SINGAPORE: In a world where the ideal of most is to marry for love, a Singaporean turned to an online forum to ask people if they know anyone who has married for a BTO.
According to the post, the writer’s cousin got S$250K after selling her and her ex-husband’s BTO following their divorce.
“Do you know of anyone who got married just for the BTO?” the writer asked on Monday (July 22). “I learnt that one of my cousins is ending her marriage of 7 years.
Looking back, she admitted that when she was in a relationship back then, she had poor relations with her parents and was too eager to move out but was earning little. Plus, they got a good (one) in a hot BTO location.”
According to the post, despite the relationship not being steady, the couple got married. “Even though the relationship wasn’t strong and loving… at least she could tolerate him,” the post read.
However, the couple did not get a happy ending. “Fast forward to now, they are divorcing now that their MOP is over and they actually sold the flat for nearly 500k profit,” the writer shared.
“As it is an uncontested divorce and after the 50/50 split, she got 250k,” the post included. “She’s earning much more now and plans to use this money plus her savings to get a condo for herself.
Unsurprisingly they didn’t have any kids in this marriage and according to her, in the final year before divorce, they were essentially living as roommates, barely interacting and the husband actually brought different girls back to the house.
I am wondering how common cases like these are here, especially with the BTO tied so closely to marriage. Like do you know of couples who married for the flat despite not really loving each other? How did the marriage turn out?”
Singaporeans react
A handful of netizens took to the post’s comments section to share their two cents on the matter. “This is kinda sad…,” said one. “250k for seven years of your life and time you can’t get back.”
“It has been discussed before: it’s not worth it if it’s a sham marriage,” another wrote. “Not worth it for $250K.”
Still, a third shared, “Well.. I know many couples who divorced way sooner than seven years in their marriages. I don’t think people marry just for BTO to divorce later and get profit.
But I do believe that BTO has a strong impact on younger couples to commit as soon as possible to get their house, which ain’t good as feelings can fade away and some relationships are not meant to last long.
And then they have a choice of living with someone they don’t love/tolerate or getting a divorce which ain’t rosy as well.”