Selling Your Condo in Singapore 2026: Full Timeline & Costs

The Timeline: 4 to 6 Months

Most condo sales complete in 4 to 6 months from listing to key handover. About 1 to 3 months goes to marketing and viewings. Once a buyer is found and the OTP is issued, the remaining 3–4 months is legal processing and completion.

Prepare and Price (2–4 weeks)

Get a valuation from at least two sources — bank valuation and an independent property portal estimate. Check URA caveat data for recent transactions in your development and comparable buildings. The biggest seller mistake is overpricing relative to recent comparables — overpriced listings go stale, buyers lose interest, and you eventually accept less than you would have if you’d priced right from day one.

Engage Agent and List (1–2 weeks)

Your agent will handle professional photography, listings across portals (PropertyGuru, 99.co), and viewings coordination. For condos, staging is particularly effective — furnished units with good photography consistently generate more and better-quality viewings than bare units.

Negotiate and Issue OTP (1–2 weeks)

Offers come in, you negotiate, and you issue the Option to Purchase. The OTP locks the buyer into your agreed price for a defined window — typically 14 days for the buyer to exercise (i.e., formally commit to the purchase). The buyer pays an option fee (typically 1% of purchase price) on receiving the OTP.

Buyer Exercises OTP + Pays SSD (if applicable)

Once the buyer exercises, your SSD obligation is triggered if you’ve held the property for under 4 years. Your solicitor will calculate and arrange this payment. SSD is due from the date of exercise.

Legal Completion (8–12 weeks after exercise)

Both parties’ lawyers handle the transfer of title. Your outstanding mortgage is redeemed from the sale proceeds. CPF used plus accrued interest is refunded to your CPF OA. Legal fees are settled. Remaining proceeds are paid to you.

Seller’s Stamp Duty (SSD)

SSD applies if you sell within 4 years of purchase. The rates below are post-July 2025 (rates were raised and the window extended from 3 to 4 years at that point):

Holding Period	SSD Rate	On a $1.5M sale
Up to 1 year	16%	$240,000
More than 1 year, up to 2 years	12%	$180,000
More than 2 years, up to 3 years	8%	$120,000
More than 3 years, up to 4 years	4%	$60,000
More than 4 years	0%	$0

SSD is calculated on the higher of purchase price or market valuation. If your property has appreciated significantly, you pay SSD on the current market value, not what you originally paid. Factor this into your profit calculation.

True Selling Costs

Cost	Amount	Notes
Agent commission	2% + 9% GST of sale price	Standard market rate
Legal fees	$2,000–$4,000	Conveyancing; both sides need lawyers
Outstanding mortgage redemption	Balance of loan	Deducted from proceeds at completion
CPF refund	Principal + 2.5% p.a. accrued interest	Returns to CPF OA
SSD (if applicable)	4%–16% of higher of price/value	Only if sold within 4 years of purchase

Timing Considerations

The 4-year SSD threshold

Waiting until month 49 instead of selling at month 47 saves you 4% SSD on the full sale price. On a $1.5M property, that’s $60,000. If you can wait without material lifestyle impact, hold to the 4-year mark.

Existing tenants

If your condo is tenanted, check the lease expiry date before setting your sale timeline. A tenanted property can still be sold (some buyers specifically want rental income), but vacant possession is often preferred by owner-occupier buyers and commands a higher price. The standard notice period in Singapore tenancy agreements is typically 2 months.

Charles’s Take

The most expensive mistake condo sellers make is not overpricing — it’s selling at month 40 when month 49 would have saved $60k in SSD. If you’re approaching the 4-year mark, the holding cost of waiting is almost certainly lower than the SSD cost of selling early. Run the exact math before you decide. I’ve seen sellers lose $80,000 in SSD savings because they didn’t know where the threshold was.

Find out your net proceeds before you decide to sell

Tell Charles your purchase price, date of purchase, current estimated market value, and outstanding loan. He’ll calculate your exact SSD, CPF refund, net proceeds, and whether now or month 49 is the better move.

WhatsApp Charles Charles Yi Ming · R070355J · PropNex Realty Pte Ltd