Foreigners are permitted to buy real estate in Singapore, and thereafter benefit from selling Singapore real estate. Singapore has experienced an influx of expatriates, and some foreigners have preferred to buy rather than face escalating rentals, especially if they are going to be in Singapore for more than a couple of years. Foreign buyers, including permanent residents, tendered 2,448 caveats for private homes in Q3 2009, the first step toward purchasing a home. The volume of caveats for Q3 was up from 1,807 caveats during Q2, and a mere 498 in Q1 2009, according to Savills. Permanent residents purchased 1,389 homes in Q3 2009.

Buying real estate in Singapore is either on a freehold or leasehold tenure basis. Buying a freehold title enables the owner to hold the property indefinitely, whilst a leasehold title gives the buyer ownership for a lease period, which is usually 99 years but can be 999 years. When the lease expires, the title for the property reverts to the government.

Buying real estate in Singapore, which is freehold, is generally more expensive, relative to a similar leasehold property. However, leasehold properties still provide good investment opportunities, as the long lease period is much longer than the normal purchase and sell cycle.

The Singapore government imposed the Residential Property Act in 1973 in order to find a balance between Singaporeans being able to own a stake in the country while still attracting foreign investment. Buying real estate in Singapore that includes land requires approval from the Singapore Land Authority (SLA).

The argument about buying freehold versus leasehold real estate in Singapore has pro's and con's for both sides. Freehold property is seen as more prestigious and allows a property to be kept in a family for generations. While there is no conclusive research, some say freehold property will have better capital appreciation. For foreign investors buying real estate in Singapore, more consideration should be given to location and nearby facilities as tenants do not care whether the property is freehold or leasehold and the tendency for upgrading is popular in Singapore so moving from one leasehold property to another can be just as beneficial.

Healy Consultants assists international investors effectively and efficiently manage every step in the process of buying real estate in Singapore, and for selling real estate in Singapore. Professional advice is provided for the following processes:

Source a local lawyer to undertake the legal matters required when buying real estate in Singapore.

Establishing the needs of clients in relation to location, size, budget, property facilities, security requirements, proximity to transport and schools.

Providing clients with options for buying real estate in Singapore. This could include photos, location summaries, rental yields and recently transacted real estate prices.

Arranging international mortgages for the buying real estate in Singapore. Healy Consultants works with leading international banks including ANZ Bank, DBS Bank and OCBC to establish the most competitive terms the conditions for the property finance.

Ensuring the key steps of arranging option to purchase, sales and purchase agreements and certificate of title are carried out correctly.

Providing an overview of the Singapore residential and commercial property markets. Reputable sources including the Singapore Economic Development Board, the Urban Redevelopment Authority, the Land Transport Authority and the Monetary Authority of Singapore are used as reference for analysis economic indicators, Singapore real estate cycles, property trends, interest rate and currency fluctuations and their impact on buying real estate in Singapore.

Foreign individuals buying real estate in Singapore are required to pay taxes. Rental income earned by non-residents is subject to the non-resident tax rate of 20%. Healy Consultants provides investors invaluable tax and accounting advice in relation to meeting their tax obligations when buying real estate in Singapore.

Healy Consultants provides support to investors after buying real estate in Singapore with property management tasks including i) arranging appropriate property insurance, ii) appointing and supervising reliable agents or contractors to undertake refurbishment requirements, iii) managing the process of finding tenants, iv) implementing security measures and v) effective problem solving.

After buying real estate in Singapore, Healy Consultants assists clients with migration requirements including arranging work visas, organizing relocation services and country orientation programs.