05/06/2026
๐ก Thinking of buying your first home in Singapore? Stop scrolling.
Property hunting here is not a vibes exercise. The rules are dense, cooling measures shift with the cycle, and a single calculation error can cost you tens of thousands in hard cash.
Before you step into a showflat or view a resale unit, you need to master the active rules of the road. Here is the high-level checklist every buyer needs right now:
๐น The 3 Golden Numbers (Borrowing): You must navigate the 55% TDSR (all properties stress-tested at a 4.0% interest rate floor), the 30% MSR (for HDB/ECs), and the 75% LTV loan ceiling which mandates a minimum 5% downpayment in hard cash.
๐น The Upfront Tax Bill: Budget early for tiered Buyerโs Stamp Duty (BSD) and check your ABSD exposureโespecially for mixed-status couples where joint purchases are taxed at the highest applicable rate.
๐น The 3 Unique Paths: Paperwork and timelines look completely different whether you are buying a New Launch Private Condo, a Resale HDB (where an active HFE letter is now a strict prerequisite before viewings), or a Resale Private Property.
๐น The Hidden Traps: Watch out for the new 10-year MOP on Plus/Prime BTOs, foreigner landed restrictions, and the CPF Accrued Interest compound effect that eats into your future cash proceeds upon resale.
Don't risk making an expensive commitment on numbers that turn out to be wrong on legal completion day.
๐ Want the full, step-by-step breakdown?
Read our complete, 10-minute walkthrough.
TDSR, MSR, BSD, ABSD, OTP, HFE โ and the rules that catch first-time buyers out. With primary-source references.