我的這趟新加坡找房之旅，始於2025年6月。
前前後後大概看了二十幾間房，花了近半年的時間，最後才終於簽下了在新加坡，屬於自己的第一間房子。
而最不可思議的是，我最後買下的，居然是當初心中排名第一，卻因為價格太高而不得不直接放棄的那一套房。
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看房時就非常喜歡這個物件。覺得它的地段、規劃設計、房間格局、永久產權，幾乎是我心中的完美之選，唯一不喜歡的，就是價格了。所以當下其實沒有想太多，很快就在心裡默默劃掉了它。
沒想到，幾個月後居然峰迴路轉。
在2025年聖誕節前夕，我順利Exercise OTP，正式簽下了這間房子。
直到現在，還是覺得有點不可思議。有時候忍不住想，這套房子，或許真的是我一步步、一路慢慢「顯化」而來的吧！
新加坡新發售私宅（Condo）購屋流程
在新加坡購置房產，有幾個重要的時間點和付款期程需要注意。以下以購置一套一百萬新幣（約台幣2500萬）、新發售的私人公寓做舉例。
*組屋、二手房和新上市的私人公寓流程會略有不同，這裡以PR，購置新發售的私人公寓舉例
在台灣買預售屋，通常一週內支付訂金與簽約款，大約是房價的10～15%，後面則跟著工程進度慢慢支付工程款（約10%），然後在最後房屋完工取得使照、過戶到個人名下時，才開始走貸款流程，取得剩餘75～80%的貸款。
但新加坡的節奏完全不同。以PR購買新建案私人公寓來說，通常需要在短短兩個月內，支付：
- 20%的頭期款 （已開工要再多付地基的5%）
- 約8%的稅金（3% BSD＋5% ABSD）
換句話說，如果是一間總價新幣100萬元（約台幣2500萬）的房子，大約需要在兩個月內準備新幣28萬元（約台幣700萬元）的現金與CPF。同樣在台灣購買2500萬的房子，在前幾個月通常需支付台幣250～375萬的訂金與簽約金，整體付款期限會被拉得比較長。這也是我覺得，在新加坡買房最大的門檻。
在新加坡購屋，通常而言，真正困難的不是後面的房貸，而是前面那一大筆頭期款。只要撐過前期，「頭過身就過」，後面的付款，基本上就會跟著工程進度和銀行貸款慢慢支付（Progressive Payment Scheme），而每月房貸也能部分使用公積金（CPF）負擔，整體現金流壓力反而相對可控（新加坡房貸在買賣合約簽了後就核貸撥款了，工程款等於是銀行代墊給開發商，然後購屋者再按月支付給銀行，一開始每個月可能只有新幣幾百塊；比起台灣工程款期程和金額由開發商自行決定，需要自己準備足夠的大筆現金，又是很大的相異之處）。
相較兩地購屋制度的設計，台灣是一開始上車比較容易，因此比較有可能不小心簽了房子，最後卻繳不出工程款的情況，或甚至在兩三年後交屋，申請房貸時發現有問題，而必須面臨斷頭。新加坡則是在前期，頭期款的要求就嚇退不少人，但只要一上車，在一開始S&P階段便鎖定房貸，後面幾本上沒有太大問題。
以需要準備自備款的角度來看，我覺得台灣較低的自備款是比較良善的（但好像炒房門檻就比較低？），而新加坡在買房初期就鎖定房貸是比較讓人安心的。以現在總體經濟及利率政策劇烈變化的環境下，較早確定貸款，似乎比較可以免除夜長夢多的擔憂。
我的購屋時間軸
回頭看，整趟流程其實大約只花了半年。但中間的情緒起伏，真的是難以言喻，尤其當時我也同時忙著轉職的事情。
2025年6月｜開始看房
真正開始認真看房後，才發現市場和自己原本想像的差距很大。本來只想簡單的找個棲身之所，到後來越發現學問很大，必須好好作功課，仔細挑選最適合的物件，才不至於到時候出場慘賠，或發現根本賣不掉。
一開始看房時，對於：
- 自己真正想要什麼
- 哪些區域適合自己
- 能負擔的價格區間
- 哪些條件可以妥協
其實都還很模糊，都是在一次次看房、一次次被房價震撼教育後，才開始慢慢建立自己的判斷標準，並且逐漸讓理想和現實靠攏。
2025年9–10月｜同步開始做銀行 IPA
接下來開始陸續向幾家銀行申請 IPA（In-Principle Approval）。
簡單來說，就是先確認：
- 自己大概能貸多少、貸款年限為何
- 利率條件如何
- 銀行願意給多少成數
這一步非常重要，因為很多時候，真正決定能否買房的，不是「想不想買」，而是銀行願意借你多少。拿到了IPA，確定貸款成數及金額，對於找房的過程，也會更有底、更精準。
每家銀行給的條件可能會略有不同，可以詢問個至少兩家，交叉比對，也對市場的利率環境更了解。
2025年11月20日｜夢中情房議價成功
這應該是整個購屋過程中，最戲劇化的一天。
當時去談自己最喜歡、但覺得根本買不起的那間房子。本來沒有抱太大期待，還安慰自己一切「盡人事、聽天命」就好。沒想到，居然立刻就獲得議價成功的消息！
但因為是開發商給的特別價格，對方希望我當天就直接簽OTP（Option to Purchase）。
整件事情發生得太快，我甚至有點反應不過來。前一秒還抱著忐忑不安的心情，下一秒就突然開始進入簽約流程。
2025年11月28日｜支付5%訂金
理論上，簽OTP當天就需要支付5%訂金。但因為事情發生得太突然，我完全沒料到議價會成功，所以還和開發商爭取了幾天時間等資金到位。所以如果是跟開發商直接購買的一手房，只要不要太過頭，開發商可能會願意稍微通融。
2025年12月10日｜銀行正式核貸
剛好在生日當天，收到銀行核貸通過的訊息。
在此之前，其實我一直都很擔心焦慮，因為批IPA、貸款申辦期間，我還經歷了兩次轉職，非常擔心會因此影響核貸結果與批准速度。
畢竟，訂金都已經支付了，若銀行最後不放貸、房子買不成，那我的訂金就只能拿回75%（以100萬新幣約2500萬台幣的房子來講，我的125萬台幣訂金，只能拿回約94萬，辛苦錢就這樣打水漂了），所以當時貸款這一關是我最緊張的部分。
而我真的覺得生日當天核貸，真的是老天給我最大的生日禮物！尤其是只要再晚一天，貸款年限又會再減少一年（新加坡貸款年齡最高就是到65歲，隨著年齡增長，貸款年限逐年遞減）。
2025年12月23日｜正式 Exercise OTP
到律師事務所正式執行OTP。
那一刻其實才開始有一種：「我真的買房了（我真的開始要繳貸款了）」的真實感。同時間，擔心自己能不能負擔得起房貸的心情也是非常真實。
2026年1月｜進入大量付款期
- 1月9日：支付8%稅金BSD＋ABSD
- 1月19日：支付剩餘20%頭期款
- 1月21日：銀行確認撥貸
因為我的案子當時已經蓋到一半，所以除了頭期款之外，也同步需要支付部分工程款。短短幾週內，看著帳戶餘額大幅下降，其實心裡還是會蠻沒有安全感。
但好處是平常工作就在做不動產投資，常常看著大筆金額來來去去，只要切換成工作模式，就能比較聚焦在「把投資案完成」的目標上，藉此來淡化自己的焦慮。
2026年3月1日｜開始繳房貸
正式開始使用CPF支付每月房貸。某種程度上，也代表這段購屋流程終於正式告一段落。
購屋流程總結與建議
整趟購屋流程走下來，首先我會覺得看房、找到適合的物件、談到理想的價格是最耗時及困難的。往往剛開始看房，都還不太清楚自己的期待，經過被現實（房價）的調教與洗禮後，開始會鎖定適合的區域和價格區間，然後再進入到後續議價的過程。
至於購屋的流程與付款期程等，新加坡的仲介大致上來說都還蠻專業的，基本上都會把購屋流程講解的很詳細。接下來，就是自己計算財務的可行性，以及現金流是否足夠cover了。
由於自己的工作就是不動產投資，職業病使然，也幫自己做過好幾個版本的流程表、建模模計算現金流，免不了也要幫自己算一下在各種情境的投資報酬率。這個部分真的很重要，除了了解自己的負擔能力、什麼時間點要拿多少錢出來、是否有足夠的緊急預備金、房子未來脫手是否有市場價值，真的心裡都要有個底，以免某個環節出了錯，讓自己先前的努力都白費了。
事前功課如果都做得差不多，簽了字之後，其實就沒什麼事了。就是耐心等開發商和律所，通知付款並按期支付，安靜的讓我蠻沒真實感的（不過仲介說，在新加坡沒消息通常就是好消息，代表過程順利進行，通常有消息都不會是什麼好事）。
大約兩個月，流程就這樣全部走完了，而銀行帳戶，也就這樣空了。
好的專業人士幫你買到理想中的房子
這次購屋過程中，我非常幸運的就是：找到專業可靠的仲介與貸款顧問。要是沒有遇到我當時的仲介和貸款業務，我這套房子在很多環節都可能會沒辦法順利進行，導致最後沒辦法close deal，簽下心中最理想的夢想小屋。
這也是在前期準備工作中不可或缺的部分，不要因為怕麻煩，而沒有透過不同的管道多了解，找到和自己最契合、溝通最有默契的專業人士。
對我來說，這次買房其實不只是一次投資。
更像是一種：「終於開始在這個城市慢慢落地生根」的感覺。
從剛來新加坡時的不確定，到後來慢慢適應工作、建立自己的生活，再到現在擁有第一個真正屬於自己的空間。回頭看，這將近四年的時間，雖然過程中有很多「眼淚只能往肚裡吞」的時刻，但現在感覺一切都值得。
而買房，也不只是單純的財務決定。
很多時候，它更像是一種：「我選擇，我的未來要構築在這裡。」
希望這篇文章，可以幫助正在新加坡找房、或準備買房的人，對整個流程有更真實的理解。
接下來，也會分享更多這次買房的心得，以及我對新加坡房地產的一些觀察與了解。
也歡迎告訴我，你對買房的哪個環節想要了解更多～
➤ 關聯閱讀
My property search journey in Singapore began in June 2025.
After viewing more than twenty units over the course of nearly six months, I finally signed for my very first home in Singapore.
And perhaps the most unbelievable part of all was this: The unit I eventually bought was the very same one I had fallen in love with at the very beginning of my search — the one I had immediately ruled out because it felt far beyond my budget.
I still remember walking through the showflat for the first time. I loved everything about it: the freehold tenure, the layout, the location, even the atmosphere the moment I stepped inside. But the price felt unrealistic at the time, so I quietly crossed it off my list and told myself to move on.
A few months later, things took an unexpected turn.
Right before Christmas in 2025, I officially exercised the OTP (Option to Purchase) and secured the unit.
Even now, it still feels slightly surreal. Sometimes I wonder whether this home was something I had slowly manifested without even realising it.
Singapore New Launch Condo Buying Process
There are several important milestones and payment stages to be aware of when purchasing property in Singapore. To make things easier to understand, the following example is based on a newly launched private condominium priced at SGD 1 million (roughly USD 750,000), purchased under Permanent Resident (PR) status.
*Please note that the process differs slightly between HDB flats, resale properties, and new launch private condominiums. This article focuses specifically on PRs purchasing a new launch condo.
Compared to Taiwan’s pre-sale property system, the payment structure in Singapore feels dramatically different.
In Taiwan, buyers typically pay: a booking fee, the initial deposit, and signing payment, within the first week, amounting to roughly 10–15% of the purchase price. Subsequent payments are then spread gradually across the construction period, with mortgage financing usually arranged only after the property receives its completion permit and ownership transfer takes place.
Singapore, however, operates on a much faster and more front-loaded timeline. For PR buyers purchasing a new launch condominium, it is fairly common to pay within just two months:
- A 20% downpayment (If the project has already commenced construction, buyers may also need to pay an additional 5% tied to the foundation stage)
- Plus approximately 8% in taxes (3% BSD and 5% ABSD)
In other words, for a property priced at SGD 1 million (approximately USD 750,000), buyers in Singapore would typically need to prepare around SGD 280,000 (roughly USD 210,000) in cash and CPF savings within just two months. By comparison, purchasing a property of a similar value in Taiwan would usually require an initial booking fee and signing payment of around TWD 2.5–3.75 million (approximately USD 85,000–125,000) during the first few months, with the overall payment schedule spread across a much longer period. This is also why I personally feel that the biggest hurdle to buying property in Singapore lies in the substantial upfront capital required at the beginning.
In Singapore, the most difficult part of buying a property is usually not the mortgage itself — it is the upfront capital required at the beginning. Once you survive the initial phase, the rest generally becomes more manageable. Subsequent payments are tied to the construction progress under Singapore’s Progressive Payment Scheme (PPS), while monthly mortgage instalments can partially be serviced using CPF contributions.
Interestingly, mortgage repayment in Singapore effectively begins once the Sales & Purchase Agreement is signed. The bank progressively disburses funds to the developer according to construction milestones, and buyers then repay the bank gradually over time. At the beginning, monthly repayments can be surprisingly low — sometimes only a few hundred Singapore dollars.
This differs quite significantly from Taiwan’s system, where developers often determine the timing and amount of construction payments themselves, meaning buyers may need to prepare larger amounts of cash independently throughout the construction period.
Looking at both systems side by side, I personally feel Taiwan makes entering the market easier initially due to the lower upfront capital requirement. However, this also means some buyers may commit to a property too early, only to discover later that they struggle to meet construction payments or secure mortgage approval upon completion several years down the line.
Singapore, on the other hand, places much heavier financial pressure upfront. The downpayment alone is enough to discourage many buyers. But once you successfully pass the initial Sales & Purchase stage and secure financing early on, the process afterwards tends to be far more stable and predictable.
In today’s environment of rapidly changing interest rates and macroeconomic uncertainty, there is actually something reassuring about locking in financing relatively early in the process.
My Property Purchase Timeline
Looking back now, the entire process took only around six months. Emotionally, however, it felt far longer — especially since I was also navigating a career transition at the same time.
June 2025 — Beginning the Search
Once I seriously began viewing properties, I quickly realised how different the market was from what I had originally imagined.
At first, I simply wanted to find a place to live. But the deeper I went into the process, the more I realised how much research, analysis, and careful consideration were actually involved in choosing the right property. I came to understand that selecting the right home was not just about finding somewhere comfortable to stay, but also about ensuring I would not end up making a costly mistake — whether that meant suffering significant losses upon resale, or worse, discovering that the property was difficult to sell at all.
In the beginning, I was still unclear about:
- what I truly wanted,
- which neighbourhoods suited me,
- what price range I could realistically afford,
- and which compromises I was willing to make.
It was only after repeatedly viewing units — and repeatedly being humbled by Singapore property prices — that I slowly began refining my own criteria and aligning my expectations with reality.
September–October 2025 — Applying for Bank IPA
Around September and October, I began applying for IPA (In-Principle Approval) from several banks. In simple terms, this meant confirming:
- roughly how much I could borrow,
- the maximum loan tenure available to me,
- the interest rate packages offered,
- and the loan-to-value ratio each bank was willing to provide.
This step was incredibly important. Because in reality, what determines whether you can purchase a property is often not simply whether you want to buy — but whether the bank is willing to lend to you. Having an approved IPA made the home-searching process far more grounded and precise. Once I knew my borrowing capacity and financing range, I had a much clearer idea of what was realistically within reach.
Different banks may offer slightly different terms, so I would strongly recommend speaking to at least two banks for comparison. It also helps you gain a better understanding of the broader interest rate environment.
20 November 2025 — Successfully Negotiating My Dream Condo
This was probably the most dramatic day of the entire process.
I had gone to negotiate for the unit I loved the most — the same one I had already convinced myself I could never afford. Honestly, I did not have particularly high expectations. I had already mentally prepared myself with the mindset of: “Do what you can, and leave the rest to fate.”
And then, almost immediately, I received the news that my offer had been accepted. However, because the developer was offering a special promotional price, they wanted me to sign the OTP (Option to Purchase) on the very same day.
Everything happened so quickly that I barely had time to process it. One moment, I was still feeling anxious and uncertain. The next, I was suddenly entering the signing process for my future home.
28 November 2025 — Paying the 5% Option Fee
Technically, the 5% option fee is usually payable on the day the OTP is signed. But because the negotiation outcome came so unexpectedly, I genuinely had not anticipated needing the funds immediately.
Thankfully, I managed to negotiate a few extra days with the developer while arranging the funds. This is one thing I realised during the process: when purchasing directly from a developer, there can occasionally be some room for flexibility — as long as the request remains reasonable.
10 December 2025 — Final Mortgage Approval
I received the official mortgage approval on my birthday.
To this day, it still feels like the best birthday gift I could possibly have received.
Before that, I had been extremely anxious throughout the financing process. During the IPA and mortgage application period, I had actually gone through two job transitions, and I was deeply worried this might affect either the loan approval itself or the speed of processing.
After all, the booking fee had already been paid. If the bank ultimately refused to lend, the deal would collapse — and I would only recover 75% of my deposit. For a SGD 1 million property (approximately USD 750,000), that would have meant losing around USD 23,000 of hard-earned savings.
Without question, financing approval was the most stressful part of the entire journey for me.
There was also another reason why the timing mattered so much. In Singapore, mortgage tenure is generally capped at age 65. As borrowers get older, the maximum loan tenure gradually shortens year by year. Had the approval come just one day later, my maximum loan tenure would actually have been reduced by another year.
23 December 2025 — Officially Exercising the OTP
This was the day I formally exercised the OTP at the law firm.
And strangely enough, that was the moment when everything finally started to feel real. Not just: “I’ve bought a property.” But also: “I am genuinely about to start paying a mortgage.” At the same time, the question of whether I would truly be able to comfortably manage the repayments suddenly felt very real as well.
January 2026 — The Heavy Payment Phase
- 9 January: Payment of BSD + ABSD (approximately 8%)
- 19 January: Payment of the remaining 20% downpayment
- 21 January: Bank confirmed loan disbursement
Because my project was already partially under construction at the time of purchase, I also had to pay part of the construction-stage payment simultaneously alongside the downpayment. Within just a few weeks, watching my bank balance drop so significantly was honestly quite unsettling.
That said, one advantage of working in real estate investment is that I am somewhat accustomed to seeing large sums of money moving around regularly. Whenever I shifted mentally into “work mode”, I found myself focusing more rationally on: “Completing the investment.” And somehow, that helped soften the emotional anxiety surrounding the payments.
1 March 2026 — Beginning Mortgage Repayments
This was when I officially began servicing my monthly mortgage using CPF contributions. In many ways, it also marked the true end of the home-buying process.
Reflections & Advice After the Entire Journe
Looking back, I would say the most difficult and time-consuming part was never the paperwork or payment process itself. It was:
- viewing properties,
- identifying what truly suited me,
- and negotiating a price I felt comfortable committing to.
At the beginning, I honestly had very little clarity around what I truly wanted. Only after repeatedly viewing properties — and repeatedly being humbled by Singapore property prices — did I slowly begin narrowing down:
- the neighbourhoods that suited my lifestyle,
- the price range I could realistically sustain,
- and the compromises I was willing to accept.
Eventually, idealism and reality began meeting somewhere in the middle.
As for the procedural side of things, I found property agents in Singapore generally quite professional. Most were very detailed when explaining the purchase timeline, payment stages, and administrative process. After that, the most important task simply became evaluating my own finances and ensuring my cash flow could comfortably support the purchase.
Given that my professional background is in real estate investment, I naturally ended up creating multiple versions of cash flow models and investment scenarios for myself as well. And honestly, I think this part is incredibly important. Beyond simply calculating affordability, buyers should also have clarity around:
- when different sums of money will be required,
- whether they have sufficient emergency reserves,
- and whether the property would still retain resale value in the future.
Because if one key part of the process goes wrong, years of savings and effort can unravel very quickly.
Once most of the preparation work had been done, there was surprisingly very little left for me to actively handle after signing the documents. The process then became a matter of patiently waiting for updates from the developer and the law firm, making payments whenever instructed. Oddly enough, the silence itself almost felt unreal.
My agent once told me: “In Singapore property transactions, no news is usually good news.” Meaning: if the process is progressing smoothly, there is often nothing much to report.
Usually, when there is unexpected news, it tends not to be particularly good. And just like that, within roughly two months, the entire process was completed.
My bank account, however, also became considerably emptier in the process.
The Right Professionals Make All the Difference
One thing I feel incredibly grateful for throughout this journey was finding trustworthy and highly capable professionals — both my property agent and mortgage advisor. Without them, there were honestly many stages during which the deal could easily have fallen apart. And without their guidance, I genuinely do not think I would have successfully secured the condo that had always been my first choice.
This is why I believe building the right support team during the preparation stage is absolutely essential. Do not hesitate to explore multiple channels, compare different professionals, and find people who genuinely align with your needs and communication style.
The right professionals do not simply help you close a deal. They help carry you through one of the most emotionally and financially overwhelming decisions of your life.
For me, buying condo was never purely an investment decision.
It felt more like: finally beginning to build roots in this city.
From the uncertainty of first arriving in Singapore, to gradually adapting to work and daily life, and eventually reaching a point where I now have a space that truly feels like my own. Looking back over these past four years, there were certainly many moments where I quietly carried the emotional weight alone. But somehow, standing here now, it all feels worthwhile.
Because buying a home is not merely a financial decision.
Sometimes, it is also a quiet declaration that: “I have chosen to build my future here.”
I hope this article offers a more honest and realistic perspective for anyone currently searching for a home — or considering buying property — in Singapore.
I will also continue sharing more reflections from this journey, along with my observations and thoughts on Singapore’s property market.
And if there is a particular part of the buying process you would like to know more about, feel free to let me know.
➤ Related Reads
- A SPR’s Property Journal — Ch. 1: Why Buy?
- A SPR’s Property Journal — Ch. 3: How the Right Agent Helped Me Save US$240K+ on My SG Home Purchase
- Is Singapore Still Worth Moving to in 2026?
3 comments
看了你的文章，對於在新加坡買房子有一個比較架構了。希望也能在新加坡建立自己的家！
身為一個房地產小白真的不知道如何開始，尤其是在異地
PropertyGuru is a good place to start. You can find both new launch and resale projects there. Just leave a message for the agent, and they will coordinate the viewing arrangements for you.
恭喜買房！一路看你的文章到現在，覺得不簡單