5 Common Mistakes Landed Property Sellers Make (And How to Avoid Them)

Selling a landed property in Singapore can be as challenging as buying a landed property in Singapore—especially in today’s evolving market. Legacy owners who have held properties for decades, investors looking to sell for profit, and homeowners aiming to upgrade or downgrade all face a new landscape shaped by policy changes, interest rate shifts, and buyer caution.

The Singapore landed property market has seen significant changes in price trends, transaction volumes, and selling dynamics between 2023 and 2025. Understanding these shifts is key to avoiding costly missteps. Below, we dive into five common mistakes landed sellers make—and how to avoid them with smart, data-informed decisions.

1. Setting an Unrealistic Price (Ignoring Market Trends)

Landed homes often come with high emotional attachment, especially for legacy owners. But overpricing based on sentiment rather than data can cause your listing to stagnate.

After a strong run-up in 2021–2022, landed property price growth in Singapore has slowed. In 2023, prices rose around 8%, but growth fell to just over 1% in 2024. Certain quarters even saw mild price corrections, while 2025 has seen subdued growth of under 1% per quarter.

At the same time, transaction volumes have softened, with fewer buyers transacting amid high interest rates and tightened financing. In early 2025, transaction numbers dipped over 30% quarter-on-quarter, reflecting buyer caution and price sensitivity.

How to avoid it:

• Review recent transactions in your estate
• Get a professional valuation
• If the home has been renovated or upgraded, always get a formal valuation to accurately account for added value
• Price competitively and stay flexible
• Accept that in today’s market, the first few weeks often yield the best offers

Pricing your home right from the start can prevent it from sitting too long on the market and eventually attracting lower offers.

2. Overlooking Taxes and Policies (SSD, ABSD, CPF Refunds)

As of July 2025, the government has raised Seller’s Stamp Duty (SSD) for residential properties bought on or after 4 July 2025. The new SSD rates are:

• Within 1 year: 16%
• Within 2 years: 12%
• Within 3 years: 8%
• Within 4 years: 4%
• After 4 years: 0%

This move is targeted at curbing short-term speculative sales. For landed property sellers who purchased recently, failing to account for SSD can result in losses of hundreds of thousands.

Beyond SSD, other policies impact your timeline and profit:

• Private owners moving to HDB resale flats must sell off their private property within 6 months
• Upgrading before selling your current home may trigger Additional Buyer’s Stamp Duty (ABSD)
• CPF used for the purchase must be refunded—with accrued interest—upon sale

How to avoid it:

• Confirm your purchase date to determine SSD exposure
• Plan around ABSD if you’re buying another property
• Work with a lawyer or experienced agent to calculate net sale proceeds accurately

The bottom line: don’t let hidden costs or poor planning erode your profits.

3. Neglecting Property Condition and Presentation

Many sellers assume that since landed homes are valued largely for land, the physical condition of the house doesn’t matter. That’s a costly assumption.

Even if buyers intend to renovate or rebuild, they still react emotionally to what they see. Poorly maintained properties—peeling paint, clutter, leaks, overgrown gardens—reduce interest and give buyers ammunition to negotiate your price down.

On the other hand, a clean, well-presented home builds buyer confidence and improves perceived value.

How to avoid it:

• Repair obvious defects (e.g. plumbing leaks, broken tiles, gate issues)
• Deep clean the interior and declutter personal items
• Landscape the front yard and repaint faded gates or facades
• Use natural lighting and ventilation to make viewings pleasant
• Do the right studies and understand the zoning of the land—this can attract buyers who are interested in redevelopment or maximizing GFA (gross floor area)

You don’t need to invest in major renovations, but basic presentation, maintenance, and understanding your property’s potential go a long way. Good visuals and accurate information can tip a buyer’s decision in your favor.

4. Inadequate Marketing or Choosing the Wrong Strategy

Even a well-priced and beautiful landed home won’t sell if no one knows about it. Yet some sellers try to cut corners by:

• Not listing on the major portals (which typically require an agent)
• Posting poor-quality photos or sparse descriptions
• Failing to highlight redevelopment or zoning potential

In today’s market, most buyers are searching online. Listings without proper exposure, visuals, or copywriting are easily ignored. Additionally, choosing an agent unfamiliar with landed homes can backfire—they may not know how to market key attributes such as rebuild potential, land shape, or orientation.

How to avoid it:

• Work with an agent experienced in Singapore landed property
• Ensure professional photography, clear floor plans, and strong copy
• Highlight features that buyers value: land area, URA zoning, build-up potential, corner plot benefits
• Consider drone shots and video tours for larger properties
• Knowing the right contacts is equally important—your agent should have access to serious buyers and investor networks who are specifically looking for landed property opportunities

Good marketing isn’t just about attracting any buyer—it’s about reaching the right buyer who sees the full value of your property.

5. Failing to Plan the Timeline and Next Steps

Selling a landed home is often linked to bigger life decisions—upgrading, downsizing, inheritance restructuring, or relocating. Without careful planning, you may face:

• Rushing your next purchase and overpaying
• Paying ABSD unnecessarily
• Holding two properties and incurring financing pressure
• Getting stuck without a place to live after your sale

For example, sellers who buy first may trigger ABSD and need to sell their existing home within a time frame to apply for remission. On the flip side, those who sell first may struggle to find a suitable next home in time, especially if they are looking to downgrade to limited HDB types or right-size to smaller landed or strata properties.

How to avoid it:

• Map out your next step before listing
• Decide if you’ll sell first or buy first, based on your finances
• Build in buffer time for renovation or transition
• Negotiate flexible completion dates or rent-back options if needed

Proper timeline planning ensures a smooth transition and avoids rushed decisions under pressure.

Final Thoughts

Selling a landed home in Singapore—whether a family legacy, an investment asset, or an owner-occupied house—requires strategy, market awareness, and proper execution. The new SSD rules, tighter financing landscape, and evolving buyer behavior all mean sellers must be smarter than ever.

Understanding landed property price in Singapore, who is buying, and what they’re looking for can help you maximize value. Whether you’re dealing with an aging property, an underutilized plot, or just thinking ahead, working with a professional who understands Singapore landed property is key to getting the right outcome.

Want to make a confident sale? Engage an expert who knows the nuances of buying a landed property in Singapore, can advise on zoning potential, valuation, and marketing—and most importantly, bring the right buyers to your door.