Buying property in Singapore in 2026 is a different exercise to what it was even three years ago. Cooling measures have stacked, foreigner ABSD sits at 60%, and the gap between citizens, PRs, and foreigners on the same unit can run into hundreds of thousands of dollars. This guide walks through every part of the decision — eligibility, cost, financing, process — in the order you actually need to think about them.
Who can buy what
Singapore restricts property types by buyer profile. Get this clear before you fall in love with a listing.
- Singapore citizens: may buy any property type — HDB (with eligibility), executive condominium (EC), private condo, and landed property.
- Permanent residents (PRs): may buy private condo and (with conditions) resale HDB after holding PR status for 3 years. Cannot buy landed in mainland Singapore without LDAU approval. Cannot buy new BTO or EC at launch.
- Foreigners: may buy private condos and apartments freely. Landed property requires Land Dealings Approval Unit (LDAU) approval — generally only granted to those with substantial economic contribution. Sentosa Cove is the exception where foreigners can buy landed without approval.
- Entities (companies, trusts): may buy private residential but face the highest ABSD rate (65%) and most cooling-measure friction.
The four property categories
Each category has its own price band, eligibility, financing rules, and resale mechanics.
- HDB flats — public housing, ~80% of households live in one. Subsidised at BTO launch; resale market is open. 5-year Minimum Occupation Period (MOP) before you can sell or rent the whole unit out.
- Executive condominiums (ECs) — hybrid product. HDB rules at launch (income ceiling, MOP), private after 10 years. Often the best value-per-square-foot for citizen households earning under the cap.
- Private condos — bulk of the resale market. No income cap. Available to foreigners. Within this, freehold and 99-year leasehold price differently (see our freehold vs leasehold guide).
- Landed property — terraces, semi-detached, bungalows, Good Class Bungalows (GCBs). Mostly freehold. Restricted to citizens unless LDAU-approved.
The full cost stack
Sticker price is roughly 80–85% of what you actually pay at completion. Budget for all of this from day one.
| Cost | Typical amount | When |
|---|---|---|
| Property price | Sticker | Across the timeline |
| Buyer's Stamp Duty (BSD) | 1–6% tiered | 14 days after OTP exercise |
| Additional Buyer's Stamp Duty (ABSD) | 0–65% (see below) | Same as BSD |
| Legal fees (conveyancing) | SGD 2,500–4,500 | At completion |
| Valuation fee | SGD 300–500 | Before loan approval |
| Mortgage stamp duty | 0.4% of loan, capped SGD 500 | At loan signing |
| Agent's commission (if buying via agent) | 1% typical | At completion |
The ABSD line is where most people get caught. Current rates (as of 2026, in effect since the April 2023 hike):
- Singapore citizens — 0% on 1st property, 20% on 2nd, 30% on 3rd+
- PRs — 5% on 1st, 30% on 2nd+
- Foreigners — 60% on any property
- Entities — 65%
For a SGD 2M condo, a foreigner pays SGD 1.2M in ABSD alone on top of the price. See our full ABSD rates breakdown and the treaty-based remission paths for US, Swiss, Icelandic, Norwegian, and Liechtenstein nationals.
Financing: how much can you borrow?
Two main caps determine your loan ceiling, and both are tight by design.
Loan-to-Value (LTV): 75% maximum for a first private property from a bank. Drops to 45% for a second mortgage, 35% for third+. HDB loans go up to 75% LTV (was 80% before December 2021).
Total Debt Servicing Ratio (TDSR): 55%. The sum of all your monthly debt obligations (mortgage, car loan, credit card minimums, etc) cannot exceed 55% of your gross monthly income.
Mortgage Servicing Ratio (MSR): 30%. Applies to HDB and EC purchases only. Your housing loan repayment alone cannot exceed 30% of gross monthly income.
The MAS stress-tests your loan at a notional 4.0% rate (4.25% for HDB), not the current bank rate. Even if a bank quotes you 3.2%, the affordability check uses the higher rate.
CPF: how much can you actually use?
You can tap your Ordinary Account (OA) for both the down payment and monthly servicing, subject to caps:
- Valuation Limit: CPF use is capped at the lower of purchase price or valuation. Above that you must use cash.
- Withdrawal Limit: Lifetime cap on CPF used per property, set at 120% of Valuation Limit. Once hit, future repayments must be cash.
- Basic Retirement Sum (BRS): If using CPF for a 2nd property, you must set aside BRS first (SGD 105,000 in 2026).
See our CPF for property guide for the full mechanics.
New launch vs resale
Both have a role. Brief framing:
- New launch: progressive payment schedule (low cash flow early), lower stamp duty timing (BSD computed on purchase price at OTP), brand-new condition, developer warranty. Risk: completion 3–4 years out, market may move.
- Resale: immediate occupancy, can rent out immediately (after MOP for HDB), full price visible from URA's caveat data, no surprises. Risk: pay BSD/ABSD upfront on full price.
For investors, the gap often comes down to your cash flow profile, not the asset. Read new launch vs resale for the full framework.
The transaction timeline
- Day 0: Sign Option to Purchase (OTP). Pay Option Fee (1% for private, SGD 1,000 for HDB).
- Day 1–14: Exercise the OTP. Pay 4% (private) or balance of down payment.
- Day 14: BSD + ABSD due to IRAS within 14 days of OTP exercise.
- Week 6–12: Loan completion. Bank disburses to seller.
- Week 8–14: Completion. Keys handed over. Move in.
For new launches the timeline stretches: OTP → 5% booking fee → 15% within 8 weeks → progressive payments at each construction milestone → TOP (Temporary Occupation Permit) → CSC (Certificate of Statutory Completion).
The five most common mistakes
- Buying first, structuring later. Decoupling, joint tenancy vs tenancy-in-common, holding via trust — these decisions are cheap before purchase and expensive after. Decide your holding structure first.
- Underestimating ABSD remission paths. US, Swiss, Icelandic, Norwegian, and Liechtenstein nationals can qualify for citizen-rate ABSD under their treaties. Many don't know this.
- Stretching to maximum loan. The TDSR cap is a hard limit, not a target. A 45% TDSR with cash buffer beats 55% with no slack when rates move.
- Skipping the diagnostic. Most buyers walk into viewings before they've answered: holding period? exit plan? rental vs own-stay? Those answers reshape the brief entirely.
- Treating the agent like a salesperson. A good consultant should push back on your brief, not just show you what fits it. If the first conversation is "what's your budget" rather than "what are you actually trying to achieve," walk.
The bottom line
Singapore property in 2026 rewards patience and structure. The cooling measures are not lifting any time soon, so plan around them. Build a 12–24 month strategy before you start viewings, work with a consultant who'll have the harder conversations first, and remember that the right answer is sometimes to wait or to restructure what you already own rather than to buy.
If you want a private conversation to map out your specific situation — request a consultation. No pitch, no pressure, and the first conversation is free.