以现金溢价（COV）进行交易的转售组屋的比例和COV的数量

谢曜全问：

（a）自2023年2月14日公布住房公积金房屋津贴增强措施以来，转售组屋购房者中支付现金溢价（COV）的比例是多少？

（b）自2023年2月14日以来，COV的平均值和中位数是多少？

（c）部门是否会考虑将住房公积金津贴的获得与COV挂钩，以保持COV的审慎和可持续性？

陈杰豪答：

2023年2月14日，副总理黄循财宣布将增加公积金住房补助金（CPF Housing Grant），为寻求转售组屋的首次购房者提供更多支持。符合条件的首次购房家庭购买2房式至4房式转售组屋可获得80,000新元的CPF住房津贴，比之前的50,000新元增加了30,000新元，而购买5房式或更大房型的转售组屋的家庭可获得50,000新元的CPF住房补助金，比之前的40,000新元增加了10,000新元。符合条件的首次购房单身人士购买2房式至4房式转售组屋同样可以获得增加的CPF住房补助金，为40,000新元，比之前的25,000新元增加了15,000新元；而购买5房式转售组屋的单身人士可获得25,000新元，比之前的20,000新元增加了5000新元。

建屋发展局（Housing and Development Board，简称HDB）的转售组屋交易是基于“买卖双方自愿原则“进行的，房屋卖方和买方之间的价格是通过协商达成并相互同意的。COV是指转售价格高于房屋市场估值时产生的情况。

在2023年2月住房补助金增加后，约有18%的转售组屋买家支付了COV。这与2022年约29%和2021年约36%的情况相比明显减少。大多数转售组屋买家不需要支付任何COV，而所有买家的中位数COV保持在0新元。

住房补助金针对符合收入标准和其他资格条件的首次购房者，限制了其对整体转售市场的影响。要执行COV限制将会具挑战性，因为买家和卖家可能会勾结以规避限制。政府将继续密切关注转售市场上房屋的可负担性。

左图：通讯及新闻部兼国家发展部高级政务部长陈杰豪  右图：裕廊集选区议员谢曜全

议长：谢先生。

谢曜全：谢谢您，议长。我感谢高级政务部长的答复。我很高兴听到过去三年COV情况已经稳定下来。我认为COV保持低水平和稳定尤为重要，特别是对于购买转售组屋的首次购房者。因此，在这方面，我想问部长是否会考虑制定一个根据不同COV金额的公积金住房补助金的分级系统，以促进买卖双方在确定COV时的审慎态度。

陈杰豪：我感谢议员提出的补充问题。基本上，他在问，如果支付的COV较少，我们是否可以给予较少的公积金住房补助金，甚至考虑相反的情况。

就我在主要回答中早些时候所分享的，COV是由愿意购买的买方和愿意出售的卖方确定的，当交易价格高于估价时就会产生COV。由于这是一种买方和卖方愿意达成的协议，很难强制执行，因为买方和卖方可能会勾结以规避限制。这是第一个观点。

第二点是，正如我所说的，这是一种买方和卖方愿意达成的协议。在双方之间，有许多考虑因素。可能涉及到房屋的属性，也可能是地理位置。有居民告诉我，一些首次购房者选择了特定的地点，可能是因为特定的需求，例如，需要照顾家人，因此选择了与家人同住或附近的地方。

我认为不要过度复杂化该计划，并过度干预这些决定。

PROPORTION OF RESALE HDB FLATS TRANSACTED WITH CASH-OVER-VALUATION (COV) AND QUANTUM OF COVS

Mr Xie Yao Quan asked the Minister for National Development (a) what proportion of resale HDB flat buyers paid Cash-Over-Valuation (COV) since 14 February 2023, when enhancements to the CPF Housing Grant were announced; (b) what is the mean and median COVs since 14 February 2023; and (c) whether the Ministry will consider making the CPF Housing Grant conditional on COVs to keep COVs prudent and sustainable.

The Senior Minister of State for National Development (Mr Tan Kiat How) (for the Minister for National Development): On 14 Februay 2023, Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong announced that the Central Provident Fund (CPF) Housing Grant would be increased to provide more support for First-Timer Singaporeans seeking a resale flat. Eligible First-Timer families buying a 2-room to 4-room resale flat can receive $80,000 in CPF Housing Grant, up from $50,000 previously, while those buying a 5-room or larger resale flat can receive $50,000 in CPF Housing Grant, up from $40,000 previously. Eligible First-Timer singles buying a 2-room to 4-room resale flat can similarly receive an increased CPF Housing Grant of $40,000, up from $25,000 previously; while those buying a 5-room resale flat can receive $25,000, up from $20,000 previously.

 Housing and Development Board (HDB) resale flat transactions are conducted on a "willing buyer-willing seller" basis, with prices negotiated and mutually agreed upon between flat sellers and buyers. Cash-Over-Valuation (COV) arises when the resale price is higher than the market valuation of the flat.

After the CPF Housing Grant was enhanced in February 2023, about 18% resale flat buyers paid COV. This is a noticeable reduction from about 29% in 2022 and 36% in 2021. The majority of resale flat buyers did not have to pay any COV and the median COV across all buyers has remained at $0.

The CPF Housing Grant is targeted at first-timer buyers who meet income criteria and other eligibility conditions, limiting its impact on the overall resale market. COV restrictions would be challenging to enforce, as buyers and sellers could collude to circumvent the restrictions. The Government will continue to keep a close watch on the affordability of flats on the resale market.

Mr Speaker: Mr Xie.

Mr Xie Yao Quan (Jurong): Thank you, Speaker. I thank the Senior Minister of State for his reply. I am glad to hear that the COV situation has calmed down in the last three years. I think it is especially important for COV to remain low and stable, especially for first-timers who are buying resale flats. So, in this respect, I just want to ask the Senior Minister of State whether the Ministry will be minded to consider a tiered system of haircuts to the CPF Housing Grant, pegged to different amounts of COV, to promote prudence in the determination of COV between buyer and seller.

Mr Tan Kiat How: Sir, I thank the Member for his supplementary question. Basically, he is asking, can we give less CPF Housing Grant if less COV is paid and perhaps even consider vice versa.

As I shared earlier in my main reply, the COV is determined between a willing buyer and a willing seller, and arises when the transacted price is above the valuation. Because it is a willing buyer-willing seller agreement, there is a high chance of it being hard to enforce because the buyer and seller could collude to circumvent the restrictions. That is the first point.

The second point is, as I said, it is a willing buyer-willing seller agreement. Between the two, there are many considerations at play. Potentially, it could be the attributes of the flat, the location possibly. I have residents telling me, first-timer residents telling me they chose certain locations because of certain needs, for example, caregiving needs to family members living in the same block or nearby.

I think it is sensible to not over-complicate the scheme and overly intervene in such decisions.