Singapore property terms, plainly explained.

Extra stamp duty charged on top of BSD when you buy additional residential property. Rates escalate sharply for Singapore Citizens buying 2nd+ property, Permanent Residents, and foreigners. Current ABSD is a major consideration for upgraders.

Common trap: buying a condo before selling your HDB triggers ABSD — which is refundable only if you sell the HDB within 6 months. See the upgrade sequencing guide →

Calculate your ABSD →

Stamp duty paid by the property buyer, calculated on the higher of purchase price or market value. Tiered rate: 1–6% for residential depending on purchase amount. Always the buyer's responsibility, never the seller's.

Calculate your stamp duty →

New HDB flats sold directly by HDB through quarterly launches. Priced below resale market in exchange for a 3–5 year wait before the flat is built and keys handed over. Subject to a 5-year MOP before you can sell.

Singapore's regulator for real estate agencies and salespersons. Every practising agent must be CEA-registered (individual registration number) and operate under a licensed estate agency (agency Estate Agent Licence number). Verify any agent on the CEA public register →

The amount a buyer pays above HDB's formal valuation. Since CPF and HDB loan only cover up to the valuation amount, any excess must be paid in cash by the buyer. Example: sale at $580k on a $570k valuation = $10k COV. Full valuation explainer →

Singapore's mandatory savings system. Your Ordinary Account (OA) is commonly used to fund property purchases. When you sell, you must refund the CPF principal used plus 2.5% per annum accrued interest, compounded — this money goes back into your own OA, not your cash pocket. Often catches first-time sellers off guard.

One co-owner buys the other's share of a jointly owned home, so the co-owner who leaves the title can buy their next home as a first-time owner instead of paying ABSD on a second property.

HDB flats: not possible. HDB does not allow a resale of part-share between a married couple, and only approves a change in ownership without a sale for a change in the family, such as marriage, divorce or the death of an owner.

Private homes: IRAS counts any share you own as a whole property, and treats buying more of a home you already part-own as buying another property. But a Singapore Citizen who owns only that one home and buys the co-owner's share pays no ABSD on it. BSD is still payable on the share, on the higher of the price or its market value. The co-owner who leaves then owns no residential property, so as a Singapore Citizen they pay no ABSD on their next home.

The numbers change if either of you owns another property or is not a citizen. Have a conveyancing lawyer check both of your property counts before anyone signs. Estimate the BSD on the share →

Hybrid public-private housing. Sold like a condo but with HDB eligibility rules for the first 5 years (MOP). Becomes fully private after 10 years. Popular upgrade from HDB for dual-income households.

Condos and apartments: foreigners can buy a condominium unit or a flat in a private development without approval. Landed homes (terrace, semi-detached and detached houses, townhouses and cluster houses outside an approved condominium, and landed homes at Sentosa Cove) need approval from the Singapore Land Authority under the Residential Property Act. SLA assesses each case; its criteria include being a permanent resident for at least five years. Under the Act anyone who is not a Singapore Citizen is a foreign person, so permanent residents need approval for landed homes too.

HDB resale flats: only Singapore Citizens and permanent residents can buy one, under HDB's eligibility rules.

Stamp duty: foreigners pay 60% ABSD on any residential purchase made on or after 27 April 2023, on top of BSD. Nationals and permanent residents of Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland, and nationals of the United States, get the same stamp duty treatment as Singapore Citizens under Free Trade Agreements. Calculate the stamp duty →

Singapore's public housing authority. "HDB" commonly refers to both the organisation and the flats themselves. ~80% of Singapore residents live in HDB housing. Flat types include 2-room, 3-room, 4-room, 5-room, Executive, and (rarely) Jumbo.

Replaces the old HLE (HDB Loan Eligibility) system since 2023. Required before a buyer can be granted an Option to Purchase. Confirms citizenship, income, existing property holdings, and loan eligibility — basically pre-qualifies the buyer.

Percentage of property value a bank or HDB will lend. Typical LTV: 75% for first HDB loan or bank loan. Lower for subsequent properties. A 75% LTV on a $600k flat = $450k max loan, $150k minimum downpayment (cash + CPF).

The minimum period you must occupy your HDB flat before selling. 5 years for most flats, starting from the key collection date (not booking or signing). Check yours at HDB website → My HDBPage → Flat Details. Full post-MOP selling guide →

Cap on mortgage repayments for HDB flats and Executive Condominiums: monthly mortgage cannot exceed 30% of gross income. Applies to both HDB loans and bank loans used for HDB purchase. Distinct from TDSR.

For an HDB resale, the Option Fee is S$1–S$1,000 and the total deposit, including the Option Exercise Fee, cannot exceed S$5,000. Neither fee can be zero. The option lasts 21 calendar days after the Option Date and expires at 4pm.

HDB option fee example and resale timeline →

The benchmark interest rate that replaced SIBOR in 2024. Used by banks as the base rate for floating mortgage packages. SORA-pegged packages typically priced as "3-month SORA + spread" (e.g., SORA + 0.80%).

One of Singapore's major property listing portals alongside PropertyGuru, 99.co, and EdgeProp. Also publishes the SRX X-Value, an algorithm-based valuation estimate useful as a data sanity-check but not as an authoritative number.

Total monthly debt payments — including mortgage, car loan, credit cards, and other debt — cannot exceed 55% of gross income. Applies to all bank-granted property loans (HDB + private). Banks must stress-test affordability at a minimum 4% interest rate regardless of current market rates. Use the HDB loan calculator →

Issued by BCA when a new building is fit for occupation (usually 2–4 years after a condo launches). Marks the start of defect liability period. For new condo buyers, keys are handed over at TOP.

Singapore's land-use planning agency. Publishes authoritative private property transaction data (via the Realis system) used by agents and buyers to research recent sale prices. Also enforces planning rules for redevelopment and subdivision.