Missed out on the BTO? Look out for HDB's Open Booking of Flats next week

HDB's BTO and SBF aren't the only ways you can apply for public housing.

Less talked about is Open Booking of Flats, which allows you to apply for a flat at any time of the year (hence the name). You can then get your appointment to book a flat as early as the next working day.

So if you missed out on the BTO or SBF, you might want to consider applying for the Open Booking of Flats.

HDB will announce the details of the available flats from Wednesday, March 16 at 10 am onwards. (In the meantime, you can subscribe to HDB's eAlert Service to get a notification for it.)

Currently, all the units offered under the Open Booking of Flats have been booked. HDB also suspends the mode of sale twice a year to inject a fresh supply of flats.

What are the flats sold under the Open Booking of Flats?

Flats sold under the Open Booking of Flats are balance flats from the Sale of Balance Flats, which are balance flats from the BTO and older flats returned to the HDB. (See where this is going?)

So in other words, these are the leftovers of the leftovers.

Or as mentioned in our previous article on Open Booking of Flats:

"Hence, buying a flat from the HDB Open Booking of Flats system is like buying a leftover watermelon at NTUC Fairprice where there's an enforced social distancing between you and the said watermelon."

READ ALSO: HDB Sale of Balance Flats: Guide to SBF & open booking (Dec 2021)

SBF launches have been very popular over the years. For instance, in the last launch in November 2021, four-room flats in Yishun had an overall application rate of 43.1.

What this means is that despite SBF's high application rates, there's still a handful of units that aren't selected yet.

This can be because of their bad location, such as facing the rubbish dump, having an obstructed view, or even facing the MSCP (where people may be able to look through your unit from).

So before you jump into applying for a flat under the Open Booking, look out for more details about the flat first, such as its layout, location and view. If the flat is completed already, pay a visit there to see its exact location.

Alternatively, consider going for a resale flat if your budget allows you. One advantage it has over Open Booking of Flats is that you can view the interior and condition of the house.

This article was first published in 99.co.