Summary
Foreigners can buy property in Singapore, but mainly private condominium and apartment units, according to the Singapore Land Authority (SLA). Landed homes such as bungalows, semi-detached and terrace houses are "restricted residential property" under the Residential Property Act and need approval from SLA's Land Dealings Approval Unit (LDAU).
The bigger cost is tax. Since 27 Apr 2023, foreigners pay 60% Additional Buyer's Stamp Duty (ABSD) on any residential purchase, according to the joint release by MAS, the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of National Development. Nationals of the United States, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland are treated like Singapore citizens for stamp duty under Singapore's trade agreements with their countries, according to IRAS.
What this means for Singapore buyers from overseas
Can foreigners buy property in Singapore without approval?
SLA lists the property a "foreign person" can buy without approval. These include:
- condominium units and flat units in private developments
- strata landed houses inside an approved condominium development
- leases of landed homes for up to seven years, including renewal options
- industrial and commercial property, shophouses for commercial use, and hotels registered under the Hotels Act.
SLA defines a foreign person as anyone who is not a Singapore citizen, Singapore company, Singapore limited liability partnership or Singapore society. Permanent residents (PRs) therefore count as foreign persons under the Act.
What needs SLA approval: landed homes and Sentosa Cove
SLA says a foreign person must get approval to buy vacant residential land; terrace, semi-detached and detached houses; strata landed houses outside an approved condominium (such as townhouses and cluster houses); and landed homes at Sentosa Cove.
SLA assesses applications case by case. Its stated factors include at least five years as a Singapore PR and an "exceptional economic contribution" to Singapore. SLA said processing takes about 30 working days once all documents are in, and buyers can seek in-principle approval before choosing a home.
Approval carries conditions, according to LDAU's FAQs. The home must be for the owner's and family's own occupation, may not be rented out, and may not be sold within five years of legal completion. PRs are generally limited to plots of up to 15,000 sq ft outside Good Class Bungalow areas. At Sentosa Cove, LDAU caps the land area at 1,800 sq m and also requires owner-occupation. Breaches can bring fines of up to S$200,000, up to three years' jail, or both.
Sentosa Cove is the one landed estate SLA names separately. It still needs LDAU approval, but SLA treats it as its own category for foreign buyers.
HDB flats and executive condominiums
HDB's eligibility pages describe buyers as Singapore citizen or PR households. Non-residents appear only as part of a citizen's household, such as a non-resident spouse. A foreigner on their own cannot buy an HDB flat.
New executive condominiums (ECs) are also closed to foreigners. HDB says a family applying for a new EC must include a Singapore citizen and at least one other citizen or PR, and that singles applying jointly must all be citizens.
ECs become open to foreigners only after full privatisation. On 8 May 2026, MND said that for EC sites whose tenders close on or after that date, the minimum occupation period will rise from five to 10 years, and units can be sold to any buyer only after the 15th year. Until privatisation, resale is limited to citizens and PRs.
ABSD for foreigners in 2026
The rates below come from the 26 Apr 2023 MAS/MOF/MND release and apply to purchases on or after 27 Apr 2023. ABSD is payable on top of Buyer's Stamp Duty, according to IRAS.
| Buyer | 1st home | 2nd home | 3rd and later |
|---|---|---|---|
| Singapore citizen | 0% | 20% | 30% |
| Singapore PR | 5% | 30% | 35% |
| Foreigner | 60% | 60% | 60% |
| Entity | 65% | 65% | 65% |
Which nationalities pay ABSD like Singapore citizens?
IRAS lists two groups eligible for ABSD remission under Singapore's trade agreements:
- nationals and permanent residents of Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland
- nationals of the United States.
Under the Stamp Duties (Free Trade Agreements) (Remission of ABSD) Rules, the remission equals the gap between the ABSD charged and the ABSD a Singapore citizen would pay. A US passport holder buying a first home would therefore pay the citizen rate of 0%. US green card holders are not covered, because the US provision applies to nationals only.
Financing basics
MAS loan-to-value (LTV) limits apply to all individual borrowers, and its explainer does not set different limits for foreigners. For a first housing loan, the limit is 75% with a minimum 5% cash down payment. It falls to 55%, with 10% cash, if the tenure exceeds 30 years or the loan runs past age 65. For a second loan, the limit is 45% or 25%, with at least 25% in cash.
MAS caps total debt repayments at 55% of gross monthly income under the Total Debt Servicing Ratio. Loan tenure is capped at 35 years for private property.
Worked example (illustration only)
Take a S$2m condominium unit, all buyers purchasing their first home and taking a first loan:
- A foreign buyer pays S$1.2m in ABSD (60%).
- A Singapore PR pays S$100,000 (5%).
- A US national pays no ABSD, the same as a citizen.
The maximum loan in each case is S$1.5m (75%), with at least S$100,000 of the S$500,000 down payment in cash. For the foreign buyer, ABSD alone is more than double the down payment. These figures exclude Buyer's Stamp Duty and legal fees.
FAQ
Can a foreigner buy a landed house in Singapore? Only with SLA approval. SLA weighs factors such as at least five years as a PR and economic contribution, and approved homes must be owner-occupied.
Can foreigners buy an executive condominium? Not new or before full privatisation. For EC sites tendered from 8 May 2026, that point moves to 15 years, MND said.
Do Americans pay 60% ABSD in Singapore? No. IRAS says US nationals receive the same stamp duty treatment as Singapore citizens under the US–Singapore FTA.
Education only — not tax, legal or investment advice. Confirm with a licensed professional.
What to do next
- Check your status first: confirm whether you are a foreigner, PR or FTA national, and check the current ABSD table on the IRAS website before you sign an option to purchase.
- If you are eyeing a landed home or Sentosa Cove, file for in-principle approval with SLA's LDAU before you commit, and allow at least 30 working days.
- Model the full cash outlay, including ABSD, Buyer's Stamp Duty and the down payment, then browse condominium listings: https://proprkey.com/en/properties?segment=buyer&mode=buy
- Compare new private launches that foreigners can buy without approval: https://proprkey.com/en/new-developments
- Speak to a conveyancing lawyer or mortgage adviser about remission claims and loan eligibility: https://proprkey.com/en/pros?segment=legalFinance