Singapore's jumbo HDB flat market: rare, roomy and priced up to S$2 million
Jumbo HDB flats, created by merging two units, number only about 2,900 across Singapore. A September 2026 listing of a 1,465 sq ft unit in Telok Blangah for S$2.18 million prompted HDB to review the flat conversion scheme, as owners and agents describe a niche market with financing hurdles and limit
When Ms Aileen Tan's father downsized from a semi-detached house in 2018, he wanted space for grandchildren and weekend parties. The jumbo flat he found in Clementi – 1,615 sq ft, with four rooms and three bathrooms – was created by combining a two-room and three-room HDB unit. Ms Tan, now 61, inherited the flat and rents out two spare rooms for a combined S$3,300 a month.
Her home is one of an estimated 2,900 jumbo flats in Singapore, representing about 0.25 per cent of over 1.1 million HDB flats. In September, a 1,465 sq ft jumbo flat in Telok Blangah was listed for S$2.18 million on PropertyGuru, prompting the Housing and Development Board (HDB) to announce a review of the flat conversion scheme, which allows owners to combine adjoining units. The asking price has since been lowered to S$1,999,999.
National University of Singapore Professor Sing Tien Foo said jumbo flats in good locations can command substantial premiums, but the market is niche and potentially illiquid. HDB first combined adjoining flats in the late 1980s due to an oversupply of unsold flats in towns such as Woodlands, Yishun and Bedok. The flat conversion scheme was formalised in 1993 to let families needing more space stay in their neighbourhood.
Property agent Thomas Tong, who listed the Telok Blangah unit, said the scheme requires timing and luck. Owners must fulfil the minimum occupation period (MOP) on the adjoining unit before merging, then meet a new MOP before selling. He noted that the Telok Blangah flat stands out for its 91-year remaining lease, as most jumbo flats are older. Tong has received a high volume of enquiries on the listing.
Interior designer Vivian Wang, 30, bought a 1,600 sq ft jumbo flat in Bendemeer for S$940,000 earlier this year. With about 46 years left on the lease, she said the family has no intention of selling. Her parents-in-law, who are foreigners, cannot buy their own home, so the jumbo flat allows the extended family to live together but with separate living areas.
Selling jumbo flats can be difficult. Ms Tan listed her Clementi flat at about S$1.1 million over a year ago, receiving only two enquiries and two viewings in the first five months. The lifting of the 15-month wait-out period for private property buyers in July has since brought multiple weekly viewings. Financing is a common obstacle: shorter remaining leases limit bank loans and CPF usage, even when buyers are willing.
Rafael Shah and Ann Baki bought their approximately 1,900 sq ft jumbo flat for S$650,000 in 2012. After having children, they spent S$100,000 to create a dual-key layout with separate living areas for themselves and Mr Shah's mother. They listed the flat in 2018 and again this year, but found that only about one in ten buyers wanted the dual-key arrangement. A buyer offered close to their expected S$1.2 million price but could not move in for a year, so the couple chose to rent out part of the flat for S$3,500 a month and rent a private property in the east.
In an October parliamentary reply, the Ministry of National Development said there were 408 resale transactions of converted flats between 2016 and 2025. The median resale price in 2025 was S$910,000. Professor Sing said the conversion scheme may no longer be relevant in today's market, where resale prices have risen significantly. HDB has not disclosed details of its review or a completion date.
