Type of Tenure (leasehold - 999 years)

Which Is Better Freehold vs. Leasehold Condos?

If you’re new to real estate, freehold, 99-year, and 999-year leasehold can be perplexing. The owner of freehold property can keep it indefinitely. A 99-year leasehold property reverts to the State upon the expiration of the lease. Properties with Type of Tenure (leasehold – 999 years) leases are a colonial relic.

Property ownership in Singapore has freehold estates, leasehold estates, and estates in perpetuity. There are two sorts of freehold estates. The first is the simple charge. A property owner who possesses a fee simple in land owns the property eternally, without paying rent, and the property transfers to his heirs at his death. The second freehold estate is the life estate, which is highly rarer and confers ownership for the rest of the person’s lifetime.

Leasehold estates get awarded in the Type of Tenure (leasehold – 999 years) or 99-year leases. The land belongs to the State, which leases it to the lease for a fee in exchange for exclusive possession and use, subject to specified rules and covenants.

Leasehold homes provide higher rental yields:

The rental yield formula is annual rental income divided by the entire cost of the property; this means that the greater the property price, the lower the rental yield. The initial sale price of freehold condominiums is approximately 10% to 15% more than leasehold condominiums since renters are indifferent about the lease of the property and rental payments are typically equal.

As a result, the rental yield for freehold condos is usually lower. If you want to invest in Singapore property, you may wish to choose a leasehold condominium for higher rental yields.

Property with a freehold title has a higher price:

One of the most prevalent reasons property purchasers in Singapore choose to purchase a freehold property is more valuable.

Based on the assumption that a leasehold and freehold condominium is located in the same neighborhood and has the same amenities, the freehold development will have a 10% higher value if the leasehold property has less than 78 years left on the lease.

If the condominium has more than 78 years left on the lease, its value is usually similar to that of a freehold property. Only when the lease reaches the 78-year milestone does its value fall. The disparity becomes more noticeable when the lease is 40 years, at which point the condo occupants would have pursued an en-bloc sale.

Some facts regarding leasehold:

• Several authorities give land solely on a leasehold basis for the apartment developments.
• The lease can get extended for an additional fee of 999 years.
• The buyer must verify if the seller has secured a transfer memorandum from the local development authority before purchasing a leasehold property.
• Developers like to develop flats on leasehold land because it is less expensive than freehold land.
• Banks prefer not to finance the purchase of a leasehold property if the remaining lease term is shorter than 30 years. As the lease period ends, the value of such properties decreases as well.
• The price of a leasehold property is often less than that of properties built on freehold ground, which is a benefit.

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