SINGAPORE — The affordability of public housing here is not a clear-cut issue — not when policymakers are also grappling with the expectations of aspiring flat owners.

A recent survey conducted by the Institute of Policy Studies as part of the Our Singapore Conversation (OSC) project showed that public housing is the top concern for Singaporeans earning less than S$5,000 a month. Affordability of public housing was also one of the top issues that emerged from the hundreds of OSC sessions held over the past year.

TODAY spoke to 10 people who are either looking to buy their first flat or have recently bought one, and a majority of them said they had difficulty coming up with the downpayment. Half of them also felt that there should be greater flexibility to allow them to take higher loans and repay their loans over a longer tenure.

IT manager Terence Lee, 30, bought a five-room flat in Sengkang for S$352,000. “With a 30-year loan at the moment, my monthly payments still come up to around S$900 monthly, which is a sizeable chunk of our household income,” he said.

The mortgage makes up about a fifth of his household monthly income of about S$4,000. Mr Lee said the financial commitment has made him and his wife think twice about starting a family.

Civil servant Janie Chee, 25, is hoping to buy a four-room flat in Punggol even though she has only worked for about a year and her fiance is still studying. The couple have a budget of about S$300,000 for their matrimonial home and, because they will be spending their savings on the wedding, their parents will have to chip in to help with the downpayment.

She added that, if she cannot get a flat, she would move into her fiance’s university hostel and pay rent.

Accountant Paul Liu, 33, who is also looking for a new flat, said it is “very difficult for a young couple starting out to have enough to pay the downpayment”. “Many times, you see the parents having to help out financially,” he said. “More has to be done to make homes affordable.”

Civil servant Grace Tay, 26, suggested cutting the quantum of the downpayment for first-timers. “For many of us, the downpayment is a deal-breaker. I do not have the option to borrow from my parents and without much CPF (Central Provident Fund) to my name, it’s tough.”

Senior account executive Eunice Tan, 25, who bought a three-room flat at Havelock Road for S$380,000 under a Sale of Balance Flats exercise, felt that public housing in non-mature estates are in general affordable for a couple who are both graduates. But not everyone fits the profile or wants to stay in these estates, she said.

On Wednesday, Nee Soon GRC Member of Parliament (MP) Lee Bee Wah, who chairs the Government Parliamentary Committee for National Development, suggested a bigger grant for Singaporeans hoping to buy three- and four-room flats from the Housing and Development Board (HDB).

This would bring down home buyers’ monthly mortgage and years spent servicing a loan, she said.

Nevertheless, MPs TODAY spoke to reiterated that flats are affordable for first-time buyers — as long as they are not picky and are realistic.

Joo Chiat MP Charles Chong said: “I do not think it’s a problem for those who buy directly from the HDB as long as they are not fussy and are willing to accept any area.”

Marine Parade GRC MP Seah Kian Peng said that young couples should not have the mindset that “their first flat has to be their last”.

“So, in terms of financial planning, couples should aim for quality of life without over-stretching their financial capabilities,” he said.