Singapore Property Blog
Glossary
57 articles
Tenancy Agreement and the Diplomatic Clause
A Tenancy Agreement (TA) is the legal contract between landlord and tenant setting out rent, deposit, lease term, and the responsibilities of each par
EIP and SPR Quota: HDB Ethnic Integration Policy
The Ethnic Integration Policy (EIP) sets ethnic quotas for each HDB block and neighbourhood (Chinese, Malay, Indian/Other) to preserve Singapore's mul
HDB Resale Levy for Second-Time Buyers
The HDB resale levy is a payment second-time buyers make when they buy a second subsidised HDB flat or EC, to reduce the housing subsidy enjoyed twice
Bank Valuation and How It Shapes Your Loan
The bank valuation is a bank-appointed valuer's assessment of a property's market worth, used to size your loan. Your maximum loan is the LTV limit ap
Decoupling: Restructuring Ownership to Save ABSD
Decoupling is the restructuring of a jointly owned property so that one co-owner buys out the other's share, leaving a single owner. This frees the ex
Fixed vs Floating Home Loan Rates in Singapore
A fixed-rate home loan locks your interest rate for a set period (commonly 1–3 years), so your monthly repayment stays constant regardless of market m
Bridging Loans for Property Upgraders
A bridging loan is a short-term loan (typically up to 6 months) that covers the funding gap when you buy a new home before receiving the sale proceeds
BUC: Buying a Property Under Construction
BUC stands for Building Under Construction — a property, usually a new launch condo, that has been sold but not yet completed (pre-TOP). BUC purchases
EHG: Enhanced CPF Housing Grant Explained
The Enhanced CPF Housing Grant (EHG) is a housing subsidy for eligible first-time HDB buyers, replacing the older Additional and Special Housing Grant
Bala's Table: How Leasehold Values Are Calculated
Bala's Table is a leasehold valuation reference that estimates what a property's remaining lease is worth as a percentage of its freehold value. It sh
CPF Accrued Interest: The Hidden Cost of Using CPF
CPF accrued interest is the interest that would have been earned on CPF funds used for property purchase, had the money remained in the CPF OA (curren
IPA: In-Principle Approval for Your Home Loan
An In-Principle Approval (IPA), sometimes called Approval-in-Principle (AIP), is a non-binding indication from a bank of how much home loan you qualif
HDB Maisonette: The Double-Storey Flat
An HDB maisonette is a double-storey flat with bedrooms upstairs and living areas downstairs, connected by an internal staircase. Executive Maisonette
Cluster Housing and Strata Landed Homes
A cluster house is a landed home (terrace, semi-detached, or bungalow) that sits within a strata development, sharing condo-style communal facilities
Shophouses: Singapore Conservation Property Explained
A shophouse is a traditional two- to four-storey building — ground-floor commercial space with residential or office units above — many of which sit i
Dual-Key Units: Two Homes in One Property
A dual-key unit is a single strata property with two separate, self-contained living spaces (typically a main unit plus a studio or one-bedroom sub-un
GFA Harmonisation: Why New Condo Units Got Smaller
GFA (Gross Floor Area) harmonisation refers to URA/BCA rule changes that took effect on 1 June 2023, standardising how strata floor area is computed.
The 15-Month Wait-Out Period Explained
The 15-month wait-out period is a cooling measure introduced on 30 September 2022. Private residential property owners (and ex-owners) below age 55 mu
Standard, Plus, Prime: HDB's New Flat Classification
From October 2024, new HDB Build-To-Order (BTO) flats are classified as Standard, Plus, or Prime instead of the old mature/non-mature estate labels. S
EC Explained: Executive Condominium Rules and Eligibility
An Executive Condominium (EC) is a hybrid public-private housing type built and sold by private developers but subject to HDB eligibility rules for th