This week, the Singapore government brought back something familiar—a tougher Seller’s Stamp Duty (SSD). If you sell a private property within four years of buying it, you could now pay up to 16% in SSD, depending on how soon you sell. That’s up from the previous three-year window and 12% maximum. These changes apply to all private residential properties purchased on or after 4 July 2025. HDB flat sellers will be unaffected due to the existing 5-year Minimum Occupation Period (MOP) rule. Source: Straits Times The move is not a surprise to me. If you haven’t followed the property market recently, here’s the backdrop:

• Sub-sales surged: From just 178 in 2020 to over 1,300 in 2024, with many units flipped before completion.
• Short holding periods spiked: Especially in the 3–4 year window, where sellers were cashing out just as projects neared TOP.
• Interest rates are easing: Which could have reignited speculative demand if left unchecked.

As we all know, the Singapore government’s move is often a pre-emptive strike against...