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Launched in 2013, the 3Gen flat is an initiative by HDB to provide affordable public housing to multi-generation families. If you are planning to get married and have your parents live with you in a new house, the 3Gen flat is something for you to consider.
How big is a HDB 3Gen flat?
A 3Gen flat generally has a total of 2 bedrooms with attached bathrooms, 2 common bedrooms, 1 common bathroom, and spans an average of around 115 square metres or 1,200 square feet. To put it simply, compared to a typical 5-room flat, a 3Gen flat will have an additional master bedroom to cater bigger families.
Who is eligible to apply for 3Gen flat?
If you want to apply for a 3Gen flat, you must fulfil the following:
- Singapore citizen
- At least 21 years old
- Married, engaged or a parent with a child/children
- At least 1 parent who is a Singapore citizen or Permanent Resident
What are the grants available for 3Gen flats?
Similar to first time buyers, you can apply for the Enhanced CPF Housing Grant (EHG), as well as the Proximity Housing Grant (PHG).
Are 3Gen flats BTO flats?
3Gen flats are available for BTO as they are continuously being built. They can also be purchased in the resale market. In the upcoming October BTO exercise, around 60 units of 3Gen flats will be available in the Bedok and Jurong East projects.
What is the price of 3Gen flats?
In the latest July 2025 BTO exercise, the prices of 3Gen flats in Sembawang started from $497K while in the October 2024 exercise, the prices ranged from $465K to $753K. Factors that could affect the price differences include the number of units launched and the location.
In the resale market, the Bishan Green 3Gen resale flat set a record high selling price of $1,389M with a floor area of approximately 1,776 square feet. Currently, the 3Gen resale flats available on 99.co are listed at between $760K to $1.2 million.
3Gen flats may sound like a lucrative investment especially with the million dollar prices in the resale market, but before you make it an investment move, there are some limitations and regulations for 3Gen flats that you may need to know.
1. Monthly income ceiling
All the applicants in the HFE letter cannot exceed a combined monthly income of $21,000. Since 3Gen flats require you to include your parents in the HFE letter, their income will be taken into account if they are working.
2. Ownership of other properties
All applicants and occupiers of the 3Gen flat cannot own any other properties including private and overseas properties. If your current home belongs to your parents and you plan to get a 3Gen flat with them, they will have to dispose of it.
If the property is a condo or private house, they will have to dispose of it at least 30 months before applying for the HFE letter. If it is a HDB flat, they will have to sell it within 6 months from the completion of the 3Gen flat purchase.
If your parents own a non-residential property, for example, a HDB shophouse or a hawker stall, they will also have to dispose of it at least 30 months before the application of HFE letter.
3. Minimum Occupancy Period (MOP)
For 3Gen flats, the MOP is 5 years and applicable to occupiers in the house. This means that you and your parents must reside in the flat for 5 years before selling or renting it out is possible. Renting out bedrooms during the MOP is not allowed.
4. Resale or selling of your 3Gen flat
After the MOP, you may sell your 3Gen flat but only to another multi-generational family. If you are planning to sell your 3Gen flat eventually, you may find yourself having a limited pool of buyers to sell your flat to.
5. Rights to retain a 3Gen flat
A 3Gen flat owner posted a question on Reddit about the eligibility to continue his home ownership after his sole parent passed away. He quoted a clause from the lease agreement, “in the event the Purchasers have taken possession of the 3Gen flat and become ineligible to retain ownership of the 3Gen flat under the HDB prevailing policies due to a death, the Purchasers shall surrender the 3Gen flat to HDB and the HDB will pay a compensation to be determined by HDB.”
However, if treated as a regular case - for example the husband passed away leaving the wife with a 5-room flat, the deceased’s share is likely to be passed on to the surviving joint tenant due to the Intestate Succession Act or distributed according to the deceased’s will. Following this logic, it is unlikely that one will lose possession of the flat because of the passing of the other joint tenant.
Since there are not many resources online regarding this topic and HDB did not put out any clear information on how such cases would be handled, it is strongly recommended to consult HDB directly in such situations.