An independent RES exam study resource — not a Government website and not affiliated with the Council for Estate Agencies (CEA).Find My OrderHow to identify official CEA sources
Browse Papers
Home / Free RES questions / Buyer eligibility schemes

Paper 2 · Lesson 6 — Sale of HDB Flats — Schemes, Eligibility, Monetisation and Estate Renewal

Buyer eligibility schemes

The eligibility schemes and family nucleus: Public / Fiancé-Fiancée / Non-Citizen Spouse / Single Singapore Citizen / Joint Singles / Orphans, and the citizenship and age conditions.

1 questionAnswers & explanations includedFree — no sign-up

Question 1

A client's family structure does not match any of HDB's recognised eligibility schemes. He insists that, being a Singapore Citizen with more than sufficient income, he must surely be able to buy some HDB flat somehow. Which statement is correct?

  1. A. Any Singapore Citizen who has sufficient income may buy an HDB flat, even where no eligibility scheme fits him.
  2. B. If no eligibility scheme fits his household, he cannot buy an HDB flat, whatever his citizenship or income.
  3. C. He may buy a new Build-To-Order flat, though a resale flat on the open market would remain closed to him.
  4. D. He may buy under the Public Scheme by default, that scheme being open to every citizen without exception.
Show the answer and full explanation

Answer: B

The rule. A buyer must form a valid family nucleus under a recognised eligibility scheme. If no scheme fits, he cannot buy an HDB flat, whatever his citizenship or income.

Why B is correct. No qualifying scheme, no HDB flat — citizenship and income cannot substitute.

The other options.

  • A lets any well-off citizen buy regardless; a scheme must still fit.
  • C offers a BTO route with no scheme; a scheme is required for a new flat too.
  • D invents a default Public Scheme entitlement; the Public Scheme has its own nucleus conditions.

Exam note. No eligibility scheme = no HDB flat. Being a well-off citizen is not itself a route.

A buyer must form a valid family nucleus under a recognised eligibility scheme →

Practise it under exam conditions

Single questions test whether you know a rule. The paper tests whether you can find it in a scenario, at speed, with three plausible alternatives in the way. Start with the free 20-question half-paper.

Free 20-question paperThe papers in PDF

Looking for past-year papers? CEA doesn't publish them — here's what it does publish.

Independent study material. Not affiliated with or endorsed by the Council for Estate Agencies. No pass guarantee — for study use only.