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What Foreigners Can Buy

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Property typeForeigner can buy?Approval needed
Private condominium unit✅ YesNone
Strata-titled apartment (private)✅ YesNone
Sentosa Cove residential (landed + non-landed)✅ YesNone (special enclave)
Commercial — office, retail, F&B✅ YesNone
Industrial property (private)✅ YesNone
Industrial property (direct from JTC)✅ YesJTC vetting
Shophouse — commercial portion✅ YesNone
Shophouse — residential portion only🟡 RestrictedLDAU
Mainland terrace house🟡 RestrictedLDAU (rare)
Mainland semi-detached🟡 RestrictedLDAU (rare)
Mainland detached bungalow🟡 RestrictedLDAU (rare)
Vacant residential land (mainland)🟡 RestrictedLDAU
Executive Condominium — within 10 years from TOP❌ No—
Executive Condominium — after 10 years (privatised)✅ YesNone
HDB BTO❌ NoProhibited
HDB resale❌ NoProhibited
DBSS flat❌ NoProhibited

Residential vs non-residential

The Singapore property landscape splits sharply between residential(subject to foreigner restrictions and ABSD) and non-residential(largely open). Within residential:

  • Stratified (condo, apartment) — open to foreigners.
  • Landed (terrace, semi-D, detached) — restricted, LDAU required for mainland.
  • HDB — prohibited to foreigners entirely.
  • EC during 10-year cooling-off — prohibited.

The Sentosa Cove exception

Sentosa Cove is a designated residential enclave on Sentosa Island where all residential property — including landed — is open to foreigners without LDAU approval. It was developed in the 2000s specifically as an internationalised residential precinct.

Sentosa Cove includes condominiums (e.g. The Coast, Seven Palms, Marina Collection), villas, and large detached bungalows. Foreign buying is unrestricted but the 60% ABSD still applies. See Sentosa Cove guide for details.

Commercial property — the open lane

Foreigners face no specific restriction on commercial property:

  • No ABSD — only BSD at non-residential tier (1%–5%)
  • No foreigner ownership restriction
  • GST may apply — if seller is GST-registered (most commercial sellers are)
  • Loan to value — typically 70%–80% for owner-occupied commercial, lower for investment

For foreign buyers seeking Singapore real estate as an investment, commercial / industrial often makes more economic sense than residential once the 60% ABSD is factored in — the effective cost of capital is much lower.

Related guides

Frequently asked questions

Can foreigners buy any condo in Singapore?▾

Yes. Foreigners can buy condominium units anywhere in Singapore — Core Central Region (CCR / Districts 9, 10, 11), Rest of Central Region (RCR), and Outside Central Region (OCR / suburban). No prior approval is needed; the standard buying process applies, with the foreigner-specific 60% ABSD on top of BSD.

Can foreigners buy executive condominiums (ECs)?▾

Not until the EC is fully privatised at year 10. ECs are HDB-built but sold under a hybrid scheme — for the first 5 years, only Singapore Citizens and SPRs can buy from the developer. From years 5–10, sold on the open market but still restricted to SC and SPR. From year 10 onwards (privatised), ECs become open to foreigners. So an EC bought today is foreigner-eligible only from around 2036.

Can foreigners buy commercial property in Singapore?▾

Yes, without restriction. Commercial property — offices, retail shops, F&B units, professional suites — has no foreigner ownership restriction. ABSD does not apply to commercial property. BSD is charged at the non-residential tier (1%–5%). GST may apply if the seller is GST-registered. Industrial property follows similar open-foreigner rules (subject to JTC vetting for direct JTC sales).

Can foreigners buy a shophouse?▾

Mixed answer. The commercial portion of a shophouse (ground floor and any commercial-zoned floors) is unrestricted. The residential portion (upper-floor flat used for residential) may require LDAU approval because residential landed restrictions apply. Many heritage shophouses in conservation areas are bought by foreigners for the commercial portion as office / boutique use; converting upper floors to residential may trigger LDAU.

Can foreigners buy land?▾

Generally no for residential land on the mainland — landed restrictions apply. Vacant residential land requires LDAU approval (rarely granted). Commercial or industrial land (whether vacant or developed) is generally open to foreigners. Agricultural land is virtually non-existent in Singapore; any specific case would require LDAU.