My House Is Coming
24 November 2015, a day before my birthday that year.
On that day, I submitted my application to HDB online to apply for a BTO. I was turning 36 that year, which meant that I was 1 year past the age I can qualify to do so. I think it was because the locations of the past sales launches did not really interest and excite me.
I was told that the category I was balloting for is usually over-subscribed, and I had to prepare myself for the scenario where I will be unsuccessful. However, I kept myself optimistic, and told myself that if my application were successful, this would be the most expensive birthday gift to myself to date.
When I received the notification on receiving a queue number, I was feeling both excited and slightly disappointed. For the development I was applying for, there were about 824 or so units available, and my queue number was in the region of 860+.
However, a friend advised me that I should be glad and that I should be assured to get a unit as long as I could be content with the selection available by the time it is my turn. Furthermore, there will be be a percentage of applicants who held smaller queue-numbers who would either not book a unit, or find later that they either do not qualify, or change their initial plans due to whatever reasons.
My appointment to book a flat at HDB Hub was in May 2016. At that point of time, the entire site development was still a large patch of sand. My decision to pick this particular development was after doing some research on the potential of the locations of the various sales launches at that point of application. Since they were all of pretty not-so-central parts of Singapore, it was no brainer for me to pick the one that is along the sea, and with the most future development and future plans made by the government. Plus, it is still along the same NEL that I am used to travelling on.
It was slim pickings by the time it was my turn to select a unit. Had my Mum accompany me for some moral support. Unfortunately, the exact unit on the floor I wanted was no longer available, so I picked the same unit on the highest floor that was still available. I was a happy boy when I left HDB that afternoon, after having 10% of the flat price deducted from my CPF account.
Nearly 5 years since that date, I had made a few visits to the site to check out the building progress. As the construction works include a 2-level basement carpark, this particular development took much longer than other HDB developments. Also, COVID-19 caused a 6-month delay from the original key-collection period advised by HDB.
Whatever it is, I can finally smell the day of finally collecting the keys approaching. Last Sunday, a few friends and I took a look at the areas in the development that are already open, as some of the blocks have already had keys issued to their new owners. The entire development feels huge! I do wonder how it would feel like to live amongst such a large community. Also, I saw that the mall within the development being built alongside is also almost complete. I really hope the supermarket will be either a NTUC or Cold Storage (Sorry Sheng Siong).
Yesterday evening, I met up with an ID to go through the quotation. I will most probably be going with this one with to do my home renovation works. He got me pretty excited about some material selections. I think the place will look rather nice after it is all completed.
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