If I apply as a single for a 2-room Flexi BTO now, and after 5 years when it reaches MOP, my future partner and I apply for another BTO, will I be considered a second-timer?

If you apply for a 2-room Flexi BTO flat as a single now, once you have met the Minimum Occupation Period (MOP) of 5 years and later apply for another BTO flat with your future partner, you will be considered a second-timer applicant for BTO.

This is because you would have already received a housing subsidy from HDB when you bought your first BTO flat. Anyone who has previously bought a flat directly from HDB, regardless of whether it was applied for as a single or family, is generally classified as a second-timer. As a second-timer, your chances of successfully applying for another BTO flat are lower because fewer flats are allocated to second-timers compared to first-timers. For example, after the August 2022 changes, only 5% of 4-room and larger flats and 15% of 3-room flats in non-mature estates are set aside for second-timers.

Additionally, you may need to pay a resale levy when buying the second BTO, depending on your previous flat type and the grant received. Also, note that only first-timers are eligible to be the core applicant for singles in new BTO applications. Once you have enjoyed a housing subsidy, you no longer qualify as a first-timer for subsequent BTO applications.