Buying as a foreigner

Buying property in Singapore as a foreigner

A foreigner can buy a condominium unit, an apartment or a strata landed house inside an approved condominium development without approval. Landed homes such as terrace, semi-detached and detached houses, vacant residential land, and landed homes at Sentosa Cove need the Singapore Land Authority’s approval. A foreigner cannot buy an HDB flat or a new executive condominium. Foreigners pay 60% Additional Buyer’s Stamp Duty on any home, on top of Buyer’s Stamp Duty, unless a free trade agreement gives them a Singapore citizen’s rates.

Checked against official sources on 2 November 2026

Homes a foreigner can buy without approval

The Residential Property Act limits what a foreigner may own. These homes are outside its limits, so you can buy them like any other buyer:

A condominium unit.
A flat unit in a private development, such as an apartment.
A strata landed house inside an approved condominium development.
A lease of a landed home for at most 7 years, counting any option to renew.

Homes that need SLA approval

A foreigner must apply to the Singapore Land Authority (SLA) before buying:

Vacant residential land.
A terrace, semi-detached or detached house (bungalow).
A strata landed house outside an approved condominium development, such as a townhouse or cluster house.
A landed home at Sentosa Cove.

How SLA decides

SLA assesses each application on its merits. It looks at whether you have been a Singapore Permanent Resident for at least five years and have made an exceptional economic contribution to Singapore, judged partly by your employment income taxable in Singapore. An application takes about 30 working days from when SLA has all the documents, and can take longer.

HDB flats and executive condominiums

An HDB flat is outside the Residential Property Act, but HDB’s own rules decide who may buy one. A resale flat needs a Singapore Citizen or Permanent Resident applicant.
A Singapore Citizen can buy a resale flat with a spouse who is not a citizen or permanent resident. The spouse must hold a valid Long-Term Visit Pass or Work Pass issued for at least 6 months, or any valid Visit Pass or Work Pass once the citizen is 35 or older.
A new executive condominium (EC) needs a Singapore Citizen applicant with at least one other citizen or permanent resident. Who can buy an EC, new or resale

Additional Buyer’s Stamp Duty (ABSD) for foreigners

Foreigners pay 60% ABSD on any residential property, the first included, on top of Buyer’s Stamp Duty (BSD).
Under free trade agreements, nationals of the United States, and nationals and permanent residents of Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland, pay a Singapore citizen’s rates: none on a first home, 20% on a second and 30% on a third.
Singapore Permanent Residents pay 5% on a first home, 30% on a second and 35% on a third.
A foreigner buying a home for S$1,500,000 pays S$44,600 BSD and S$900,000 ABSD, so S$944,600 in stamp duty. ABSD calculator

Work out the cash you need

The mortgage calculator adds BSD and ABSD for a foreigner, a free trade agreement national or a permanent resident to the down payment, and compares home loan rates from Singapore banks.

Open the mortgage calculator

Questions

Can foreigners buy property in Singapore?

Yes. A foreigner can buy a condominium unit, an apartment or a strata landed house inside an approved condominium development without approval. Landed houses, vacant residential land and Sentosa Cove landed homes need SLA approval, and HDB flats and new executive condominiums are not open to foreigners.

Can a foreigner buy a landed house in Singapore?

Only with the Singapore Land Authority’s approval, decided case by case. SLA looks for at least five years as a Singapore Permanent Resident and an exceptional economic contribution to Singapore. A strata landed house inside an approved condominium development needs no approval.

Can a foreigner buy an HDB flat?

No. A resale HDB flat needs a Singapore Citizen or Permanent Resident applicant. A Singapore Citizen can buy a resale flat with a foreign spouse who holds a valid pass.

How much stamp duty does a foreigner pay?

Buyer’s Stamp Duty like any buyer, plus 60% Additional Buyer’s Stamp Duty. On a S$1,500,000 home that is S$44,600 plus S$900,000. US nationals, and nationals and permanent residents of Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland, pay a Singapore citizen’s ABSD rates instead.

Do Americans pay ABSD in Singapore?

Not on a first home. The free trade agreement between the United States and Singapore gives US nationals a Singapore citizen’s ABSD rates: none on a first home, 20% on a second and 30% on a third.

Sources

Rules and fees change. Check the linked official pages before you commit, and ask a lawyer about your own sale or purchase.

Related guides

Additional Buyer's Stamp Duty (ABSD) in Singapore

ABSD rates for Singapore citizens, PRs, foreigners and entities from IRAS, with a calculator: 20% on a second home for citizens, 5% on a first home for PRs, 60% for foreigners.

Buyer's Stamp Duty in Singapore

Work out Buyer's Stamp Duty on a Singapore home: the 1% to 6% residential rates from IRAS, a calculator with each band, worked examples and when to pay.

Loan-to-Value (LTV) limits in Singapore

LTV limits for Singapore home loans from MAS and HDB: 75% on a first bank loan, 45% on a second, 35% on a third, 75% on an HDB loan, with the minimum cash down payment and a calculator.