Where Foreigners Can Still Buy in Singapore After the 60% ABSD (2026 Guide)

The headline figure stops most people in their tracks: a foreigner buying any residential property in Singapore currently pays 60% Additional Buyer's Stamp Duty on top of the standard Buyer's Stamp Duty. That is not a typo, and it is not going away anytime soon. And yet I continue to work with serious overseas buyers who proceed, eyes wide open, because Singapore's fundamentals, rule of law, and sheer livability still make the numbers work for the right buyer at the right price point. This guide walks through exactly what the rules allow, where the genuine exceptions sit, and how I approach strategy with high-net-worth clients who want to buy right rather than simply buy fast.

The 60% ABSD for Foreigners: What It Means in Practice

Additional Buyer's Stamp Duty is levied on the purchase price or market value of a residential property, whichever is higher. For foreigners, the current rate is a flat 60% on any residential purchase, regardless of whether it is your first or fifth property. That rate was introduced as part of the April 2023 cooling measures and remains in force as of 2026. Always confirm the current rate with IRAS at iras.gov.sg before you transact, as rates have historically changed without long lead times.

On top of ABSD, you still pay Buyer's Stamp Duty (BSD). BSD is progressive: the rate reaches 5% on the portion of the purchase price between S$1.5 million and S$3 million, and 6% on any portion above S$3 million. On a S$10 million purchase, BSD alone is roughly S$500,000 or more. IRAS provides a stamp duty calculator on its website, and I always recommend running the exact numbers there before budgeting.

Put both together on a S$5 million condominium and the total stamp duty bill is substantial. This is not a market for speculative short-term plays. The buyers I work with who proceed tend to be relocating for work or family, diversifying wealth into a hard-asset jurisdiction they trust, or planning a long-term Singapore base.

The FTA and US-National Exception: Citizen Rates for Some Foreigners

There is an important carve-out that significantly changes the calculus for nationals of certain countries. Under Singapore's Free Trade Agreements, US citizens, nationals of Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland are assessed ABSD at Singapore-citizen rates rather than the foreigner rate. That means 0% on a first residential purchase, 20% on a second, and 30% on a third or more, subject to conditions.

This is a meaningful structural advantage. A US citizen buying a single S$5 million condominium as their first property pays no ABSD at all, versus the S$3 million ABSD a non-FTA foreigner would owe on the same purchase. The eligibility rules and the list of qualifying nationalities can change, so confirm your status with IRAS before proceeding. I have written a detailed breakdown of which nationalities qualify and how the remission is claimed: see my guide on ABSD remission for FTA nationalities.

What Foreigners Can Buy: Private Condominiums and Apartments

Subject to paying the applicable ABSD, foreigners may purchase private condominiums and apartments in Singapore without restriction. This covers the full spectrum of the private residential market: new launches, resale condominiums, executive condominiums that have completed their five-year privatisation period, and strata-titled apartments in mixed-use developments. There is no cap on the number of units a foreigner may own, and there is no minimum occupation period that locks you into holding.

For a fuller walkthrough of the purchase process from offer to completion, see my step-by-step guide on buying property in Singapore as a foreigner.

What Foreigners Generally Cannot Buy: Mainland Landed Property

Landed residential property on the Singapore mainland, including Good Class Bungalows, regular bungalows, semi-detached houses, and terrace houses, is effectively a Singapore-citizens-only market. Foreigners and permanent residents essentially cannot purchase mainland landed without rare approval from the Land Dealings Approval Unit under the Singapore Land Authority. Such approvals are exceptional and granted on narrow grounds. Do not plan a purchase around the assumption that approval will be granted.

Good Class Bungalows carry additional restrictions even for citizens: plots must sit within one of the 39 gazetted GCB Areas, carry a minimum plot size of approximately 1,400 square metres (roughly 15,070 square feet), and are subject to strict height controls of two storeys plus attic or basement, with low site coverage requirements. These are among the most tightly regulated property categories in Singapore, and foreign ownership is not a realistic path.

The Sentosa Cove Exception: Foreigner Landed Ownership with SLA Approval

Sentosa Cove is the single location in Singapore where foreigners may own landed residential property, and it remains genuinely unique in that regard. Foreign buyers at Sentosa Cove still require approval from the Singapore Land Authority, and the 60% ABSD still applies to non-FTA foreigners. But the approval pathway exists and has been used. If landed living matters to you as a foreigner in Singapore, Sentosa Cove is the only address where that conversation is worth having.

A few things worth knowing before you explore this route: satisfy yourself on the SLA approval process and timeline before committing, check current availability with a specialist agent, and note that banks sometimes lend more conservatively on larger or trophy landed assets than the headline LTV would suggest. The standard first housing loan LTV is capped at 75%, with a minimum 25% downpayment of which at least 5% must be in cash. Stress-test your financing at a floor rate of around 4%, which is what banks use for TDSR purposes, not the promotional rate.

Practical Strategy for HNW Foreign Buyers in 2026

Here is how I frame it with clients:

• Clarify your nationality status first. If you hold US citizenship or another FTA-qualifying nationality, your ABSD position is fundamentally different. Confirm with IRAS before doing any other planning.
• Run the full acquisition cost, not just the purchase price. BSD plus 60% ABSD plus legal fees plus agent fees plus any renovation budget, all before financing costs. Buyers who model only the purchase price are regularly surprised at completion.
• Think in holding periods of seven years or more. The stamp duty burden means shorter holds rarely stack up. The clients I see make the clearest decisions are those who want a Singapore base for the medium to long term.
• Do not use a trust or corporate structure to avoid ABSD. A living trust currently attracts 65% ABSD (trust rate), and an entity or company attracts 65% as well, with additional non-remittable components for housing developers. These structures do not offer a saving and add cost and complexity.
• Prioritise layout and location over price-per-square-foot optimisation. Most of my HNW overseas buyers are drawn to large single-level layouts of 2,000 square feet or more on a single floor, and tend to prefer the Orchard precinct, covering Districts 9, 10, and 11. These layouts are genuinely scarce in newer stock, and the ones that exist in the right buildings hold their value precisely because supply is constrained.

All rates correct as of 2026. Confirm current rates with IRAS at iras.gov.sg and SLA at sla.gov.sg before transacting.

Singapore's property framework is genuinely transparent and enforced consistently. For the right buyer, that certainty is part of what they are paying for. If you are navigating a purchase as an overseas buyer and want a clear-eyed view of what is available and whether it makes sense for your situation, I am happy to have that conversation quietly and without pressure.

Reach out to Annabeth directly to discuss your requirements in confidence. There is no obligation, and the first conversation is always about understanding your situation rather than recommending a property.