BTO vs resale for a young couple, which makes more sense now?

We went resale and I don't regret it, but go in with eyes open. We wanted to live near my parents in a mature estate for childcare help, and BTO chances there are almost zero. Resale let us pick the exact block and move in within months. Yes it cost more, but we used the CPF Housing Grants for resale which cushioned it a lot. Watch out for Cash Over Valuation because that portion must be paid in cash, not CPF or loan. Also budget for renovation and the agent fees. My advice: list your top three needs, location, timeline, budget, and see which option can hit two of three. For a big financial decision like this, talk to an HDB officer and maybe a mortgage broker before committing.

From my experience, BTO wins on price if you can wait and don't mind a non-mature estate. We balloted for a BTO in Tengah, waited about 4 years, and the price plus grants was far below any resale in a similar location. The catch is the wait and the ballot luck, so we stayed with parents to save on rent. If you genuinely cannot wait or keep failing the ballot, resale gives you choice of location and immediate move-in, plus the Enhanced CPF Housing Grant helps first-timers. Just check the remaining lease on any resale flat because a short lease affects CPF usage and future resale. Crunch the numbers with an HDB loan calculator and don't overstretch your monthly repayment.