Whether you’re buying a Built-To-Order (BTO) flat or a resale flat from HDB, there’s one slightly leh chey thing you’re gonna need to prepare. It’s not a four letter word like ABSD (shudders!), but a three letter one: HFE.

HFE stands for HDB Flat Eligibility, and is the most important letter you need to purchase a new BTO flat, new Sale of Balance flat, new flat under open booking, or resale flat. If the acronym HFE sounds a little unfamiliar to you, it’s probably because the HFE letter is new — it replaced the HDB Loan Eligibility (HLE) letter on May 9, 2023.