Singapore Property Guides for Sellers, Upgraders and Buyers
Practical, worked-number guidance on selling, upgrading and buying residential property in Singapore — HDB, EC, Landed and private condo.
Written by Rick Long, Associate Senior Division Director at Huttons Asia (CEA R026818Z), covering CPF, ABSD, sale proceeds and affordability, grounded in official sources like HDB, CPF Board and IRAS. New guides published regularly.
What the rules say, what the numbers show, and what I’d do next.
Client Experiences | Documented, Not Curated
HDB Contra (ECF): How to Sell and Buy an HDB Flat at the Same Time
Selling one HDB flat while buying another? The Enhanced Contra Facility routes your sale proceeds and CPF refund straight into your next purchase. Here’s the 2026 guide — rules, timeline, worked numbers, and the failure modes nobody covers.
EC Decoupling After MOP
An existing EC can be decoupled at the five-year MOP. Past that point the loan is tested on TDSR, not MSR, which is what decides whether one owner can carry it.
Decoupling Cost Singapore: Duties & Break-Even
Decoupling costs BSD on the transferred share, two sets of legal fees and a valuation, with SSD and ABSD only in some cases. The CPF refund is not a cost — here is how to work out the break-even.
Freehold vs. Leasehold Property in Singapore: Which Is Better?
Neither tenure wins on its own. URA resale data by region, one real pair compared factor by factor, and the CPF test for when tenure starts to matter.
Sell One, Buy Two in Singapore: How It Works
Selling one property and buying two rests on a single piece of arithmetic: each name buys as a first housing loan, at up to 75%. Here is how that works, who it fits, and when keeping the property you already own is the better move.
How to Choose a Property Agent in Singapore
There is no perfect property agent, but there is a checkable one. What the CEA Public Register shows about an agent’s record, what it leaves out, and the questions worth asking before you appoint anyone.
Selling Your HDB Without an Agent: What It Takes
Selling your HDB flat on your own is permitted, and CEA publishes the route for it. Whether it suits you depends on how many moving parts your sale has — and on knowing what the buyer’s agent may and may not do.
How Much Is Property Agent Commission in Singapore?
How much commission is fair to your property agent? Factors to consider when paying property agent commission. Will Service and Value add be more important?
When to Sell Your HDB Before BTO Key Collection
Collecting BTO keys soon? See when to sell your current HDB flat, how the 6-month rule works, and the two HDB schemes that bridge the payment gap.
Hi, I’m Rick Long,
Associate Senior Division Director, Huttons Asia · CEA Reg. R026818Z
With decades of experience in Singapore’s real estate market, I’ve had the privilege of being mentioned in media outlets such as Channel NewsAsia, The Straits Times, and 99.co.
Over the years, I’ve written extensively on the local property landscape — tackling the real questions buyers and sellers face, and helping them navigate each step with greater steadiness and confidence.
Many of my clients have become long-time friends — their trust and kind reviews continue to inspire me to raise the bar in everything I do.
I believe real estate should be strategic, seamless, and deeply aligned with your life’s journey.