Foreign Ownership of Landed Property In Singapore

What Properties Can Foreigners Buy In Singapore

A foreign person who wishes to purchase a landed residential property is required to seek Government approval. The ownership restrictions are provided in the Residential Property Act.

More details on foreign ownership restrictions here.

If approval is granted, the foreigner undertakes to the government to use the property solely for the purpose of residence and not for investment or other income-generating purposes.

Foreign ownership of landed properties is restricted to:

  1. permanent residents of Singapore
  2. foreigners who are of adequate economic value to Singapore.

Foreigners are excluded from buying landed residential properties in the mainland. Only permanent residents who have fulfilled the 5 year Minimum Occupation Period are allowed to buy landed residential homes excluding Good Class Bungalows in mainland Singapore.

Exception: PRs and foreigners with Land Dealing Unit (LDU)'s approval are allowed to buy landed residential homes in Sentosa Cove without having to fulfil any Minimum Occupation Period.

A foreign person means any person who is not a: 
•    Singapore citizen;
•    Singapore company;
•    Singapore limited liability partnership; or
•    Singapore society.

 

What types of property must a foreign person seek approval to purchase?
•    Vacant residential land;
•    Terrace house;
•    Semi-detached house;
•    Bungalow/detached house;
•    Strata landed house which is not within an approved condominium development under the Planning Act (eg. townhouse or cluster house); 
•    Shophouse (for non-commercial use);
•    Association premises;
•    Place of worship; and
•    Worker’s dormitory/service apartments/boarding house (not registered under the provisions of the Hotels Act).

This restriction applies also to ownership by inheritance, succession, gift or bequest. The foreign beneficiary is required by law to dispose of the inheritance, if approval for ownership from the relevant authority is not obtained within the ten year stipulated period from the previous owner’s demise.

To safeguard and protect the interest of the foreign buyer, the below mentioned clause should be incorporated into the S&P or Option as follow:
"This sale and purchase is subject to the Purchaser obtaining the approval from the Land Dealings (Approval) Unit before completion. In the event that such approval is not granted, the sale and purchase herein shall be annulled and all monies paid shall be immediately refunded free of interest and neither party shall have any claim against the other thereafter."

What types of property can a foreign person purchase without approval?
•    Condominium unit;
•    Flat unit;
•    Strata landed house in an approved condominium development;
•    A leasehold estate in a landed residential property for a term not exceeding 7 years, including any further term which may be granted by way of an option for renewal; 
•    Shophouse (for commercial use); 
•    Industrial and commercial properties; 
•    Hotel (registered under the provisions of the Hotels Act); and
•    Executive condominium unit, HDB flat and HDB shophouse.

E-Applications (Phase 1) will be available from 3 August 2015:

The application process should take 3 months approximately. The application fee is $900 payable to Singapore Land Authority. If approved, the in-principle approval granted will be good for 6 months from the approval date.

You can apply online at www.sla.gov.sg/ldau

Land Dealings Approval Unit
Singapore Land Authority
55 Newton Road, #12-01 Revenue House, Singapore 307987
Tel: 6478-3444

Residential Property Curbs And Policies

Property Cooling Measures Timeline

Policy
Effective Date
Property Cooling Measures
6 July 2018Current ABSD rates for Singapore Citizens (SC) and Singapore Permanent Residents (SPR) purchasing their first residential property is retained at 0% and 5% respectively.

ABSD raised by 5% points for all other individuals.

ABSD raised by 10% points for entities.

Additional ABSD of 5% that is non-remittable under the Remission Rules (payable on the purchase price or market value, as applicable) for developers purchasing residential properties for housing development.
11 Mar 2017Seller Stamp Duties is adjusted down from 4 years to 3 years. Holding periodUp to 1 Year - 12%. | More than 1 year up to 2 years - 8%. | More than 2 years up to 3 years - 4%.
9 Dec 2013EC Cancellation Fees Adjusted Down From 20% to 5% .

Second-Timer Applicants to pay Resale Levy for land sites launched on or after 9/12/2013.

Mortgage Servicing Ratio (MSR) revised from 60% to 30% of a borrower's gross monthly income. The MSR cap will apply to EC purchases effective 10/12/2013.
27 Aug 2013Singapore Permanent Resident Households (SPR) can buy a resale HDB flat only after 3 years from the date of obtaining SPR status.

HDB housing loan tenure is reduced from 30 years to 25 years. The Mortgage Servicing Ratio (MSR) limit is reduced from 35% to 30% of the borrower's gross monthly income.

Maximum tenure of new housing loans and re-financing facilities granted by financial institutions for HDB flats (including DBSS flats) is reduced from 35 years to 30 years. New loans with tenure exceeding 25 years and up to 30 years will be subject to tighter LTV limits.
29 Jun 2013 Total Dept Servicing Ratio (TDSR): Financial institutions are required to factor in borrowers' other financial debt obligations when granting property loans. Total monthly repayment of debt obligations should not exceed 60 per cent of gross monthly income.

MAS requires:
- borrowers named on a property loan to be the mortgagors of the residential property for which the loan is taken;

- "guarantors" who are standing guarantee for borrowers otherwise assessed by the financial institutions at the point of application for the housing loan not to meet the TDSR threshold for a property loan to be brought in as co-borrowers;

- in the case of joint borrowers, that financial institutions use the income-weighted average age of borrowers when applying the rules on loan tenure.
12 Jan 2013 1. Additional Buyer Stamp Duty:
Citizens pay 0% for 1st property | 7% for 2nd property | 10% for 3rd property.
PRs pay 5% for 1st property | 10% for 2nd property onwards.
Foreigners and non-individuals now pay 15%.

2. Loan To Value: LTV - 2nd loan - 50% | 3rd loan - 40%; (reduced down from 60%)
LTV - non-individuals' - now 20% (reduced down from 40%).

3. Mortgage Servicing Ratio (MSR) for HDB loans now capped at 35% of gross monthly income (from 40%); MSR for loans from financial institutions capped at 30%.

4. PRs no longer allowed to rent out entire HDB flat.
6 Oct 2012 Mortgage tenures capped at a maximum of 35 years.
Loans over 30 years or loans beyond retirement age of 65 years: LTV lowered to 60% for first mortgage | to 40% for second and subsequent mortgages.
LTV for non-individuals lowered to 40%.
8 Dec, 2011ABSD introduced:
Singaporeans buying third and subsequent property pay 3%.
PRs buying second and subsequent property pay 3%.
Foreigners and non-individuals pay 10%.

Developers purchasing more than four residential units and following through on intention to develop residential properties for sale would be exempted from paying ABSD. To qualify, developers have to produce proof of development and sale within five years.
14 Jan 2011Holding period for imposition of Seller Stamp Duty (SSD) increased to four years from three.
SSD rates raised to 16%, 12%, 8% and 4% of consideration.
LTV lowered to 60% from 70% for second property.
LTV for non-individual residential purchasers capped at 50%.
30 Aug 2010Holding period for imposition of SSD increased to three years from one.
Minimum cash payments raised to 10% from 5% for buyers with one or more outstanding housing loans.
LTV lowered to 70% from 80% for second properties.
20 Feb 2010 Introduction of SSD for residential property and land sold within one year of purchase.
LTV lowered to 80% from 90% on all housing loans except HDB loans.
14 Sep 2009Interest absorption scheme (deferment of instalments until TOP) and interest-only housing loans (interest payment only until TOP) were scrapped for all private properties.