Before You Book
The booking fee is the point where a conversation becomes a commitment. Ten minutes of checking beforehand prevents most of the problems that show up afterwards.
The one thing to take from this page: get the refund terms in writing before you pay — specifically what happens if your loan is not approved. It is the clause that matters most and the one people read last.
Not "a corner lot in Phase 2". The lot and unit number, the facing, the floor, and the land or built-up size for that specific unit. Packages and prices differ between units in the same phase, and a booking that does not name the unit precisely is not really a booking.
The list price is the starting point; the nett price is what you actually pay after rebates. Ask for the nett figure for your unit on paper. Two projects advertising the same headline number can be meaningfully different once the packages are compared side by side.
"Free legal fees" can mean the SPA only, or the SPA and the loan agreement. "Stamp duty absorbed" may or may not include the loan agreement stamping. Disbursements are usually not included at all. Get the specific items listed, because these are the numbers your cash requirement is built on — you can see how much each one moves the total on the upfront cost calculator.
This is the important one. Ask directly: if my loan is not approved, do I get the booking fee back, in full, and within what period? Some booking forms address it, some do not. If it is not written down, it is not a term.
Worth knowing: for residential projects under the Housing Development Act, the collection of booking fees before the SPA is signed is not actually provided for in the regulations, and reform of the practice has been debated for years. Fees are still collected routinely. That gap is precisely why the written terms matter so much.
Freehold or leasehold — and if leasehold, how many years remain. See the freehold vs leasehold guide for why the remaining term is the number that actually matters.
Get the estimated date and understand that it is an estimate. For a project under construction, ask what stage the build is actually at — a phase visibly under way is a different proposition from one that has not broken ground.
There is normally a stipulated window stated on the booking form. It sets the real deadline for your loan application, so know it before you pay rather than discovering it later.
Ideally you have an indicative assessment before you book, not after. It tells you the realistic price range and it means you are not putting money down on a purchase you cannot finance. The DSR guide covers what the bank is actually assessing.
A viewing is better spent looking at the house than collecting facts you could have had in advance. Before you go, ask for:
If you are looking at something, tell me which project and I will come back with the nett price, what the current package actually covers, and which units are genuinely still available — before you are standing in a sales gallery deciding on the spot.
General information only, not legal advice. Booking terms differ between developers and change over time — read the actual booking form, and have your lawyer look at anything you are unsure of before paying.
Compiled and reviewed by MaSk Chan, REN 49335 · IQI Global.
This is less settled than most people assume. For residential projects under the Housing Development Act, collecting a booking fee before the SPA is signed is not actually provided for in the regulations, and there have been repeated calls to reform how it is handled. In practice fees are collected routinely, and whether you get one back depends on what the booking form says. Get the refund terms in writing before you pay, including what happens if your loan is not approved.
The exact unit and lot number, the nett price after all rebates, precisely what the package covers, the refund terms if your loan falls through, the tenure and remaining lease term, the completion date, and how many days you have to sign the SPA. Every one of those should be on paper, not in a conversation.
That depends entirely on the booking form you signed. Some set out a refund where financing fails; others do not. This is the single most important clause to read before paying, and the most common reason buyers end up in a dispute. If the form is silent on it, ask for it to be addressed in writing before you commit.
Getting an indicative assessment first is strongly advisable. It tells you the realistic price range, and it means you are not paying a booking fee on a purchase you cannot finance. It takes very little time and removes the most common way this process goes wrong.
The nett price is what you actually pay after rebates and discounts, as opposed to the list price on the brochure. Two projects can advertise the same headline number and differ meaningfully once the packages are compared. Always ask for the nett figure, in writing, for the specific unit you are booking.
There is usually a stipulated window, commonly a couple of weeks or so, and it should be stated on the booking form. It matters because it sets your deadline for the loan application, and because what happens if the SPA is not executed in time is exactly the situation where refund terms come into play.
You do not need one to book, but you will need one for the SPA, and there is no harm in identifying yours early. If the booking form contains anything you are unsure about — particularly the refund and financing clauses — that is a good moment to have someone look at it rather than after the money has moved.
The floor plan with room dimensions, the site plan showing which lots and stacks are still available, the facing and orientation of the units on offer, the nett price for those specific units, the tenure and completion date, and what the current package covers. Asking beforehand means the viewing is spent looking at the house rather than collecting basic facts.