Home
Singapore Government
Contact Info | Feedback | Sitemap
 
Home| About Us | News | Join Us | Useful Links
  Members > Life Events > Buying A House > How Much CPF Can You Use? Read to me - Have this page read out loud Printer Friendly Version
::: Members :::
Employers
Business Partners
my cpf Online Services
  View My Statement  
  What is 'my cpf Online Services'?  
  View Online Demo  
  Request A SingPass  
  Shortcut to Frequent Transactions  

my cpf - Main Page

my cpf - Life Events
  Starting Work
  Getting Married
  Having Children
  Buying A House
  Making An Investment
  Providing for your Healthcare Needs
  Living Overseas
  Starting A Business
  Hiring Employees
  Reaching 55
  Managing Your Retirement
  Losing A Loved One

 
- Buying A House
...A Place To Call Your Own

 
How much CPF can you use for:
 
a) A new flat bought directly from HDB
b) A resale flat bought in the open market
c) Private property
 
 
a)
 
If you are taking a HDB concessionary loan
You can use up to 100% of your CPF Ordinary Account savings to pay the initial 10% deposit as well as the balance of the purchase price.
 
If your existing CPF balance is not enough for full payment of the purchase price, you may take up a housing loan from HDB subject to credit assessment by HDB, and use all the monthly contributions to your Ordinary Account for the instalment payment of the loan.
 
Also, HDB requires you to exhaust all your CPF Ordinary Account savings first before granting you any housing loan.
 
 
If you are taking a bank loan
You can use your Ordinary Account savings, and the future monthly CPF contributions in your Ordinary Account to buy the flat and/or to pay the monthly instalments on the housing loan up to 100% of the Valuation Limit (VL). The VL is the lower of the purchase price or the value of the property at the time of purchase.
 
If your housing loan is still outstanding when your total CPF withdrawals towards payment of the flat had reached the Valuation Limit, you may continue to use your CPF savings up to the applicable Housing Withdrawal Limit to repay the housing loan, provided you are able to set aside the prevailing Minimum Sum cash component in your Special and Ordinary Accounts.
 
With effect from 1 Jan 2004, new buyers who are taking a bank loan will have to pay Y% downpayment by cash. The balance of the downpayment (10% - Y) can be paid using CPF. The table below shows the schedule of Y over the years:
Effective Date 1
Cash Downpayment
1 Jan 2004 - 31 Dec 2004
2%
1 Jan 2005 - 31 Dec 2005
4%
1 Jan 2006 onwards
5%
 
Do bear in mind that the monthly service, conservancy and other charges relating to the use of the property, including taxes, cannot be paid with your CPF savings. You will have to pay for these using cash.
 
1For new flats, effective date refers to the date of booking.
 
Click here for more information on Public Housing Scheme.
 
 
b)
A resale flat bought in the open market
 
If you are taking a HDB concessionary loan
You can use up to 100% of your CPF Ordinary Account savings to pay the initial 10% deposit as well as the balance of the purchase price.
 
If your existing CPF balance is not enough for full payment of the purchase price, you may take up a housing loan from HDB subject to credit assessment by HDB, and use all the monthly contributions to your Ordinary Account for the instalment payment of the loan.
 
If your housing loan is still outstanding when your total CPF withdrawals towards payment of the flat had reached the Valuation Limit, you may continue to use your CPF savings to repay the housing loan, provided you are able to set aside the prevailing Minimum Sum cash component in your Special and Ordinary Accounts.
 
 
If you are taking a bank loan
You can use your Ordinary Account savings, and the future monthly CPF contributions in this account to buy a property and/or pay the monthly instalments of the housing loan up to 100% of the Valuation Limit (VL). The VL is the lower of the purchase price or the value of the property at the time of purchase.
 
If your housing loan is still outstanding when your total CPF withdrawals towards payment of the flat had reached the Valuation Limit, you may continue to use your CPF savings up to the applicable Housing Withdrawal Limit to repay the housing loan, provided you are able to set aside the prevailing Minimum Sum cash component in your Special and Ordinary Accounts.
 
With effect from 1 Jan 2004, new buyers would have to pay Y% downpayment by cash. The balance of the downpayment (10% - Y) can be paid using CPF. The table below shows the schedule of Y over the years:
Effective Date 2
Cash Downpayment
1 Jan 2004 - 31 Dec 2004
2%
1 Jan 2005 - 31 Dec 2005
4%
1 Jan 2006 onwards
5%
 
2For resale flats, effective date refers to the date of application received by HDB.
 
Click here for more information on Public Housing Scheme.
 
 
c)
Private property
 
You can use your Ordinary Account savings, and the future monthly CPF contributions in this account to buy a property and/ or to pay the monthly instalments of the housing loan up to 100% of the Valuation Limit (VL). The VL is the lower of the purchase price or the value of the property at the time of purchase.
 
If your housing loan is still outstanding when your total CPF withdrawals towards payment of the property had reached the Valuation Limit, you may continue to use your CPF savings up to the applicable Housing Withdrawal Limit to repay the housing loan, provided you are able to set aside the prevailing Minimum Sum cash component in your Special and Ordinary Accounts.
 
For properties bought on or after 19 July 2005, you may use your CPF to pay the purchase price of the property after you have paid the first 5% of the purchase price in cash.
 
If you are buying an Executive Condominium and are eligible for the Housing Grant, you can use the grant to pay the downpayment at the time of signing the Sale and Purchase Agreement and after you have paid the 5% cash payment. However, further CPF, if any, can only be released after you have paid all the cash difference.
 
Click here for more information on residential properties.
 
To find out how much you can withdraw from your CPF for housing, log on to our Housing Withdrawal Calculator.


Buying A House
What is your current financial situation?
Should you buy an HDB flat or a private property?
  What are the criteria required to be able use CPF savings to buy a home? 
  What can CPF savings be used for?
  What important factors should I be aware of when using CPF to repay a housing loan?
When will CPF charges take effect?
  What happens when you sell?
What happens if you divorce?
What if I am a bankrupt?
  Other Considerations
  Moving forward
 
 Last Updated on: Thursday, August 28, 2008 at 9:10 PM
Footer Privacy statement Terms of use