Love conquers all, so the saying goes....but Singaporeans are pragmatic people.
WHO will inherit your HDB home upon one's passing?
Not many will have large sums in CPF, & such funds will eventually run out. However, the HDB home - a roof over one's head remains, but left for who if one has no other loved ones? It is a tidy sum, even at current prices, & far more in the future.
For example. if one buys a BTO home at age 25, on a 99yr lease, with the avg lifespan of Singaporeans being 83, that would leave a balance of 41 yrs on the HDB lease, which
a) can be sold to qualified buyers, or
b) sold back to the HDB, or
c) rented out at current price of $3000/mth for a HDB 3 room flat UPON APPROVAL by HDB, $36,000/yr or $1.4million+ worth of rental income over 41 yrs. ( on a linear progression rate, not taking into account of inflation as well as potential rise in valuation of one's home)