SINGAPORE: The
government has imposed an Additional Buyer's Stamp Duty (ABSD) for
private property of between 3 per cent and 10 per cent for Singaporeans,
Permanent Residents and foreigners to moderate investment demand for
private residential property and promote a more stable and sustainable
market.
The changes take effect on December 8.
Foreigners will pay 10 per cent Additional Buyer's Stamp Duty (ABSD) for any residential property.
Permanent Residents owning one and buying second and subsequent properties will pay 3 per cent ABSD.
Singaporeans
owning two and buying a third and subsequent residential properties
will pay 3 per cent Additional Buyer's Stamp Duty.
The ABSD will
be imposed over and above the current Buyer's Stamp Duty, which are 1
per cent on the first $180,000 of purchase consideration or market value
of the property (whichever is higher), 2 per cent on the next $180,000
and 3 per cent for the remainder.
In a joint statement on
Wednesday, the Finance and National Development ministries say the
government's objective is to promote a sustainable residential property
market where prices move in line with economic fundamentals.
They said prices of private residential properties have continued to rise, albeit more slowly in the last two quarters.
Prices
are now 13 per cent above the peak in the second quarter of 1996, and
16 per cent above the more recent peak in the second quarter of 2008.
They said that even with the current economic uncertainties, the demand for private residential property remains firm.
Given
the uncertainty in stock markets and with interest rates remaining low,
private property in Singapore continues to attract local and foreign
investors.
They added that excessive investment demand will make
the property cycle more volatile, and thus increase the risks to
Singapore's economy and banking system.
The government said the
higher ABSD rate for foreign buyers in particular is necessary, in view
of the large pool of external liquidity and strong buying interest from
abroad, and the relatively small size of the Singapore market.
The
government said foreign purchases account for 19 per cent of all
private residential property purchases in the second half of 2011, up
from 7 per cent in the first half of 2009.
For purchases made
jointly by two or more parties (eg a Singaporean with a PR, or a PR with
a foreigner), the higher applicable ABSD rate will be imposed.
For example, if a citizen purchases a property with a foreigner, the ABSD of 10 per cent will apply.
In
the case of a joint purchase by Singaporeans, who each already owns
properties, the ABSD of 3 per cent will apply as long as one of the
purchasers already owns two properties.
Deputy Prime Minister and
Minister for Finance Tharman Shanmugaratnam, said: "We have always had
open markets and must keep them that way. However, the reality is that
investment flows into our property market are now larger than before,
and unlikely to recede as long as interest rates remain low.
"The
additional buyer's stamp duty should help cool investment demand, and
avoid the prospect of a major, destabilising correction further down the
road."
Nicholas Mak, Executive Director of Research and
Consultancy at SLP International, said: "It will curb investment demand
for private residential properties quite drastically, especially demand
from non-resident foreigners. And I think in the next one to two months
or so, demand from non-resident foreigners will almost dry-up."
Home buyers are mixed in their views.
One
Indian foreigner said: "I know there is a stamp duty, but any increase
in that will probably take it out of my level where I want to buy."
An
Indian who is a Permanent Resident said: "Nowadays, HDB properties are
also difficult to buy, because of more conditions. So they have to buy
property here. Definitely they'll keep buying more irrespective of
whether the stamp duty is increased or not."
One Singaporean
said: "It probably wouldn't have an effect in the short-term, because
the property market prices are still rising, people are still
speculating."
Minister for National Development Khaw Boon Wan
said: "We are ramping up the supply of new Executive Condominium units
through the Government Land Sales Programme.
"This will help
higher-income Singaporeans own private condominium units in an
affordable way, as the sale of new EC units is restricted to Singaporean
households only."
Singaporean first-time buyers and upgraders, and buyers of HDB flats will not be affected by the new measure.
Certain reliefs will be provided so that the measure will not impact home occupation demand by residents.
For example, relief will be provided for Singaporean-foreigner/PR married couples buying their homes.
Reliefs
will also be provided for qualifying developers and for purchases
falling within the scope of Singapore's international trade agreements.
The government will continue to ensure an adequate supply of private housing to meet-medium term demand.
There are 41,000 unsold private housing units in the pipeline.
The
government will inject sites that can potentially yield a total of
14,100 units in the 1H2012 Government Land Sales (GLS) Programme,
similar to the supply in previous GLS programmes.
Of these, about 7,000 units will be from sites on the Confirmed List.
These numbers take into account the ample pipeline supply and the dampening effect of the ABSD.
The
government will also expand the supply of executive condominiums (ECs)
in 2012 and is prepared to release sites that can potentially yield
5,000 EC units for the entire year.
Sites for 3,500 EC units will be made available in 1H2012, including 3,000 EC units on the Confirmed List.
The
Confirmed List quantum is comparable to the 3,000 EC units from five
sites sold for the whole of 2011. More details will be provided in the
press release for the 1H2012 GLS Programme on MND's website.
The
Government will continue to monitor the property market and adjust its
property policies in step with changes in the market and the economy.
- CNA/de
==========
more money for the coffers.