Singapore property policy archive
Each event is traced to its sources, compared with precedent and followed to its outcomes. Every claim shows its own verification level, and where a source is not yet held, the record says so.
15 December 2021
Singapore raises ABSD, tightens TDSR to 55% and lowers HDB loan LTV to 85%
On 15 December 2021 the Singapore Government announced a multi-instrument package effective 16 December 2021, combining higher ABSD rates across buyer classes, a tighter TDSR threshold (60% to 55%), a lower maximum LTV for housing loans granted by HDB (90% to 85%; FI LTV unchanged at 75% for the relevant category), and a commitment to increase public and private housing supply.
27 October 2021
Singapore introduces the Prime Location Public Housing (PLH) model, with a 10-year MOP and resale limited to BTO-eligible buyers
On 27 October 2021 MND and HDB announced the Prime Location Public Housing model, first applied from 17 November 2021 to River Peaks I and II at Rochor in the November 2021 BTO exercise.
29 June 2021
Singapore adds family and nominee routes to the shareholding test for exempting listed developers from the qualifying certificate regime
On 29 June 2021, with immediate effect, the Ministry of Law and SLA let a publicly listed housing developer count shares held through a whitelisted nominee company, and a Singaporean family's combined holding of at least 30% subject to conditions, towards the significantly Singaporean shareholding it needs for exemption from the qualifying certificate regime.
28 June 2021
Singapore gives developers an additional six months of COVID-19 relief on ABSD commencement and completion timelines, for land bought up to 7 May 2021
From 28 June 2021 a qualifying developer under the 2013 ABSD remission Rules that bought residential land on or before 7 May 2021 had an additional 6 months to commence and complete, counted from the instrument date, with no application, and no more time to sell.
6 May 2020
Singapore announces six-month developer ABSD timeline relief during COVID-19 restrictions
With effect from 6 May 2020, a developer under the 2013 housing developer remission Rules whose land instrument was executed on or before 1 June 2020 had 6 more months on each ABSD remission timeline whose original deadline fell on or after 1 February 2020.
6 February 2020
Singapore lets listed housing developers with a substantial connection to Singapore apply for exemption from the QC regime
From 6 February 2020 a publicly listed housing developer with a substantial connection to Singapore could apply to the Controller of Residential Property for exemption from the qualifying certificate regime, the approval that section 31 of the Residential Property Act requires of a housing developer that is not a Singapore company before it buys residential land, unless an exemption applies or it buys from the Government.
27 November 2019
Singapore gazettes Master Plan 2019, concluding the review of the draft plan exhibited from March 2019
On 27 November 2019 the Chief Planner gazetted Master Plan 2019, with immediate effect, as the statutory land use plan guiding Singapore's physical development over the next 10 to 15 years.
10 September 2019
Singapore replaces the AHG and SHG with the Enhanced CPF Housing Grant (EHG) and raises HDB income ceilings
On 10 September 2019 MND and HDB replaced the Additional and Special CPF Housing Grants with an Enhanced CPF Housing Grant of up to S$80,000 for first-timer families and up to S$40,000 for first-timer singles, from 11 September 2019, for resale applications received on or after that date and new-flat applications from the September 2019 sales launch.
27 March 2019
Singapore introduces the CBD Incentive and Strategic Development Incentive schemes and announces the end of the Bonus Plot Ratio scheme
On 27 March 2019 URA introduced two rejuvenation incentives with the Draft Master Plan 2019.
5 July 2018
Singapore raises ABSD by 5 to 10 points and tightens LTV limits
On the evening of 5 July 2018, MOF, MND and MAS jointly announced increased Additional Buyer's Stamp Duty rates and tightened Loan-to-Value limits, effective the following day.
19 February 2018
Singapore raises the top residential buyer's stamp duty rate to 4% on value above S$1 million
On 19 February 2018, in Budget 2018, the Ministry of Finance announced that for residential property acquired on or after 20 February 2018 the top marginal buyer's stamp duty rate would rise from 3% to 4%, charged only on the portion of value above S$1 million.
10 March 2017
Singapore cuts SSD to three years and 12%, lifts TDSR from low-LTV equity withdrawal loans and adds duties on property-holding entities
On 10 March 2017 Singapore cut the Seller's Stamp Duty holding period for residential property from four years to three and lowered every tier by four percentage points, for property purchased on and after 11 March 2017.
9 January 2017
Singapore amends the Planning Act to raise penalties, require qualified persons and widen planning conditions
The Planning (Amendment) Bill was read the first time on 9 January 2017, passed on 6 February 2017 and brought into operation as a whole on 15 May 2017.
6 June 2014
Singapore gazettes Master Plan 2014 as its statutory land use plan, concluding the review of the Draft Master Plan 2013
On 6 June 2014 the Chief Planner gazetted Master Plan 2014, which became Singapore's statutory land use plan for the medium term, together with its Written Statement and the conservation of all 75 buildings the draft had proposed.
9 December 2013
Singapore cuts the EC cancellation fee to 5%, adds a resale levy for second-timers and caps MSR at 30% on EC bank loans
On 9 December 2013 MND announced three changes to the Executive Condominium Housing Scheme.
27 August 2013
Singapore tightens HDB loan rules and introduces a three-year PR wait-out period
On 27 August 2013 Singapore reduced the Mortgage Servicing Ratio for HDB concessionary loans from 35% to 30%, shortened the maximum HDB loan tenure from 30 years to 25, cut the maximum financial-institution loan tenure for HDB flats from 35 years to 30 with tighter loan-to-value treatment above 25 years, and required Singapore Permanent Resident households to wait three years from obtaining permanent residency before buying a resale flat.
28 June 2013
MAS introduces Total Debt Servicing Ratio framework for property loans
The Monetary Authority of Singapore introduced the Total Debt Servicing Ratio (TDSR) framework on 28 June 2013, effective 29 June 2013.
31 January 2013
Singapore's Land Use Plan sets out up to 700,000 new homes and 76,600 hectares of land by 2030
On 31 January 2013 the Ministry of National Development released a Land Use Plan paper setting out how Singapore would plan land to 2030 for the population range of 6.5 to 6.9 million projected in the Population White Paper two days earlier.
11 January 2013
Singapore raises ABSD, tightens housing finance and extends cooling measures to public housing, executive condominiums and industrial property
On 11 January 2013 Singapore raised Additional Buyer's Stamp Duty on every group already subject to it and extended it to Permanent Residents buying a first residential property and citizens buying a second, reduced loan-to-value limits and raised the minimum cash payment from 10% to 25% for borrowers with an outstanding housing loan, introduced a 30% Mortgage Servicing Ratio for financial-institution loans used to buy HDB flats, cut the HDB concessionary-loan MSR from 40% to 35%, restricted Permanent Resident subletting and ownership of HDB flats, tightened executive condominium rules, and introduced Seller's Stamp Duty on industrial property for the first time.
5 October 2012
MAS caps financial-institution residential loan tenures at 35 years and tightens LTV limits
On 5 October 2012 MAS capped the tenure of residential property loans from financial institutions at 35 years, and sharply reduced loan-to-value limits for loans running longer than 30 years or extending past the borrower's 65th birthday.