Higher stamp duty rates for home purchases and tighter loan limits
The latest cooling measures come amid an increase in private residential prices of 9.1 per cent over the past year.ST PHOTO: KUA CHEE SIONG
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27 MIN AGO
SINGAPORE - The Additional Buyer's Stamp Duty (ABSD) rates and Loan-to-Value (LTV) limits on home purchases will be increased to cool the property market and keep price increases in line with economic fundamentals, said the Government on Thursday evening (July 5).
There is no change for Singapore citizens and Singapore permanent residents buying their first residential property with rates remaining at 0 per cent and 5 per cent, respectively.
However, for all other individuals, ABSD will be raised by 5 percentage points. For entities, including companies, ABSD will be raised by 10 percentage points.
The changes take place on July 6.
The latest cooling measures come amid an increase in private residential prices of 9.1 per cent over the past year.
After declining for close to four years, private home prices started rising in the third quarter of last year. The sharp increase in prices, if left unchecked, could raise the risk of a destabilising correction in the future, especially with rising interest rates and the strong pipeline of housing supply, said the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of National Development and Monetary Authority of Singapore in a joint press statement.
Loan-to-value limits will be tightened by 5 percentage points for all housing loans granted by financial institutions. For example, before the change, for the first housing loan, a borrower could borrow up to 80 per cent (or 60 per cent if the loan tenure is more than 30 years, or extends past age 65) . Now, the limits have been reduced to 75 per cent (or 55 per cent).
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These revised LTV limits do not apply to loans granted by HDB.