Overseas Property Loan

If you’ve been planning to own a property right next to a vineyard, live in the same country as royalties, or simply expand your property portfolio, you can apply for an overseas property loan through us. Major banks in Singapore offer mortgage for international property to Singapore Citizens, Permanent Residents, and foreigners to help finance their investment in major cities across the globe.

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How to Apply for an Overseas Property Loan?

Before you think about buying a house overseas, bear in mind that you can’t just randomly drop a pin on a map or choose any location in a heartbeat. Financing for overseas properties only applies to major cities located in a handful of countries. Moreover, not every bank in Singapore has the same loan package. One bank may offer overseas property loan packages for 5 countries, while another bank may only have packages for 2 countries. Good thing, we’re here. So if you’ve been daydreaming about owning a property in Australia, UK, USA, Japan, Thailand or Malaysia, let us know, and we’ll take care of all the groundwork for you. Since every country has its own set of restrictions, it’s best to be well-informed and guided.

Eligibility and Documents Required

Whether you’re a Singapore Citizen, Permanent Resident, or an offshore/onshore foreigner, you may apply for an overseas property loan from a bank in Singapore. However, there are certain limitations if you’re applying as a non-resident foreigner.

Eligibility

Your credit history plays a big role in getting an overseas property loan approved. If you’re an onshore foreigner, you must have a good credit score to avoid roadblocks during your application. If you’re based overseas, you’ll be required to submit your proof of income and net worth statement for bank approval.

Documents Required

You’ll need to provide the latest certified true copy of your proof of income (payslips and bank statements for the last 3 months), and Notice of Assessment. A copy of your passport, NRIC and property’s Option to Purchase (OTP) or Sales and Purchase Agreement will be needed too. On the other hand, self-employed applicants must submit their proof of earnings and net worth statement.

Fees and Charges

As a non-resident foreigner, you must be aware that there will be other expenses on top of the market value of the property you’re eyeing on. Banks usually charge an application fee of $500 - $1,000. Aside from this, there are other country- or city-specific fees that you need to be aware of.

Australia

Non-residents who want to invest in a property in Australia are required to pay an application fee. The amount you need to pay depends on the property’s value – $5,000 for properties below $1 million; and $10,000 for properties that cost more than $1 million. Every additional million dollars in property value will increase the fee by another $10,000.

UK

Stamp Duty Land Tax for foreigners who are planning to purchase a residential property in the UK is set to increase. At the moment, stamp duty rates range from 0% - 12%, depending on the property value and the number of properties you already own in the UK.

Malaysia

Foreigners are required to apply for state consent before they can proceed with the property purchase. This imposed State Consent fee foreigners vary per state.

Things to Consider when Buying Overseas Property

  • Minimum Occupation Period (MOP)
  • HDB flat owners are required to fulfil the Minimum Occupation Period of 5 years before they can purchase their dream home in another country. On the other hand, if you plan to buy an HDB flat after completing an overseas property purchase, you’ll need to sell your Singapore or overseas property within 6 months.
  • Total Debt Servicing Ratio (TDSR)
  • When it comes to overseas property financing, buyers have two options – to borrow from a local bank or engage a financial institution in the country where you plan to purchase your property from. If you go with a local bank, your Total Debt Servicing Ratio will be taken into consideration. In practice, the rate shouldn’t exceed 60% of your income. To check the maximum loan amount you can get, use our TDSR Calculator.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is loan-to-value (LTV) ratio?

Loan-to-value (LTV) ratio is simply the maximum amount a bank can lend you to finance your home. It’s computed based on the value of the property you’re planning to purchase.

Can I buy overseas property if I own an HDB?

Yes, it’s possible for you to buy your dream property overseas even if you own an HDB. However, there’s a Minimum Occupation Period (MOP) that you need to meet before you can proceed with your overseas property purchase. In this case, the MOP set by the government is 5 years.

What loan currency should I use?

When taking out an overseas property loan, you have the option of going with Singapore dollars or the local currency of where the property is located. Each one has its own advantages and disadvantages mostly due to currency fluctuations. Choosing the local currency could work to your advantage especially when the exchange rate is in your favour.

What will be the maximum loan tenure I can get?

Unlike home loans for local properties, the tenures for overseas property loans 5 - 25 years.

Can I use CPF savings to buy overseas property?

Unfortunately, you can’t use CPF savings to buy your dream home overseas. It’s only applicable to properties in Singapore.

What will be the approval turnaround time for loan approval?

Each application has a different turnaround time, depending on the bank and submitted requirements. The average would be 3 - 5 working days.