPERTY FUNDING:
You retain the right to use Ordinary Account savings for home payments as long as your Basic Retirement Sum is secured.

✔3 LEASE REQUIREMENTS:
Ensure the property's tenure lasts until the youngest buyer is 95 years old to maximize the use of your CPF savings.

✔4 TAX SAVINGS:
Transitioning from a subsidized BTO or Grant-aided flat to a standard resale unit generally avoids any resale levy obligations.

✔5 TIMING ADVICE:
Assess your current Special Account health before rushing into a move, as your retirement foundations may already be sufficiently funded.

Knowledge is a treasure, but practice is the key to it. — Lao Tzu
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hi,

You definitely have done your homework well,' yes' to all your questions.

I can assist you in finding the right buyer for your unit. Please refer to my testimonials below for your consideration.

This platform does not allow me to contact you directly so kindly contact me at https://wa.me/6597261112 I would be glad to assist you further.

Thank you and best regards,

Jenny Tran
Propnex Realty Pte Ltd
(HP) +65 97261112 
(Email) jenny.tran@propnex.com
BSc (Real Estate) (Hons)-NUS

Testimonial from Satisfied Clients
-- My husband and I wish to commend the sincere attitude and good customer service rendered by your staff Jenny, who handled the sale of our 5R HDB flat early this year. We have met several agents but none as genuine as Jenny. Being a seller agent, she took our interest at heart in handling the sale, unlike other agents who are self-interest. Jenny is punctual and prompt in the whole dealings and we were convinced that such an agent is hard for find nowadays. Jenny is a trustworthy, honest, sincere and hardworking agent. We are happy with her service and would gladly recommend her to our friends in future. Jenny is an asset to Propnex and the organisation should value her. Thank you Jenny for her efforts--
Mr and Mrs Soo (HDB seller)

--Jenny is very committed and responsive to her clients and she has spent hours updating them and looking out for great deals and even tailor-made property proposal geared towards their needs. Will certainly refer her to others and will definitely approach her again in her future--
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--Jenny did a great job helping my wife and I sell our unit. She took active steps to walk our neighbourhood to understand what she was marketing. During the marketing period, she managed potential buyers and provided timely updates and recommendations so we could stay on top of the process. Overall, Jenny was professional and helped us to achieve a positive result which we are very thankful for--
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--Jenny was very passionate and went the extra miles to help. Thanks to her professional advice and recommendations, I had finally found my dream home--
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--Appreciate Jenny's clear and prompt communication style with us and other stakeholders. She was also patient and client-centered throughout the process of finding a home that met our criteria. As a first-time home buyer, we appreciate how she went out of her way to explain the process and answer questions we had--
Samantha (Resale condo buyer) Read More
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  • MF
    Before we engage your services, please confirm the commission structure. Is it correct that the seller pays a 2% commission on the final sale price? Please also advise if there are any additional administrative or marketing fees.
Hi there, thanks for laying this out so clearly. Your understanding is largely on point.

From your mention of resale levy, I will proceed on the assumption that both your current and next property are HDB flats.

1) CPF Refund (Below 55)
Yes. Upon sale, your CPF used (principal + accrued interest) will be refunded back to your OA. Since you are below 55, you can fully reuse these funds for your next purchase.

2) Lease & CPF Usage
Correct. if the younger buyer’s age + remaining lease ≥ 95 years, you can use CPF fully with no pro-ration. Your example (~79 years lease) should meet this, assuming age fits.

3) Resale Levy
Also correct. No resale levy for resale-to-resale purchases.

Overall, your plan looks structurally sound based on the points above. The next step would usually be to run through the detailed numbers (CPF usage, cash flow, especially timeline coordination) to make sure everything aligns smoothly.

If you would like, I’m happy to help you map this out clearly.

You can reach me at 9139 1363  or my team hotline at 8988 2212  . We will do our best to assist.

~About NexDoor~
NexDoor is a boutique property agency in Singapore. We believe property decisions should be made with proper numbers, clear strategy, and no pressure.

As a team, we bring over 30+ years of combined experience and 600+ transactions across HDB, private resale, new launches, and landed homes.

Being boutique by design means we work with fewer clients, so we can give each one deeper attention, helping every client makes the right decision with full clarity.

Warmest Regards
Bjorn Lim 91391363 
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