Purchasing a Property in Singapore: 5 Things to Take into Account

Homeownership may remain an elusive dream for many people in other countries, but not so for the citizens of  Singapore. Thanks to the government’s successful public housing scheme, the Lion City is one of the countries with the highest property ownership rate in the world.

Although there are plenty of opportunities for Singaporeans like you to own a property, it does not mean that the process is always easy. After all, buying a home is a huge decision and a long-term financial commitment that you cannot enter blindly. If you are thinking of purchasing a property in Singapore, make sure to consider the things below.

 Eligibility to Buy a Property

Before you get excited at the thought of having a property in one of the most desirable cities in Asia, you should first ensure that you are qualified to purchase the home you want. For example, if you intend to buy a private residential property, you need to be a Singaporean citizen who is twenty-one years of age or older. If you are eyeing a Housing and Development Board (HDB) flat, the eligibility requirements will vary depending on the type of sales scheme you will choose.

An HDB Build-To-Order (BTO) flat, for instance, requires single buyers to be Singapore citizens who are at least 35 years old. Income ceilings are also set for various types of BTO flats, among other restrictions. To check whether you met the eligibility conditions to buy an HDB flat, you may use the “Check Your Eligibility” e-service provided by the HDB.

Your Current Finances

Another crucial factor to consider when planning to buy a home is your finances. Make sure that you take a look at your current resources to know whether or not you can afford to purchase a property at this time. Keep in mind that even if you are eligible for a loan and have CPF savings, there are plenty of expenses that you have to cover on your own. To get an idea if you can afford all the costs involved in purchasing a property, try to assess the following:

• Your personal funds. Examine if you have enough savings to cover upfront costs, such as the agent’s commission; the cost of renovation, furniture, and other miscellaneous expenses; as well as monthly repayments if you suddenly lose your job.
• Your CPF Ordinary Account (OA) balance. You should also find out how much funds you have in your CPF OA account. Your OA savings and your future monthly CPF contributions are crucial factors in estimating the amount you can spend on buying a property.
• Income. You need a stable income source if you are buying a property since you need to pay for your monthly mortgage payments and to cover other ongoing expenses, like fire insurance and management service fees. Try using an HDB BTO calculator and similar financial tools to find out the monthly repayments you have to make. This way you’ll be able to gauge whether or not your earnings can cover the cost of acquiring your dream home.

Your CPF Savings

Unless you have tons of cash, you will most likely rely on your CPF Savings to purchase a property. Although you can do so under the CPF Housing Scheme, you should remember that your CPF money is primarily for your retirement needs. As such, there is a limit to the amount of CPF savings you can use to fund your home.

Your CPF withdrawal limit depends on numerous factors like the type of property and home loan you are getting. It is essential to figure out how much CPF savings you can use so that you can better plan on how to finance your new home. Try using the CPF Housing Usage Calculator to get an estimate.

How Much You Can Borrow

Apart from finding out how much CPF savings you can use, it is also essential to get an idea of how much money you can borrow to finance your home purchase. Note that lenders determine the loan amount based on the following:

• Mortgage servicing ratio (MSR). The MSR shows the percentage of your gross monthly earnings allotted for your loan payments. You can compute your MSR by dividing your monthly mortgage payment by your gross monthly income. Note that your MSR should not go beyond 30 per cent if you are buying an HDB flat or executive condominium.

• Total debt servicing ratio (TDSR). Lenders will also calculate your TDSR (your total monthly debt payments divided by your gross monthly income) to ensure that you still have enough earnings for your living expenses and debt repayments. Know that you cannot take a home loan if you exceed the TDSR limit of 60 per cent. 

• Loan-to-value limit (LTV). Your LTV limit is the maximum amount you can borrow to finance your home. This limit varies depending on the number of outstanding housing loans you have and other factors.

Type of Home Loan

Make it a point to also think about the home loan options available to you when planning to purchase a property. For instance, if you are eyeing a private residential property, you can only borrow from a bank or similar financing institutions. For HDB flats, you have the option to apply for an HDB housing loan if you are eligible, in addition to a bank loan.

When looking at home loan options, take your time to compare home loans provided by different lenders to find the loan package most beneficial to your needs. Weigh the pros and cons of various home loans, taking into account the following factors:

• Loan amount
• Loan term
• Interest rates
• Lock-in period and fees, especially penalty fees for early repayment
• Special features and discounts

 Buying a home is not a decision that you can take lightly. It requires careful planning and honest assessment of your finances so that you will not end up biting off more than you can chew. Be sure to consider the points discussed above to help you decide if you are in the best position to achieve your homeownership goal today.