Home Start here About Services Listings New Launches Districts Buyers Guide Sellers Guide InsightsAnswersGlossaryFAQ Track Record Testimonials Contact Book a call

HDB to Private Upgrade Cash Flow Planner

Quick answer: Enter your HDB sale, your target purchase and your cash, pick a path, and see your cash position every month, the lowest point and the month it lands in. Sell first, buy first and new launch progressive payments are all covered.

Most upgrade tools tell you if the move pays off over years. This one answers a different question: can you get through the months in the middle. It tracks the downpayment, BSD, ABSD, both loans, temporary rent and the day your HDB proceeds land. For the long run return see the upgrade ROI tool, and for the order of steps see the sale and purchase roadmap and the purchase timeline.

All values below are examples to get you started, not market data. Replace them with your own.

Your current HDB flat

The home you are buying

Your household

Your result

Bars show the cumulative cash position after each month. Gold is cash in hand, red is a shortfall.

Month by month, in SGD, rounded to the nearest hundred. Brackets mean a shortfall.
MonthWhat happensInflowsOutflowsLoan instalmentsCumulative cash

What this planner assumes

  • BSD uses the same residential rate table as the BSD calculator. ABSD is 20 percent for a second residential property.
  • Resale schedule: 1 percent option fee plus 4 percent on exercise, both in the first month, then at completion (about 3 months later on the buy first path) the bank loan plus your cash or CPF for the price less the loan less the 5 percent already paid.
  • HDB proceeds are the sale price less your outstanding loan, CPF used with accrued interest, and any levy, and land in the month you pick. Agent, legal and valuation fees are not included.
  • Income is take home pay, loan instalments are paid in cash, and the first instalment falls the month after completion. Renovation is paid the month after completion, or after TOP on a new launch.
  • New launch loans are drawn from the stage where your cash runs out, with interest only on the amount drawn until the final stage. ABSD is paid at the Sale and Purchase Agreement and refunded when the HDB sale completes, if you tick remission and the sale falls within 6 months of TOP or CSC.

This is a planning aid, not financial advice. Figures depend on what you enter, the rates and rules change, and your bank, CPF Board and IRAS decide what applies to you. Confirm the details with your lender and conveyancer before you commit.

Prefer to talk first?

30 minutes. We will walk through your gap and you decide the order.

Book a strategy call WhatsApp

Winfred Quek, CEA R073319H, Crestbrick. Same day response.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between selling first and buying first in an HDB upgrade?

Selling first means your HDB sale completes before you buy, so you hold the proceeds and usually rent for a few months. Buying first means you commit to the private home while still owning the flat, which needs far more cash upfront, including ABSD that is refunded only if remission applies. This planner shows both month by month so you can see which month your cash is tightest.

How does ABSD work if I buy a private home before selling my HDB flat?

A second residential property attracts 20 percent ABSD, paid within 14 days of exercising the option or signing the agreement. Eligible buyers who then sell the HDB flat within 6 months after the purchase date, which is the OTP exercise date, can claim the ABSD back. Eligibility depends on your citizenship and marital status, so check the current IRAS rules before relying on a refund. The planner only models the refund when you tick the box and the HDB sale completes within 6 months after the purchase date, which is the OTP exercise date. On a new launch the window runs from TOP or CSC.

Why does the table show my cash going negative in some months?

A negative cumulative figure means the payments due that month and earlier are more than the cash you have plus the money that has come in. It is the gap you would need to cover from savings, family, a bridging arrangement or by changing the timing. Those months are shaded and marked Short so you can see how long the gap lasts.

How are new launch progressive payments modelled?

The planner uses the standard stages: 5 percent booking, 15 percent on the Sale and Purchase Agreement, then 10, 10, 5, 5, 5, 5 percent as construction progresses, 25 percent at TOP and 15 percent at CSC. You can edit the month for each stage. Cash pays the first part of the price up to your downpayment, the bank loan pays the rest, and you pay interest only on the amount drawn until the final stage.

Does the planner count my CPF?

No. Everything here is treated as cash. The CPF you used on the flat, plus accrued interest, is deducted from your HDB proceeds because it goes back to your CPF account. If you plan to use CPF savings for the downpayment, BSD or instalments, include that amount in your cash on hand, and note that monthly instalments are modelled in cash, which is the cautious case.