SINGAPORE: With housing being the challenge these days with skyrocketing prices, delays, and low supply—it’s no surprise that some people try to find a workaround to requirements to getting their own BTO or Built to Order flats.
“My friends were joking that since they both planned to stay single, they may as well BTO, go through MOP and then split ways after ‘earning through the house’ — not sure how that works, is there really no penalty?
Though they were just joking, I wonder if anyone would actually do that?” asked u/funnyperson4848 on r/askSingapore on Sunday (Jul 3).
Fellow Reddit users appeared to find the topic interesting and weighed in in the comments section.
One wrote, “Most dudes that propose (no pun intended) this to their female friends all secretly have a crush on them and think this is their way out of the friend zone lah.”
However, a netizen called this commenter a “snitch.”
But at least one other Reddit user agreed, writing, “Dudes that propose this to their female friends, are trying hard to get out of friendzone. Nothing related to BTO at all.”
“Was thinking about another similar scenario where platonic friends come together to split the cost of a condominium (which then alleviates the high cost of housing in sg). Would something like this be feasible and why?” another asked.
One took the question seriously, writing, “If i can find someone i can trust to that extent, i dont see why not? It’ll be a business partner.”
“BTO to MOP is a 10 year lead time minimal. Imagine if one of the ‘friend’ meets someone else during this time and wants to settle down, but has to explain to their partner that future plans will have to wait because of the entire BTO shenanigans,” another warned.
One asked, “what if during the course of marriage you meet someone you actually love? Then you’re gonna sabotage your chances at love and also bto with your actual future spouse just because you decided to earn some money with your friend? Or what if during the course of fake marriage one of you catch feelings and the other doesn’t?”
There was one Reddit user, however, who actually did this already.
“I ROM just to BTO but ended up being very fond of him and falling for him afterwards. He was already in love with me. So it worked out well for us.
The BTO thing was a deal made between the two of us when we were dating then because the both of us were in a shitty condition; him needing a permanent place to stay and call home and me being mentally strained by my mother and looking for any escape route.
We have our first (and only. He’s apparently too traumatised with the birthing. Props to him for staying through it though) son and he’s in love with the little kid.”
/TISG
‘Poor workmanship, poor finishing…’ — Resident says her BTO is unacceptable