A practical guide for foreign buyers and investors. Stamp duty, tax, financing, the buying process, and what locals know that you should too.
Singapore's stamp duties are the biggest line item for foreign buyers — often 65%+ of the purchase price for non-PRs. Here is the math.
Other topics worth knowing before you sign.
Singapore has no capital gains tax — but Seller’s Stamp Duty, agent fees and AML checks all shape what you walk away with. Here is the full picture.
A foreigner or PR married to a Singapore Citizen can buy their matrimonial home with little or no ABSD — if they meet the conditions. Here is exactly how.
Singapore PR status drops your ABSD from 60% to 5% and opens resale HDB — but it comes with rules and one trap that catches many new PRs.
Most foreigners rent before they buy. Here is how leases, deposits, stamp duty, the diplomatic clause and agent fees actually work.
After hundreds of transactions, the same handful of mistakes show up again and again. Here is what to watch out for.
A typical resale purchase takes 10-12 weeks from offer to keys. Here is what happens in each stage and where things commonly go wrong.
Owning Singapore property comes with annual property tax. Renting it out adds income tax. Both have different rates for non-residents.
The loan-to-value rules apply equally to foreigners and locals on paper. In practice, getting financed as a non-resident is harder and more expensive.
Most condos: yes. HDB flats: no. Landed houses: only with government approval. The Residential Property Act explained.
Editorial note
This guide is general information only — not legal, tax, or financial advice. Singapore property rules change with policy updates, and every buyer's situation is different. Always consult a CEA-registered Singapore property agent, qualified tax advisor, and conveyancing lawyer before committing to a purchase. Each article cites primary sources (IRAS, URA, MAS, SLA) so you can verify the load-bearing numbers yourself.