By Winfred Quek · CEA R073319H · Published 26 October 2026
Facts verified: 26 October 2026 · Sources listed below
You waited out the SSD window. Now the question changes from "can I afford to sell?" to "do I still want to?". This page is a decision guide for that moment. It covers private homes such as condos. HDB flats follow HDB's own rules on minimum occupation and renting out, so check those with HDB. For the SSD rules themselves, see Seller stamp duty in Singapore, and for how it fits with the other duties, how BSD, ABSD and SSD stack.
What is SSD, and which schedule applies to you?
IRAS says SSD is payable on residential property acquired on or after 20 Feb 2010 and sold within the holding period. The rate is applied to the higher of the selling price or the market value. On 3 July 2025 the Government lengthened the holding period from three to four years and raised each rate by four percentage points, for properties purchased on and after 4 July 2025, with no transition period. Your purchase date decides the schedule.
| Date of purchase | Up to 1 year | 1 to 2 years | 2 to 3 years | 3 to 4 years | After the period |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| On or after 4 Jul 2025 | 16% | 12% | 8% | 4% | No SSD after 4 years |
| 11 Mar 2017 to 3 Jul 2025 | 12% | 8% | 4% | No SSD | No SSD after 3 years |
| 14 Jan 2011 to 10 Mar 2017 | 16% | 12% | 8% | 4% | No SSD after 4 years |
Source: IRAS, Seller's Stamp Duty (SSD) for residential property, iras.gov.sg, checked 26 October 2026. IRAS also lists older schedules for purchases from 20 Feb 2010 to 13 Jan 2011; most owners today are on the three rows above.
How the period is counted. IRAS says the date of purchase is, in most cases, the date of acceptance of the Option to Purchase or the date of the Sale and Purchase Agreement. The date of sale is, in most cases, the date the buyer accepts your Option to Purchase or the date of the Sale and Purchase Agreement. IRAS's own examples show the end date as the anniversary: a purchase on 17 Mar 2017 has no SSD on a sale on or after 17 Mar 2020, and a purchase on 7 July 2025 has none on a sale on or after 7 July 2029.
Where you stand as of 26 October 2026 (my reading of the IRAS table, so confirm your own dates):
- Bought on or before 26 Oct 2023: the three year period has already passed, so no SSD.
- Bought from 27 Oct 2023 to 3 Jul 2025: three year schedule, so your end date falls between 27 Oct 2026 and 3 Jul 2028.
- Bought on or after 4 Jul 2025: four year schedule, so the earliest end date is 4 Jul 2029.
Because the sale date is usually the date the buyer accepts your option, a deal signed a day early can change the bill. Have your lawyer confirm the dates in writing before you sign. Timing games inside the window are covered in SSD timing and exit timing and SSD windows, so I will not repeat them here.
What actually changes when SSD is zero
Only one line on the cost sheet changes: SSD drops to $0. Everything else stays. The loan still has to be discharged, any CPF you used still has to be refunded with accrued interest, and the property still has to be sold at a price a buyer will pay. Nothing about the end of SSD says the market is good or bad for you. So the decision rests on your own numbers and plans. Three paths follow.
Option 1: Sell
- SSD: $0 once your holding period has passed.
- Agent fee: negotiable, and agreed in writing before you appoint anyone. Ask what is included.
- Legal fees: depend on the lawyer and the work involved, so get a quote from your own conveyancing lawyer. I have not quoted a range because I did not find an official one.
- Loan and CPF: the lender sets the discharge amount and any prepayment terms in your loan letter, and CPF Board holds the refund of the amount you used plus accrued interest. Both come out of the proceeds. The seller costs guide walks through the order.
- Your next purchase: if you plan to buy again, see the ABSD section below before you sign anything.
Run your own figures in the net proceeds calculator, and use the should I sell tool to organise the question.
Option 2: Hold (live in it)
Holding is not free, and it is not nothing either. Your ongoing costs are mainly the loan repayments, property tax, maintenance and any management fees for your development. Maintenance and sinking fund charges are specific to each development, so use your own bills.
For property tax, IRAS publishes progressive rates on the property's Annual Value. If you live in the home, the owner occupier rates apply. If you do not, the higher non owner occupier rates apply. This matters if you move out and leave the place empty.
| Owner occupied, from 1 Jan 2025 | Rate |
|---|---|
| First $12,000 of Annual Value | 0% |
| Next $28,000 | 4% |
| Next $10,000 | 6% |
| Next $25,000 | 10% |
| Next $10,000 | 14% |
| Next $15,000 | 20% |
| Next $40,000 | 26% |
| Above $140,000 | 32% |
| Non owner occupied, from 1 Jan 2024 | Rate |
|---|---|
| First $30,000 of Annual Value | 12% |
| Next $15,000 | 20% |
| Next $15,000 | 28% |
| Above $60,000 | 36% |
Source: IRAS, Property Tax Rates, iras.gov.sg, page last updated 11 August 2026, checked 26 October 2026.
Option 3: Rent it out
- Minimum stay: URA says all occupants of a private residential property must fulfil a minimum stay of three consecutive months, and the property cannot be used for short term accommodation such as daily or weekly stays.
- Tax: IRAS taxes rental income from property. For a tenanted residential property, IRAS lets you claim a deemed 15% of gross rent as expenses, and you may still claim mortgage interest on top. The alternative is to claim actual expenses with records kept for at least five years. IRAS says you must use the same method for all your tenanted residential properties.
- Property tax: once you move out, the non owner occupier rates in the table above apply.
- HDB: renting out an HDB flat follows HDB's rules, not URA's. Check HDB before you plan around it.
Check the gross yield against your own costs in the rental yield calculator.
The two money rules that shape your next move
Loans and TDSR. MAS sets the Total Debt Servicing Ratio at 55% of monthly income for property loans where the option was granted on or after 16 December 2021, and existing monthly debts count toward it. If you keep this home with a loan and apply for another, the lender will count the first loan. How the lender treats rental income is the lender's call, so ask it directly. Test it with the TDSR scenario tool.
ABSD on the next purchase. IRAS bases ABSD on your profile and the number of residential properties you own on the date of purchase. From 27 Apr 2023, a Singapore Citizen pays no ABSD on a first property, 20% on a second and 30% on a third or later. A Singapore PR pays 5% on a first and 30% on a second. A foreigner pays 60% on any residential property. If you will buy before your old home is sold, it counts as a property you own. IRAS has a refund route for some married couples buying a matrimonial home, with conditions, so ask your lawyer. More in how the duties stack.
Illustrative example (assumed figures, not a forecast)
Assumptions, all invented for illustration: a Singapore Citizen couple owns a condo bought several years ago, so SSD is $0. They are offered $2,000,000 (an assumed price, not a market view). Outstanding loan: $700,000. CPF used on the home, with accrued interest: $400,000. Selling costs including agent fee and legal fees: $20,000 in total.
If they sell: $2,000,000 minus $700,000 minus $400,000 minus $20,000 leaves about $880,000, of which the $400,000 CPF refund goes back to their CPF accounts and the rest is cash. Their next purchase would be a first property only if they own nothing else when they buy.
If they rent it out at an assumed $5,000 a month: gross rent $60,000. With assumed mortgage interest of $18,000 and IRAS's deemed 15% ($9,000), net rental income before tax is $60,000 minus $18,000 minus $9,000, or $33,000 (my arithmetic, following the IRAS worked method). That is before income tax on it. If the Annual Value is an assumed $60,000, the property tax changes from $2,720 (owner occupied) to $10,800 (non owner occupied) under the IRAS tables above, which is an extra $8,080 a year. If they keep the condo and buy another home, the new home would count as their second property for ABSD, and the IRAS rate for a Singapore Citizen is 20%.
None of this says which path is better. It shows which numbers to find for your own home.
When holding makes sense
Holding can be a sound choice, and it can be a poor one. Be honest with yourself about which fits.
- You live in it and it suits your household for the next few years, and moving would cost more in money and disruption than it saves.
- Your loan and cash flow are comfortable without the sale, and you do not need the cash for another purpose.
- You would be buying again at a stage where ABSD, TDSR or timing makes a new purchase less attractive than staying.
- You are renting it out and the net rent, after interest, property tax, upkeep and vacancy, covers what you expect from it.
Holding is harder to justify if you hold only because "SSD is gone, so I can sell any time", if the place sits empty at the higher non owner occupier tax rate, or if a stretched loan leaves no buffer. Neither the end of SSD nor the passing of time guarantees a better price later. Prices can fall as well as rise.
Questions to settle before you decide
- What is my exact purchase date and holding period, confirmed in writing?
- What would I clear after the loan, CPF refund and selling costs?
- If I keep it, what do I pay each month and each year, honestly?
- If I buy again, what ABSD profile will I have on the purchase date, and does my TDSR allow it?
- Is there something I would regret not having done in five years?
Frequently asked questions
What is SSD in property?
IRAS says SSD is payable on residential property acquired on or after 20 Feb 2010 and sold within the holding period. It is charged on the higher of the selling price or market value.
What is the SSD end date for my home?
IRAS sets a 4 year holding period for purchases on or after 4 Jul 2025 and a 3 year period for purchases from 11 Mar 2017 to 3 Jul 2025. IRAS's examples show no SSD on a sale on or after the anniversary of the purchase date. Confirm your own dates with your lawyer.
Do I still pay SSD if I sell after the holding period?
No. IRAS lists no SSD payable once the holding period has passed. Other costs still apply, such as the agent fee, legal fees, loan discharge and the CPF refund with accrued interest.
Can I rent out my condo after SSD ends?
URA says private residential properties need a minimum stay of three consecutive months and cannot be used for short term accommodation. IRAS taxes the rental income, and you can claim a deemed 15% of gross rent as expenses plus mortgage interest, or actual expenses. HDB flats follow HDB's own rules.
Does selling affect the ABSD on my next purchase?
IRAS bases ABSD on your profile and the properties you own on the purchase date. A Singapore Citizen pays 20% on a second residential property and 30% on a third or later, as at 26 October 2026, so whether your old home is still yours on that date matters. Check the timing with your lawyer.
SSD period over and deciding what to do with your condo?
Share your purchase date and what you are weighing, and Winfred will go through the numbers with you: your SSD end date, the cash left after selling, and what a next purchase would involve. General information only.
Ask Winfred on WhatsApp Book a free 30 minute callWinfred Quek, CEA R073319H, Crestbrick Pte Ltd (L3010886H). General information as at 26 October 2026, not legal, financial, tax or property advice. Verify current rules with IRAS, URA and MAS, and take tax questions to a tax professional.