Can Foreigners Buy a Condo in Singapore? ABSD, Rules and Costs for 2026
Foreigners can buy condos in Singapore without approval, but ABSD is 60%. What you can buy, worked stamp duty examples, the FTA exception for some nationals, financing and the new launch buying process.
Can foreigners buy property in Singapore? Yes, with limits. Singapore is one of the more open property markets in Asia for condo buyers, and also one of the most heavily taxed for foreigners. You can buy a private apartment with no approval, but you pay Additional Buyer’s Stamp Duty (ABSD) of 60% unless a free trade agreement puts you on citizen rates. This guide sets out what foreigners can buy, what it costs in practice, and how the process works for a new launch such as LinkTown Residences (Hougang Central Residences), a private condo planned above the new Hougang Central mall and bus interchange.
Can foreigners buy property in Singapore? What is allowed
| Property type | Foreigner can buy? |
|---|---|
| Private condominiums and apartments (non-landed) | Yes, no approval needed |
| Units in mixed-use developments, such as flats above a mall | Yes, as non-landed private homes |
| Landed homes (terraces, semi-Ds, bungalows) | Only with Singapore Land Authority approval |
| HDB flats | No |
| Executive Condominiums (ECs) | No, not from the developer; ECs are sold under HDB eligibility rules |
LinkTown Residences is a private condo on a 99-year leasehold Government Land Sales site at Hougang Central, not an EC, so foreigners are able to buy units there when sales open, expected in early 2027. Our explainer on whether LinkTown Residences is an EC covers why.
ABSD for foreigners: 60%
Every buyer pays Buyer’s Stamp Duty (BSD), charged in tiers from 1% up to 6%. Foreigners then add ABSD at 60% of the price or value, whichever is higher, from the very first property. Both are generally due within 14 days of exercising the Option to Purchase.
Here is what that looks like at indicative LinkTown Residences sizes and an analyst-estimated S$2,500 psf. No official prices have been released, so these are illustrations only.
| Unit (indicative) | Price | BSD | ABSD at 60% | Total stamp duty | As % of price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1-bedroom + study, 506 sq ft | S$1,265,000 | S$35,200 | S$759,000 | S$794,200 | 62.8% |
| 2-bedroom, 678 sq ft | S$1,695,000 | S$54,350 | S$1,017,000 | S$1,071,350 | 63.2% |
| 3-bedroom, 1,066 sq ft | S$2,665,000 | S$102,850 | S$1,599,000 | S$1,701,850 | 63.9% |
Put simply, a foreign buyer’s all-in cost is roughly 1.6 times the purchase price before legal fees. The rate is designed to moderate foreign demand, and it has changed the profile of who buys: long-term residents who plan to stay, or who expect to gain permanent residence, weigh it very differently from short-term investors. Whether it makes sense depends on your holding period, residency plans and alternatives. Check your own numbers in our stamp duty calculator.
The FTA exception: citizen rates for some nationals
Under Singapore’s free trade agreements, certain buyers receive the same ABSD treatment as Singapore Citizens:
- Nationals and permanent residents of Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland.
- Nationals of the United States.
For these buyers, ABSD is 0% on a first residential property, then 20% on the second and 30% on the third and subsequent ones. On the 1-bedroom + study example, an eligible American buyer purchasing a first property would pay only the S$35,200 BSD instead of S$794,200 in total stamp duty. Eligibility has conditions, and the treatment applies per buyer, so a joint purchase with someone who is not covered changes the result. Confirm with IRAS before you rely on it.
Joint purchases
When people buy together, ABSD is based on the buyer profile that attracts the highest rate. A foreigner buying with a Singapore Citizen or PR partner will generally still face 60%, although married couples may qualify for remission in some situations. The conditions are specific, so ask your conveyancing lawyer or check IRAS guidance before you sign.
Financing as a foreign buyer
Foreigners can borrow from Singapore banks, and the same MAS framework applies to everyone:
- Loan-to-value: up to 75% for a first housing loan within the tenure and age limits, lower if you have other housing loans.
- TDSR: total monthly debt repayments must stay within 55% of gross monthly income, with the new loan assessed at a 4% stress-test rate.
- Minimum cash: at least 5% of the price must be paid in cash.
In practice, banks may apply stricter terms to foreigners. Expect questions on employment pass status, how long you have been in Singapore, and income earned abroad. Overseas or foreign-currency income may be discounted when banks assess TDSR, and some lenders offer lower LTVs to non-residents. Currency risk also matters: if your income or savings are in another currency, exchange-rate movements change your real cost over the loan.
Foreigners generally do not have CPF (unless they are PRs), so the down payment, stamp duty and instalments are paid from cash or bank funds. On the 2-bedroom example with a 75% loan, the 25% down payment of S$423,750 plus stamp duty of S$1,071,350 comes to S$1,495,100 before the bank disburses anything. Our home loan guide explains how loans work for a new launch, and the loan calculator estimates instalments.
How buying a new launch works
- Get an In-Principle Approval (IPA) from a bank so you know your loan amount before viewing.
- Visit the showflat and choose a unit. For LinkTown Residences, showflat and preview dates have not been announced.
- Book with the Option to Purchase by paying 5% of the price. Provide identification, such as your passport and pass.
- Appoint a conveyancing lawyer. They handle the Sale & Purchase Agreement and stamp duty payments.
- Pay BSD and ABSD within 14 days of exercising the option.
- Sign the S&P Agreement and pay a further 15%, typically within about eight weeks of the OTP.
- Pay the remaining stages as construction progresses, with the bank paying its share directly to the developer. See our progressive payment guide for the schedule.
Completion of LinkTown Residences is expected around 2030 to 2031, so buyers should plan for several years between booking and key collection.
Cost checklist for foreign buyers
- 5% booking fee (cash) at the Option to Purchase.
- Buyer’s Stamp Duty, tiered from 1% to 6%.
- ABSD at 60%, or at citizen rates if an FTA applies.
- Remaining down payment, up to 25% in total for a 75% loan.
- Legal and conveyancing fees.
- Loan interest during construction on the amount drawn.
- Currency conversion costs and exchange-rate buffers.
- After completion: maintenance fees (not yet announced for this project), property tax and furnishing.
- If you plan to rent it out, rental income tax and agent fees; see our look at rental potential.
A balanced view
At 60%, ABSD is the dominant cost for most foreign buyers, and it is paid on day one. Some foreigners proceed because they intend to live in Singapore long term, because they value the stability of the market, or because an FTA puts them on citizen rates. Others rent instead, or wait until their residency status changes. None of these is automatically right; the right answer depends on how long you plan to hold, how you are funded and how your circumstances may change.
If you would like floor plans and the official price list for LinkTown Residences when they are released, register your interest and we will keep you updated.
Rules as at time of writing; verify with IRAS, MAS guidelines, the Singapore Land Authority and your bank. Prices are estimates based on indicative sizes and an analyst-estimated S$2,500 psf, not official prices. This is general information, not financial, legal or tax advice.
