Selling Singapore PropertyInvesting in Singapore Property

Should You Sell or Hold On to Your Property? 2026 Guide

Sell or hold your Singapore property in 2026? Work out your return on equity, the real cost of selling, SSD and ABSD traps, and the market signals to watch.

By Propwise EditorialUpdated 5 October 20267 min read

A modern bungalow with a pool and lawn behind a gated driveway at sunset, with city towers in the distance

Whether you should sell or hold comes down to three questions. What does the property earn on the money you have tied up in it today? What would it cost to sell, and to buy back in later? Can you hold through a downturn without being forced to sell? Private prices are at record levels in late 2026 and borrowing is cheap. For many owners the decision depends less on the market and more on their own numbers.

At a glance

  • Measure your return on today’s equity, not on what you paid. A 6% yield on your purchase price may be under 3% on today’s value.
  • Selling a home bought on or after 4 July 2025 within four years costs up to 16% in Seller’s Stamp Duty.
  • Selling is hard to undo. Buying back in costs Buyer’s Stamp Duty and fees, and ABSD of 20–35% if it would be a second or third home.
  • Private prices rose 1.4% in Q3 2026, but the supply of new homes is rising. HDB resale prices have dipped for three quarters in a row.
  • Holding power matters more than timing. If a rate rise or a job loss would force you to sell, plan your exit now.

Where the market stands in October 2026

URA’s flash estimate shows private home prices rose 1.4% in Q3 2026, after 0.9% in Q1 and 0.5% in Q2. Prices are not rising evenly. Prime-district (CCR) prices fell 0.1%, while suburban (OCR) prices rose 2.2%. HDB resale prices fell 0.2%, the third small fall in a row.

Private non-landed home prices by regionURA price index, Q1 2009 = 100. Quarterly.
  • Core Central Region
  • Rest of Central Region
  • Outside Central Region
  • Policy measures (select one for details)
Private non-landed home prices by region. Three lines show condo prices by region from 2004. The rest of the central region and the suburbs have risen furthest since 2009, while the core central region has been flatter.100.0150.0200.0250.020052010201520202025OCR 271.1RCR 226.2CCR 161.52005-07-19: Property policy review, July 2005: LTV limit raised to 90%, CPF housing rules eased, foreign ownership rules eased2009-09-14: Interest-only loans and Interest Absorption Scheme disallowed, September 20092010-02-19: Seller's Stamp Duty introduced and LTV limit cut to 80%, February 20102010-08-30: Property cooling measures, August 20102010-08-30: HDB measures after National Day Rally 2010: DBSS income ceiling, 5-year MOP for non-subsidised flats2011-01-13: Property cooling measures, January 20112011-12-07: Additional Buyer's Stamp Duty introduced, December 20112012-10-05: Maximum loan tenure of 35 years and tighter LTV limits, October 20122013-01-11: Property cooling measures, January 20132013-06-28: MAS introduces the Total Debt Servicing Ratio (TDSR) framework2013-08-27: HDB loan and resale measures, August 20132017-03-10: SSD holding period cut to 3 years; TDSR relaxed for equity withdrawal2018-02-19: Budget 2018: top BSD rate raised to 4% above S$1m2018-02-19: Budget 2018: Proximity Housing Grant enhanced2018-07-05: Property cooling measures, July 2018: higher ABSD and lower LTV limits2021-12-15: Property cooling measures, December 2021: higher ABSD, TDSR 55%, HDB loan LTV 85%2022-09-29: Property measures, September 2022: higher TDSR and MSR rate floor, HDB loan LTV 80%, 15-month wait-out2023-02-14: Buyer's Stamp Duty raised for higher-value properties, Budget 20232023-02-14: CPF Housing Grant raised for first-time resale buyers, Budget 20232023-04-26: ABSD rates raised, April 20232024-08-19: HDB loan LTV cut to 75% and Enhanced CPF Housing Grant raised2025-07-03: Seller's Stamp Duty holding period back to four years, rates raised by 4 ppPrivate non-landed home prices by region. Three lines show condo prices by region from 2004. The rest of the central region and the suburbs have risen furthest since 2009, while the core central region has been flatter.100.0150.0200.0250.0200520102015202020252005-07-19: Property policy review, July 2005: LTV limit raised to 90%, CPF housing rules eased, foreign ownership rules eased2009-09-14: Interest-only loans and Interest Absorption Scheme disallowed, September 20092010-02-19: Seller's Stamp Duty introduced and LTV limit cut to 80%, February 20102010-08-30: Property cooling measures, August 20102010-08-30: HDB measures after National Day Rally 2010: DBSS income ceiling, 5-year MOP for non-subsidised flats2011-01-13: Property cooling measures, January 20112011-12-07: Additional Buyer's Stamp Duty introduced, December 20112012-10-05: Maximum loan tenure of 35 years and tighter LTV limits, October 20122013-01-11: Property cooling measures, January 20132013-06-28: MAS introduces the Total Debt Servicing Ratio (TDSR) framework2013-08-27: HDB loan and resale measures, August 20132017-03-10: SSD holding period cut to 3 years; TDSR relaxed for equity withdrawal2018-02-19: Budget 2018: top BSD rate raised to 4% above S$1m2018-02-19: Budget 2018: Proximity Housing Grant enhanced2018-07-05: Property cooling measures, July 2018: higher ABSD and lower LTV limits2021-12-15: Property cooling measures, December 2021: higher ABSD, TDSR 55%, HDB loan LTV 85%2022-09-29: Property measures, September 2022: higher TDSR and MSR rate floor, HDB loan LTV 80%, 15-month wait-out2023-02-14: Buyer's Stamp Duty raised for higher-value properties, Budget 20232023-02-14: CPF Housing Grant raised for first-time resale buyers, Budget 20232023-04-26: ABSD rates raised, April 20232024-08-19: HDB loan LTV cut to 75% and Enhanced CPF Housing Grant raised2025-07-03: Seller's Stamp Duty holding period back to four years, rates raised by 4 pp

Latest: CCR 161.5 (Q2 2026); RCR 226.2 (Q2 2026); OCR 271.1 (Q2 2026).

Table view
PeriodCore Central RegionRest of Central RegionOutside Central Region
Q2 2026161.5226.2271.1
Q1 2026158.6228.9271.4
Q4 2025157.7227.1265.6
Q3 2025163.4225.5263.0
Q2 2025160.7224.8260.9
Q1 2025156.0227.3258.1
Q4 2024154.8223.5257.3
Q3 2024150.9217.0249.1
Q2 2024152.6215.3249.1
Q1 2024153.1211.9248.6
Q4 2023148.1211.3248.1
Q3 2023142.5213.0237.4
Q2 2023146.5208.6225.0
Q1 2023146.6213.9222.3
Q4 2022145.4204.9218.2
Q3 2022144.4198.7224.0
Q2 2022141.2193.3208.4
Q1 2022138.6181.7204.1
Q4 2021138.7186.7199.7
Q3 2021135.1175.0188.9
Q2 2021135.8170.6189.1
Q1 2021134.3170.4185.6
Q4 2020133.6160.6183.6
Q3 2020129.5153.8180.4
Q2 2020134.6150.0177.4
Q1 2020131.1152.6177.2
Q4 2019134.1153.4177.9
Q3 2019138.0155.4173.1
Q2 2019135.3153.4171.7
Q1 2019132.3148.2171.0
Q4 2018136.4149.2170.7
Q3 2018137.8146.6169.5
Q2 2018136.0148.5169.7
Q1 2018134.8140.6164.8
Q4 2017127.8138.9156.1
Q3 2017126.0138.3154.9
Q2 2017125.9137.6153.7
Q1 2017126.5136.8154.2
Q4 2016127.0136.4154.0
Q3 2016126.9139.2154.9
Q2 2016129.4140.6156.5
Q1 2016129.0140.3157.3
Q4 2015128.6140.3159.4
Q3 2015129.0140.9159.4
Q2 2015130.6143.2162.0
Q1 2015131.4144.1163.8
Q4 2014131.9146.6165.6
Q3 2014133.1148.6167.0
Q2 2014134.2149.2167.6
Q1 2014136.2149.7169.1
Q4 2013137.6154.8169.3
Q3 2013140.5154.2170.9
Q2 2013140.9155.6167.3
Q1 2013141.2155.3161.1
Q4 2012140.3155.0158.9
Q3 2012139.4153.6153.2
Q2 2012139.2152.3151.6
Q1 2012138.4151.7150.9
Q4 2011139.2152.5149.2
Q3 2011138.5152.4148.4
Q2 2011137.5150.6145.3
Q1 2011135.3148.9142.8
Q4 2010133.9145.9138.6
Q3 2010131.0143.3135.8
Q2 2010128.9140.0132.9
Q1 2010122.4133.8125.7
Q4 2009117.2124.1120.5
Q3 2009109.2113.3113.4
Q2 200994.895.697.7
Q1 2009100.0100.0100.0
Q4 2008119.4120.4107.9
Q3 2008127.6128.3114.6
Q2 2008131.2131.5116.3
Q1 2008131.3130.6115.2
Q4 2007126.5126.4111.0
Q3 2007117.7117.4103.7
Q2 2007108.6108.796.1
Q1 2007100.7100.689.7
Q4 200695.496.987.9
Q3 200690.994.886.5
Q2 200686.394.485.8
Q1 200682.594.484.5
Q4 200581.594.184.3
Q3 200579.794.183.6
Q2 200577.994.183.6
Q1 200577.693.783.6
Q4 200476.992.983.4
Q3 200476.492.283.0
Q2 200476.191.682.7
Q1 200476.091.583.0
Policy measures marked on this chart (22)
  • 2025-07-03 Seller's Stamp Duty holding period back to four years, rates raised by 4 pp
  • 2024-08-19 HDB loan LTV cut to 75% and Enhanced CPF Housing Grant raised
  • 2023-04-26 ABSD rates raised, April 2023
  • 2023-02-14 CPF Housing Grant raised for first-time resale buyers, Budget 2023
  • 2023-02-14 Buyer's Stamp Duty raised for higher-value properties, Budget 2023
  • 2022-09-29 Property measures, September 2022: higher TDSR and MSR rate floor, HDB loan LTV 80%, 15-month wait-out
  • 2021-12-15 Property cooling measures, December 2021: higher ABSD, TDSR 55%, HDB loan LTV 85%
  • 2018-07-05 Property cooling measures, July 2018: higher ABSD and lower LTV limits
  • 2018-02-19 Budget 2018: Proximity Housing Grant enhanced
  • 2018-02-19 Budget 2018: top BSD rate raised to 4% above S$1m
  • 2017-03-10 SSD holding period cut to 3 years; TDSR relaxed for equity withdrawal
  • 2013-08-27 HDB loan and resale measures, August 2013
  • 2013-06-28 MAS introduces the Total Debt Servicing Ratio (TDSR) framework
  • 2013-01-11 Property cooling measures, January 2013
  • 2012-10-05 Maximum loan tenure of 35 years and tighter LTV limits, October 2012
  • 2011-12-07 Additional Buyer's Stamp Duty introduced, December 2011
  • 2011-01-13 Property cooling measures, January 2011
  • 2010-08-30 HDB measures after National Day Rally 2010: DBSS income ceiling, 5-year MOP for non-subsidised flats
  • 2010-08-30 Property cooling measures, August 2010
  • 2010-02-19 Seller's Stamp Duty introduced and LTV limit cut to 80%, February 2010
  • 2009-09-14 Interest-only loans and Interest Absorption Scheme disallowed, September 2009
  • 2005-07-19 Property policy review, July 2005: LTV limit raised to 90%, CPF housing rules eased, foreign ownership rules eased

Source: URA (via SingStat). Data to Q2 2026. Licences and notices

Two other forces matter if you hold for rental income:

  • Supply is rising. URA counted 42,472 units (including ECs) in the pipeline with planning approval in Q2 2026, with 15,810 still unsold. The 2026 Government Land Sales Confirmed List of 9,320 homes is more than 50% above the 10-year average. The private vacancy rate was 6.4% in Q2 2026.
Private homes in the supply pipelineUncompleted private units, under construction and planned, at the end of each quarter. Excludes executive condominiums.
  • Non-landed (condos and apartments)
  • Landed
Private homes in the supply pipeline. Columns show how many private homes are in the pipeline each quarter. The total was about 47,000 in 2005, peaked at about 96,000 at the end of 2012, fell to about 43,000 in 2017, and stood at about 53,000 in the second quarter of 2026.020,00040,00060,00080,000100,00020052010201520202025Private homes in the supply pipeline. Columns show how many private homes are in the pipeline each quarter. The total was about 47,000 in 2005, peaked at about 96,000 at the end of 2012, fell to about 43,000 in 2017, and stood at about 53,000 in the second quarter of 2026.020,00040,00060,00080,000100,00020052010201520202025

Latest: Non-landed 51,677 (Q2 2026); Landed 1,109 (Q2 2026).

This is a wider count than URA's headline figure of homes with planning approval (42,472 at Q2 2026, which includes ECs): it also counts projects with provisional permission and sites that are only planned.

Table view
PeriodNon-landed (condos and apartments)Landed
Q2 202651,6771,109
Q1 202648,1111,332
Q4 202547,3581,322
Q3 202546,7871,336
Q2 202548,4741,316
Q1 202544,1341,335
Q4 202445,9341,337
Q3 202444,9971,368
Q2 202449,5981,370
Q1 202446,3351,369
Q4 202347,1911,370
Q3 202346,146980
Q2 202353,472823
Q1 202351,703887
Q4 202253,846946
Q3 202254,171934
Q2 202253,879962
Q1 202252,802970
Q4 202152,602953
Q3 202151,176925
Q2 202151,3861,004
Q1 202149,910996
Q4 202051,449954
Q3 202051,514940
Q2 202052,116939
Q1 202051,222863
Q4 201952,514899
Q3 201953,757788
Q2 201954,737864
Q1 201956,130998
Q4 201856,6021,000
Q3 201857,1561,034
Q2 201854,402921
Q1 201850,9071,180
Q4 201749,6181,234
Q3 201741,8581,196
Q2 201743,4651,199
Q1 201743,4571,255
Q4 201647,0161,352
Q3 201647,7021,383
Q2 201650,3391,507
Q1 201656,0151,582
Q4 201557,8672,292
Q3 201561,7152,462
Q2 201564,4372,774
Q1 201569,5202,823
Q4 201472,2792,909
Q3 201476,3832,981
Q2 201480,4763,157
Q1 201483,0443,355
Q4 201386,5413,477
Q3 201386,9813,744
Q2 201390,9483,825
Q1 201391,4083,804
Q4 201292,3703,860
Q3 201288,0843,785
Q2 201289,0873,784
Q1 201285,9543,885
Q4 201185,7243,807
Q3 201182,4603,872
Q2 201183,2414,001
Q1 201176,1284,044
Q4 201075,5143,963
Q3 201069,0543,933
Q2 201068,5443,914
Q1 201063,7293,942
Q4 200962,2404,186
Q3 200957,8804,209
Q2 200958,1894,423
Q1 200959,8804,614
Q4 200861,3574,872
Q3 200862,4814,982
Q2 200866,5165,127
Q1 200868,9605,248
Q4 200769,0665,056
Q3 200765,8684,853
Q2 200761,1594,453
Q1 200753,5564,352
Q4 200649,0534,452
Q3 200649,4024,357
Q2 200647,7534,498
Q1 200644,6654,397
Q4 200543,4484,458
Q3 200542,1214,737
Q2 200541,2274,684
Q1 200542,3494,350

Source: URA (via SingStat). Data to Q2 2026. Licences and notices

  • Money is cheap. Three-month compounded SORA was about 1.23% on 1 Oct 2026, and after the US Fed hike bank packages cost about 1.5–1.8% floating and 2.0–2.2% fixed (The Business Times, 2 Oct 2026). In late 2023, SORA peaked at about 3.7–3.8%. Low rates make holding cheap today, but they will not necessarily stay low.
Singapore and US interest rates since 2019Percent a year. Weekly values: 3-month compounded SORA and the US effective federal funds rate.
  • 3-month compounded SORA (Singapore)
  • US federal funds rate (effective)
Singapore and US interest rates since 2019. Both rates fell to near zero in 2020 and 2021, then rose sharply in 2022 and 2023. SORA peaked near 3.7 per cent and has since fallen to about 1.2 per cent, while the US rate stays above 3.5 per cent.0.0%1.0%2.0%3.0%4.0%5.0%2020202120222023202420252026Fed 3.88%SORA 1.23%Singapore and US interest rates since 2019. Both rates fell to near zero in 2020 and 2021, then rose sharply in 2022 and 2023. SORA peaked near 3.7 per cent and has since fallen to about 1.2 per cent, while the US rate stays above 3.5 per cent.0.0%1.0%2.0%3.0%4.0%5.0%2020202120222023202420252026

Latest: SORA 1.23% (1 Oct 2026); Fed 3.88% (1 Oct 2026).

SORA is the benchmark for floating-rate home loans in Singapore. The US rate is shown for context: it moves SORA only indirectly, through the Singapore dollar and bank funding costs.

Table view
Period3-month compounded SORA (Singapore)US federal funds rate (effective)
Oct 20261.23%3.88%
Sep 20261.23%3.88%
Aug 20261.18%3.63%
Jul 20261.14%3.63%
Jun 20261.08%3.63%
May 20261.06%3.62%
Apr 20261.03%3.64%
Mar 20261.07%3.64%
Feb 20261.12%3.64%
Jan 20261.15%3.64%
Dec 20251.19%3.64%
Nov 20251.25%3.89%
Oct 20251.32%4.11%
Sep 20251.46%4.09%
Aug 20251.56%4.33%
Jul 20251.86%4.33%
Jun 20252.06%4.33%
May 20252.27%4.33%
Apr 20252.40%4.33%
Mar 20252.55%4.33%
Feb 20252.73%4.33%
Jan 20252.90%4.33%
Dec 20243.08%4.33%
Nov 20243.21%4.58%
Oct 20243.39%4.83%
Sep 20243.49%4.83%
Aug 20243.57%5.33%
Jul 20243.64%5.33%
Jun 20243.63%5.33%
May 20243.66%5.33%
Apr 20243.65%5.33%
Mar 20243.68%5.33%
Feb 20243.64%5.33%
Jan 20243.66%5.33%
Dec 20233.70%5.33%
Nov 20233.75%5.33%
Oct 20233.75%5.33%
Sep 20233.70%5.33%
Aug 20233.70%5.33%
Jul 20233.68%5.33%
Jun 20233.65%5.07%
May 20233.61%5.08%
Apr 20233.61%4.83%
Mar 20233.58%4.83%
Feb 20233.23%4.58%
Jan 20233.12%4.33%
Dec 20223.03%4.33%
Nov 20222.87%3.83%
Oct 20222.45%3.08%
Sep 20222.07%3.08%
Aug 20221.55%2.33%
Jul 20221.27%2.32%
Jun 20220.72%1.58%
May 20220.52%0.83%
Apr 20220.32%0.33%
Mar 20220.27%0.33%
Feb 20220.25%0.08%
Jan 20220.20%0.08%
Dec 20210.19%0.08%
Nov 20210.16%0.08%
Oct 20210.16%0.07%
Sep 20210.13%0.08%
Aug 20210.13%0.08%
Jul 20210.13%0.10%
Jun 20210.14%0.10%
May 20210.17%0.05%
Apr 20210.19%0.07%
Mar 20210.23%0.07%
Feb 20210.20%0.07%
Jan 20210.17%0.07%
Dec 20200.17%0.09%
Nov 20200.12%0.08%
Oct 20200.12%0.09%
Sep 20200.10%0.09%
Aug 20200.10%0.09%
Jul 20200.08%0.09%
Jun 20200.14%0.08%
May 20200.27%0.05%
Apr 20200.53%0.05%
Mar 20200.90%0.10%
Feb 20201.14%1.58%
Jan 20201.20%1.55%
Dec 20191.27%1.55%
Nov 20191.31%1.55%
Oct 20191.46%1.83%
Sep 20191.53%1.83%
Aug 20191.59%2.12%
Jul 20191.67%2.40%
Jun 20191.72%2.40%
May 20191.68%2.38%
Apr 20191.62%2.44%
Mar 20191.54%2.43%
Feb 20191.59%2.40%
Jan 20191.52%2.40%

Source: MAS, FRED. Data to 1 Oct 2026. Licences and notices

No one can call the peak reliably. In 2011 this column said the market was “fairly close to a peak”. Calls like that are easy to make and hard to get right. The useful question is not “Will prices fall?” It is “Can I afford it if they do?”

Do the maths: your return on equity

Many owners still quote yield on their purchase price. That flatters an old purchase. The money you could take out today is your equity: market value minus your loan, minus selling costs. That is the figure to compare with other uses of your capital.

Example (hypothetical). You bought a condo in 2016. Today it is worth S$1.9m, with S$500,000 left on a loan at about 1.5%. It rents for S$4,800 a month.

ItemPer year
Rent (S$4,800 × 12)S$57,600
Maintenance fees (assume S$350 a month)−S$4,200
Property tax, non-owner-occupied (assume annual value S$54,000)−S$9,120
Agent fees, repairs, vacancy (assume one month’s rent)−S$4,800
Mortgage interest (S$500,000 × 1.5%)−S$7,500
Net income before income taxS$31,980

The property tax is 12% on the first S$30,000 of annual value, 20% on the next S$15,000 and 28% on the remaining S$9,000. These are IRAS’s non-owner-occupied rates. The gross yield is 57,600 ÷ 1.9m ≈ 3.0%.

Your equity is S$1.9m − S$500,000 = S$1.4m. The rent earns 31,980 ÷ 1,400,000 ≈ 2.3% on that equity before income tax. That is less than the 2.5% that the CPF Ordinary Account pays.

The leverage cuts both ways. Each 1% move in the price is S$19,000, or about 1.4% of your equity. A 2% price rise lifts your one-year return to about 5% (S$31,980 + S$38,000 = S$69,980). A 1.7% fall wipes out the year’s rent. Holding is therefore a bet that prices will at least hold steady over your time frame. Selling locks in today’s price.

The real cost of selling, and of buying back

CostWhat to expect
Seller’s Stamp Duty16% / 12% / 8% / 4% of the price if sold within 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 years (homes bought from 4 Jul 2025). IRAS
Agent commissionNegotiable. There is no fixed rate, so agree it in writing.
Legal feesConveyancing on the sale and the loan discharge
Bank penaltyIf you redeem during a lock-in period. Check your loan letter.
CPF refundCPF used for the purchase, plus accrued interest, goes back to your CPF account, not to you as cash
Buying back inBuyer’s Stamp Duty (S$32,600 on a S$1.2m home), plus ABSD of 20% for a citizen’s second home

The SSD rules changed on 4 July 2025. The holding period went from three years to four, and each rate rose by four points. SSD is charged on the price, not the gain. If you bought in September 2025 and sell for S$1.6m in October 2027, SSD is 8%, or S$128,000, even if your gain is smaller.

The round trip is the hidden cost. If you sell an investment property now and buy another in two years, you pay selling costs, stamp duty and agent fees again. If you sell to “time the market”, the price must fall by more than those costs before you come out ahead.

Signs it may be time to sell, and signs to hold

Reasons owners sell

  • No holding power. If your cash buffer is thin, the loan is stretched, or a 1–2 point rise in rates would hurt, a planned sale beats a forced one. All markets are cyclical. The owners who lose money are usually the ones who must sell at the wrong time.
  • The numbers are weak. For example, net yield on equity is well below what you could earn elsewhere, and the area faces heavy new supply (see the pipeline figures).
  • The lease is getting short. Older 99-year leasehold homes lose buyers because CPF use is pro-rated once the remaining lease cannot cover the youngest buyer to age 95. Read about valuing leasehold property.
  • Life has changed. You need to upgrade, downsize, fund retirement or move overseas.

Reasons owners hold

  • The property is your home, and you would have to pay stamp duty and fees on another one.
  • You can carry it comfortably for five to ten years, and the rent covers most of the costs.
  • You are still inside the SSD period, or a sale would trigger a large bank penalty.
  • You have no better use for the capital, and you accept the price risk.

Timing a “sell one, buy one” move

If you are upgrading or downsizing, the order of the two transactions decides how much tax you pay.

  • Married couples (at least one citizen) can buy the next home first. They pay 20% ABSD, then get it refunded if they sell the old home within six months. There are no extensions, so price the old home to sell.
  • Single owners get no refund (except citizens aged 55 and over buying a lower-value home). Your sale must be contracted before you accept the OTP on the next purchase.
  • Downsizing from private property to an HDB resale flat became easier on 28 July 2026. HDB removed the 15-month wait-out for buyers who do not take an HDB loan or grants. You must sell the private property within six months of completing the flat purchase.

If you do sell: the practical steps

  1. Price it from data, not from an agent’s first number. Check recent transactions on URA’s search tool or HDB’s resale price data. Compare similar units across a full cycle, not only the last few months. Any good agent should show you the same evidence.
  2. Agree the completion date carefully. For a private resale, completion is usually about 8 to 12 weeks after the option is exercised, as set in the contract. If the buyer asks to delay, you can refuse. You can also agree through your lawyers in exchange for compensation such as interest. Give your bank the notice its loan letter requires, or you may pay a penalty.
  3. Talk to your tenant early. Decide whether to sell with the tenancy or with vacant possession. Give notice as the tenancy agreement requires. If you sell with the tenancy, your lawyer transfers the deposit to the buyer, and you tell the tenant where to pay rent.

Bottom line

Sell or hold is a cash-flow and risk decision before it is a market call. Work out your return on today’s equity. Add the full cost of exiting and of buying back in. Then test whether you could hold through a 10–20% fall and two years of higher rates. If you could, holding is a reasonable bet. If you could not, plan the exit while you can choose the timing. For the loan side, model your numbers in the mortgage calculator. For the bigger picture, see do property prices always recover?

holding periodcapital gainssdinvestment propertymarket cyclesproperty tax

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