HDB Lease & Build Year

Every HDB block coloured by remaining lease and build year

Reading HDB Lease Decay & Build Year

Key Takeaways

  • Every one of Singapore's ~13,000 HDB blocks is plotted and coloured by its remaining 99-year lease.
  • Switch the colour mode to build year to see the age gradient across estates at a glance.
  • Older, shorter-lease blocks cluster in the mature central estates; the newest are in Punggol, Sengkang and Tengah.

What It Does

This map plots every geocoded HDB block and colours it by remaining lease (green = long, red = short) or by build year. Remaining lease is derived as 99 minus the block's age, so it approximates how much of the original 99-year lease is left. Click any block for its build year, remaining lease and unit count.

Why It Matters

Why lease decay matters

  • Financing: CPF usage and bank loan limits tighten as the remaining lease shortens — a flat with under ~60 years left restricts how much CPF a buyer can use.
  • Resale value: Lease decay accelerates in the final decades; older leasehold flats face a structural headwind on price.
  • Lease expiry (SERS vs return to HDB): Unless selected for the Selective En bloc Redevelopment Scheme, a flat returns to HDB at lease end with no residual value.

How It Works

  • Pan and zoom to the estate you are interested in — each dot is a single HDB block.
  • Use the colour selector to switch between remaining lease and build year.
  • Click any block for its build year, derived remaining lease and unit count.
  • Compare the red clusters (short lease) against green (long lease) to spot value and risk.

Examples

The figures in these examples are illustrative — they show how to read the data, not a live reading of it. Current values are in the summary at the top of this page.

Comparing a mature central block against a new Punggol block

Inputs
Colour mode
Remaining lease
Blocks
A 1970s central-area block vs a 2015 Punggol block
Results
1970s block
~43 years left (red) — CPF and loan limits already constrained
2015 block
~88 years left (green) — full financing headroom

Tips & Pitfalls

Common Pitfalls

  • Remaining lease here is derived from build year (99 − age); the exact figure on a flat's title can differ slightly.
  • A long lease alone does not make a flat a good buy — location, floor and price still matter.
  • Not every ageing block is a SERS or en-bloc candidate; most flats simply return to HDB at lease end.

Frequently Asked Questions

How is remaining lease calculated on this map?
It is derived as 99 minus the block's age (current year minus year completed). This is an approximation of the lease left on the original 99-year term and may differ slightly from the exact figure on a specific flat's title.
Why does remaining lease affect what I can pay?
CPF usage and bank loan quantum both taper as the remaining lease falls, especially once it drops below about 60 years. That reduces the buyer pool and weighs on resale prices for older flats.
What happens when an HDB lease runs out?
Unless the block is selected for the Selective En bloc Redevelopment Scheme (SERS), the flat is returned to HDB at the end of the 99-year lease with no residual value. SERS selection is not guaranteed.

Related Resources

Map Browse all maps Map HDB Resale Price Map Calculator Lease Decay Calculator Calculator HDB Loan Calculator Guide HDB Hub Guide
Disclaimer: Remaining lease is derived from build year and is indicative only. Verify the exact lease and financing eligibility with HDB and your bank before transacting.