Property Types & Submarket
Residential · Commercial · Industrial · Property Cycle · Data Sources
1What is Real Property?
Property is anything over which a person holds rights. It is classified into two main types:
- Real Property (Immovable):Land and everything permanently attached to it — buildings, fixtures, vegetation, and the space above and below the surface. Also called “real estate”.
- Personal Property (Movable): Everything else — furniture, phones, shares, cars.
Real estate includes:
- Surface of the earth
- Subterranean space below
- Airspace above
- Buildings, fixtures, hedges, trees, roads
- Waters and watercourses
- Easements, rights and advantages
Bundle of Rights — owning real estate gives 5 rights:
| Right | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Possession | You hold the title and own it |
| Control | Right to control use, e.g. collect rent |
| Exclusion | Right to exclude others, including the landlord if you're a tenant |
| Enjoyment | Right to use the land as you see fit |
| Disposition | Right to sell, rent, or transfer the title |
2Residential Properties — Landed vs Non-Landed
Residential properties are split into Public (HDB) and Private. Private residential is further split into Landed and Non-Landed.
🏠 Landed Residential
Bungalow · Semi-D · Terrace · Cluster · Conservation
Landed Residential
Each unit sits on land that is exclusive to the owner (Land Title).
| Type | Min Plot Size | Max Storeys | Site Coverage | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Good Class Bungalow (GCB) | 1,400 sqm | 2 | 40% | Found in 39 designated GCBAs; min plot width 18.5m |
| Bungalow (Detached) | 400 sqm | 3 | 50% | Min plot width 10m |
| Semi-Detached | 200 sqm | 3 | No control | Share one party wall with neighbour |
| Terrace I (intermediate) | 150 sqm | 3 | No control | Row of ≥3 units sharing party walls |
| Terrace II (intermediate) | 80 sqm | 3 | No control | Smaller variant of terrace |
Strata Landed
Bungalows/semi-D/terrace built in cluster housing developments. Come with communal facilities (pool, clubhouse). Held under Strata Title, NOT condominium status.
🏢 Non-Landed Residential
Private Condominiums · HDB · Executive Condominiums
Non-Landed Residential
| Type | Key Requirement | Title |
|---|---|---|
| Condominium | Min plot size 4,000 sqm (0.4 ha); must have full facilities | Strata Title |
| Apartment/Flat | Min plot size 1,000 sqm; may have some facilities | Strata Title |
| Executive Condominium (EC) | Built by private developer; sold by HDB criteria; becomes fully private after 10 years MOP | Strata Title |
| HDB Flat | Public housing; NOT on strata scheme; on Lease Title or SCT | Lease / SCT |
Strata Title key points for salespersons to check:
- Share value of unit vs total share value of development
- Strata area — does it include voids (double-volume space)?
- Maintenance fund and sinking fund contributions; arrears?
- Carpark — common property or separate accessory lot?
3Commercial & Industrial Properties
🏬 Commercial Properties
Offices · Retail · Shophouses
Commercial Properties
Offices — Key marketing factors:
- Location (near MRT/transport)
- Floor plate efficiency, column-free space, ceiling height
- Lift system (number, capacity, speed)
- Carparking allocation and charges
- Air-conditioning: central or split unit, operating hours
Retail Shops — Key marketing factors:
- Location catchment area, public transport
- Specific floor and position within development
- Trade mix and anchor tenant
- Size of development; parking; promotional activities
- Vertical transportation (escalators, lifts, ramps)
Shophouses:
- Governed by URA conservation guidelines
- Limited stock — found only in certain areas of Singapore
- Foreigners NOT allowed to buy/own shophouses zoned “Residential” without approval
🏭 Industrial Properties
B1 Light · B2 General · Business Park · Special Industrial
Industrial Properties
Singapore industrial zones (URA zoning):
| Zone | Type | Key Features | Ancillary Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Business 1 (B1) | Clean/light industry | Nuisance buffer ≤ 50m; e.g. software dev, printing, food packing, warehouse | Max 40% of total floor area |
| Business 2 (B2) | General/heavy industry | More flexibility; e.g. biotech, vehicle repair, furniture manufacture | Max 40% of total floor area |
| Business Park | Knowledge-intensive | R&D, CAD, data centres | — |
Key marketing factors for industrial:
- Access to labour pool, public transport
- Loading/unloading facility, access road width for heavy vehicles
- Floor loading capacity, column-free space
- Incoming electrical supply (sufficient for machinery, backup power)
- Cargo lifts (number and size)
4The 4-Phase Property Cycle
Property markets move in cycles. Understanding the 4 phases helps predict market direction.
📈 The Property Cycle
4 phases — Recovery · Expansion · Hyper Supply · Recession
| Phase | Price | Supply vs Demand | Sentiment | What Happens |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Recovery (Upswing) | Rising slowly → then faster | Demand > Supply | Improving | Buyer confidence building; more transactions |
| Peak (Boom) | Highest | Supply ≈ Demand | Very confident | Prices at top; developers launch aggressively |
| Decline (Downswing) | Falling slowly → then faster | Supply > Demand | Weakening | Banks start restricting loans; fewer buyers |
| Recession (Depression) | Lowest | High oversupply, very low demand | Pessimistic | Distressed sales; developers pause launches |
Key exam point
The stock market (STI) typically leads the property market by 3–12 months. STI recovers and peaks before the property price index does.
5How Markets Are Segmented & Where to Find Data
The Singapore real estate market is divided into submarkets based on:
- Location: CCR (prime), RCR (mid-tier), OCR (mass market)
- Property type: Residential, Commercial, Industrial
- Price segment: Luxury, Mid-range, Affordable
🔴 CCR — Core Central Region
Districts 9, 10, 11 · Downtown Core · Sentosa
Districts 9, 10, 11, Downtown Core, Sentosa. Singapore's prime residential market.
🟡 RCR — Rest of Central Region
Ring around CCR — city fringe
City fringe, mid-tier pricing.
🟢 OCR — Outside Central Region
Suburbs — majority of HDB towns
Mass market, most HDB towns, most new EC launches.
Official Data Sources
| Agency | System | What It Contains |
|---|---|---|
| URA | SPACE / REALIS | Private residential & commercial prices; new launch prices; resale caveats; rental; supply pipeline. REALIS has unit-level detail ($1,800/year). |
| SLA | INLIS | Title information; ownership details; encumbrances; boundary maps; MC details |
| HDB | HDB Infoweb | HDB resale prices; HDB rental prices |
| JTC | i-Space | Industrial property sale & rental prices; supply pipeline |
📋 Quick Summary — Section 1.1 Property Types
Exam traps
- → Strata landed ≠ condominium
- → Condo min plot = 4,000 sqm (not 1,000 sqm — that's apartment)
- → Foreigners need approval to buy residential-zoned shophouses
- → STI leads property market, not the other way around
- → Shares = personal property, not real property
Section Quiz
12 questions · exam-style difficulty · 90 seconds per question
Section Quiz
1.1 Property Types & Submarket
12 questions · 90 seconds each · exam-style difficulty