Edmund Ee

12/10/2026

The flat sold for $720,000. He walked away with $38,850 in cash.

That is Ryan, from the composite divorce case we walk through this week.

He had paid most of the loan from his CPF. All of it went back into his own CPF account first. And it counted as part of his share.

His next home, a new 1-bedroom condo nearby, needed at least $50,000 in cash. He did not have it.

So for now, he rents near his daughter's school.

His lesson: get both CPF statements before you negotiate anything.

Do you know how much CPF you would have to put back if you sold today?

12/10/2026

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12/10/2026

They sold the flat for $720,000. Neither of them got anywhere near that.

In the divorce case we walk through this week, a couple sold their Woodlands 5-room.

A big part of the money went straight back into their own CPF accounts.
Only a small part came out as cash.

Here is what many couples miss.

Each person's CPF refund counts as part of their share.
Split the cash down the middle without counting it, and one side can lose about $60,000.

If either of you takes a second HDB loan, some of your cash must go into the next flat too.

The sale price is not the number you split.

Full breakdown here:
https://propertynet.sg/selling-hdb-flat-during-divorce-2026-720000-woodlands-5-room-cpf-refunds-split/

A $720,000 Woodlands 5-room sold mid-divorce: $295,000 went back to CPF and $198,000 was left in cash. Here is how the 55:45 split worked.

11/10/2026

A question I hear a lot from Woodlands 4-room owners: "Can we sell and go straight to an EC?"

It sounds simple. The loan sums say otherwise.

Say you buy an EC and borrow $1.2 million. Under the Mortgage Servicing Ratio (MSR), your household needs about $19,100 a month in income to take that loan.

But the EC income ceiling is $16,000.

So most families will need a smaller loan and more cash upfront.

Plan your EC numbers before you list your flat, not after.

Have you checked your MSR yet?

11/10/2026

The offer was $750,000. The cash at the end was about $105,000. 💸

The HDB loan is repaid first. Then everything you took from CPF goes back, plus the interest it would have earned. What's left is your cash.

That CPF money still funds your next home. It just can't pay for renovation or furniture.

Know your net cash before you choose your next place.

When did you last check your CPF accrued interest? Tell me in the comments.


www.EdmundEeRealtor.com

11/10/2026

Selling your Woodlands 4-room? The sale price is not your budget.

A typical Woodlands 4-room sold for about $550,000 this past year. That is slightly lower than the year before.

For upgraders, three things matter more:

Your CPF refund comes off first. Long-time owners often walk away with less cash than expected.

The easiest step up is a Woodlands 5-room. It costs only about $100,000 more.

An EC looks tempting. But the income ceiling and the MSR loan limit can stop many families.

Know your real cash number before you list.

I broke down the full numbers here:
https://propertynet.sg/selling-woodlands-hdb-flat-2026-4-room-median-550000-upgrade-options/

Woodlands 4-room resale median is $550,000, $80,000 below the national median. What sellers net after the CPF refund, and what that buys next.

10/10/2026

10/10/2026

It is tempting to squeeze a bit more out of your HDB price.

But for many upgraders, the bigger money is in the timetable.

In the example we walk through, a couple buys a $2.2 million new launch condo first. Their ABSD is $440,000. They only get it back if the flat is sold in time.

Here is the useful part. HDB lets you stay up to 3 months after completion, if your buyer agrees. And your flat counts as sold once the buyer exercises the OTP. So those extra months do not eat into your refund window.

Ask for it before you grant the OTP, not after.

Would you take a slightly lower price for 3 more months at home?

10/10/2026

Your condo keys are not ready. Your HDB buyer wants the flat. Now what?

Here is a tool many upgraders forget. HDB lets you stay up to 3 months after your flat sale completes.

The buyer must agree. Both sides must declare it in the resale application.

For couples refunding ABSD, here is the good part. Your flat counts as sold when the buyer exercises the OTP. So the extra months do not eat into your 6-month refund window.

Your cash proceeds also arrive the next working day after completion. You can start paying for renovation before you move.

The catch: some buyers will say no. Ask before you grant the OTP, and put it in writing.

One move, no rent in between. That is worth negotiating for.

Here is how the timeline works:
https://propertynet.sg/hdb-extension-of-stay-2026-negotiate-3-months-condo-key-handover/

HDB sellers can ask buyers for an extension of stay of up to 3 months after completion. How to time it against a condo TOP and the 6-month ABSD refund window.

10/10/2026

Your property portfolio doesn't need more properties. It needs better positioning.

Owning multiple properties isn't automatically wealth creation. The bigger question is whether each property contributes to your long-term objectives, liquidity, financing capacity and eventual exit strategy.

Want to review your overall property position? DM me.