Private Property & Condo Home Loan Singapore (2026)
Condo, landed, or executive condo — we run a 16-bank comparison and walk you through fixed-vs-SORA, TDSR, ABSD, decoupling, and IPA-before-OTP. Independent advice, zero broker fee.
A bank loan on a Singapore condominium, landed home, or executive condo (EC) sits in a different rule set from HDB. No MSR applies on private property — only TDSR. LTV is structured differently. Stamp duties (BSD and ABSD) are heavier and must be settled in cash. This page covers the financing decisions you'll face on a private purchase and how Nexus Mortgage compares 16 banks for you, free of charge.
Condo, landed, EC — what a private loan covers
Private property loans cover condominiums, apartments, strata-landed, terrace, semi-detached, GCB, and executive condominiums after they reach MOP. ECs at TOP and through the first five years are still subject to MSR (30%) like HDB — we cover those rules in our note on EC MOP changes for 2026. Once an EC is fully privatised after 10 years, it is treated like any private condo for financing.
Fixed vs SORA — the 2026 trade-off
The fixed-vs-floating decision is the most consequential one you'll make on a private loan. As of May 2026:
SORA-pegged is cheaper today, but it resets every quarter against the 3-Month Compounded SORA. Fixed locks the rate but typically carries a 2- to 5-year lock-in with prepayment penalty. Our short take: lock fixed if your income is bonus-heavy or commission-driven; take SORA if you have a 6-month buffer and can refinance opportunistically. We expand on this in when to refinance in Singapore.
LTV, TDSR, and the 4% stress test
- LTV — first property: 75%, provided loan tenure ≤ 30 years and age at end of tenure ≤ 65. Otherwise the cap drops to 55%.
- LTV — second property: 45%, with 25% cash downpayment minimum.
- LTV — third or more: 35%, with 25% cash downpayment minimum.
- TDSR: 55% of gross monthly income, stress-tested at MAS 4% floor under Notice 645. No MSR cap on private property.
The stress test is what trips most buyers up: a 1.40% loan is sized as if it were a 4% loan when calculating TDSR. We demystify the maths in TDSR & MSR explained and the regulatory background in MAS 4% stress test 2026.
ABSD & the decoupling angle
Additional Buyer's Stamp Duty applies on top of BSD and is paid in cash within 14 days of OTP exercise. Singaporean buyers pay 20% ABSD on a second residential property, 30% on a third or subsequent. PRs pay 30% on the second. Foreigners pay 60% on any residential purchase.
For couples already owning one private property, decoupling — having one spouse buy out the other's share so the next purchase counts as the unowned spouse's first — can avoid ABSD on the second purchase. The trade-off is BSD on the transferred share, legal fees, and a fresh TDSR check. We model the breakeven and refer experienced lawyers. Our deeper note on this approach lives in our blog archive on refinancing & restructuring private property.
IPA before OTP — non-negotiable
Always secure an In-Principle Approval before exercising the Option to Purchase. The 1% option fee is forfeit if you exercise and then can't draw down enough loan. Nexus pulls IPAs from up to three banks in parallel within 3–5 business days, free of charge. That gives you negotiation leverage on the OTP and a safety net if one bank comes back light.
Compare 16 banks for your condo or landed loan
Our free personalised mortgage report ranks every package against your TDSR. Or model your maximum private loan in seconds with our affordability calculator.
Private Property Loans, Answered
What is the maximum loan I can get on a private condo in Singapore?
On your first property, LTV is capped at 75% of valuation or purchase price (whichever is lower), provided your loan tenure is 30 years or less and you are below age 65 at the end of tenure. The actual loan size is then capped by TDSR at 55% of gross monthly income, stress-tested at 4% under MAS Notice 645. There is no MSR cap on private property — only HDB and EC.
Should I take a fixed-rate or SORA-pegged package on my condo loan?
In May 2026, SORA-pegged packages start from 0.97% p.a. (3M Compounded SORA at 1.06% + spread) versus fixed from 1.40% p.a. SORA wins on headline rate but exposes you to rate moves. Fixed buys 2–5 years of certainty. Heuristic: if your job income is volatile, lock fixed; if you have buffer and are watching the rate cycle, SORA is cheaper today.
How does ABSD affect my second-property purchase?
Singaporean buyers pay 20% Additional Buyer's Stamp Duty on a second residential property; 30% on a third or subsequent. Singapore PRs pay 30% on the second. Foreigners pay 60% on any residential purchase. ABSD is paid in cash within 14 days of OTP exercise — it is on top of BSD and is not bankable into the loan. Couples sometimes decouple to avoid ABSD on a second purchase.
What is decoupling and when does it make sense?
Decoupling means one spouse buys the other's share of an existing private property, leaving one spouse "unowned" so the next purchase counts as that spouse's first — at 0% ABSD instead of 20%. It involves BSD on the transferred share, legal fees, and a fresh TDSR check on the remaining owner. We model the breakeven and refer you to a property-experienced lawyer.
Should I get an IPA before signing the OTP?
Always. An In-Principle Approval is a written confirmation from the bank that you qualify for a specific loan amount based on your income, credit, and existing commitments. Going to OTP without one risks losing your 1% option fee if the loan falls short. Nexus arranges IPAs from up to three banks in parallel within 3–5 business days, free of charge.