# Freehold

- Topic: Private property
- Last updated: 6 Nov 2026
- Fact-checked against official government sources: 6 Nov 2026
- Canonical URL: https://propertymeter.sg/glossary/freehold/

## What is a freehold property?

A freehold property is owned with no time limit: the owner holds the land indefinitely, unlike a leasehold property, which returns to the State when its lease runs out. In Singapore, freehold is common among landed homes, about 73% of which were freehold in December 2024, but no private residential land sold by the State since 1967 has been freehold.

## Key facts

- **Tenure:** Indefinite ownership of the land
- **Landed homes that are freehold:** About 73% (December 2024)
- **Landed homes on 999-year leases:** About 14% (December 2024)
- **State land sold since 1967:** On leases of no more than 99 years
- **Government Land Sales sites:** Lease tenure does not exceed 99 years
- **Compared with a 99-year lease:** The government's Leasehold Table values a 99-year lease at 96% of freehold value

## How freehold works

The State sells land on leases, and when a lease ends, the land generally reverts to the Government. Freehold land has no such end date, so the owner can keep, sell, pass on or redevelop it indefinitely, subject to planning rules.

| Tenure | When it ends | Examples |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Freehold | Never | About 73% of landed homes |
| 999-year leasehold | After 999 years | About 14% of landed homes |
| 99-year leasehold | After 99 years | HDB flats, ECs, condos on Government Land Sales sites |

## Example

Two similar landed homes are for sale. One is freehold; the other has 60 years left on its lease. The government's Leasehold Table, used to work out the Land Betterment Charge, puts a 60-year lease at 80% of freehold value. The table is not a price forecast, but it shows how the government values the difference.

| Tenure | Value under the Leasehold Table |
| --- | --- |
| Freehold | 100% |
| 99 years remaining | 96% |
| 60 years remaining | 80% |
| 30 years remaining | 60% |

## Common mistakes

- **Assuming freehold means no risk.** Prices still move with the market, and older freehold buildings still age.
- **Treating "freehold" and "999-year" as identical.** Check the title. They are different tenures.
- **Overpaying for tenure alone.** Compare the price premium with the remaining lease of the leasehold alternative. See [lease decay](https://propertymeter.sg/glossary/lease-decay/).

## Frequently asked questions

### Is a 999-year lease the same as freehold?

No. A 999-year lease has an end date, though a very distant one. The Ministry of Law counts them separately: in December 2024, about 73% of landed homes were freehold and 14% were on 999-year leases.

### Why are so many new condos 99-year leasehold?

Since 1967, the State has sold private residential land on leases of no more than 99 years, and Government Land Sales sites have tenures of up to 99 years. A freehold condo can only be built on land that is already freehold.

## Sources

1. [Written answer to PQ on proportion of landed properties on different lease types (27 February 2025)](https://www.mlaw.gov.sg/written-answer-by-minister-for-law-k-shanmugam-to-pq-on-proportion-of-landed-properties-on-different-lease-types/) (Ministry of Law)
2. [Written answer on lease extensions for residential properties (8 May 2017)](https://www.mlaw.gov.sg/news/parliamentary-speeches/written-answer-by-minister-for-law--mr-k-shanmugam--to-parliamen6/) (Ministry of Law)
3. [A home for everyone: maintaining the quality and value of your flat](https://www.gov.sg/explainers/a-home-for-everyone-maintaining-the-quality-and-value-of-your-flat/) (Gov.sg)
4. [FAQ on General Land Sales](https://www.ura.gov.sg/Corporate/Land-Sales/FAQ/General-Land-Sales) (URA)
5. [Land Betterment Charge circular, Appendix 2: leasehold values as a percentage of freehold value](https://www.ura.gov.sg/Corporate/Guidelines/Circulars/dc22-08) (URA)

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Source: PropertyMeter (https://propertymeter.sg/glossary/freehold/). General information only, not financial, legal or tax advice.