A Singaporean hardwarezone member, Poomer, has posted on the forum hardwarezone to voice his frustration as it takes almost 10 years for his BTO to be ready. Part of this issue is also due to the Covid pademic.
Here is his full story.
I’m a first timer, I first started applying for BTO in 2015 around there. Applied 7x over 2 years, on my seventh try, around 2017 got a decent queue number to select a unit at Clementi NorthArc.
By the time HDB asked me to select a flat which was around mid 2017, I happily went down to select a flat. And finally selected a unit. It was 2018 when I put the 5% deposit. TOP is scheduled for Jun 2022. And now with COVID, it’s up in the air, 2023, maybe even 2024.
I just realised by the time my HDB TOP, it’ll be almost 10 years after I first applied for a BTO. To be honest, 2 years of application, 5 years of lead time for building and now with COVID gonna set my house construction back another 1-2 years. This is ridiculous man.
I mean what done is done, and I dont see how me making noise will change my situation. But I hope to sound out, so that future generations will not get pawned by the retarded BTO scheme.
BTO scheme in mature estate, are you kidding, you need people to apply then you can build, when every single development is oversubscribed? MBT screwed up and build 20,000 excess units 20 years ago, and the government created this stupid scheme. Now with 20,000 new foreigners being naturalised every year, we are still depending on an antiquated BTO system that ensures supply will always lag behind demand by a few years? Clearly show the lack of foresight this government has. The BTO system has to go. I mean in very ulu areas, The BTO scheme might be applicable to ensure there are no excess units. But the demand in mature estate is clearly there, so why are we still stifling supply by waiting for BTO then can build.
Warning for those first timers, this is what could happen when you apply BTO. Disclaimer, I’m not encouraging buying resale, in fact I think getting a BTO is good, but if you are in a rush for a house. I seriously suggest you consider all your options before getting a BTO.
Some will say no choice la, it’s coz COVID thats why wait so long. But the thing even without COVID it is already 7 years. If you apply at 28, you get the house at 35. Now with COVID, it’s making a very long wait become untolerable.