When valuation happens

Valuation is requested after the buyer exercises the Option to Purchase, not before — this is why price negotiation happens somewhat blind, without a fresh valuation in hand. HDB appoints a professional valuer to assess the flat.

What valuers actually look at

  • Recent comparable transactions in the same or nearby blocks.
  • Floor level, facing, and layout.
  • Remaining lease.
  • General condition of the unit and the block/estate.

Why the valuation might differ from your agreed price

Valuers work off recent comparable data and standardised criteria, while buyer-seller negotiations can be influenced by urgency, sentiment, and specific unit features that don't always show up in comparable data. This gap is exactly what creates COV (or occasionally, a valuation above the agreed price).

Tip

As a seller, having your own recent comparable transaction data ready (see our Resale Transactions tool) helps you set realistic price expectations for buyers before they even get to the valuation stage.