By The Address desk · Last verified 29 September 2026
An executive condominium (EC) is a condominium built and sold by a private developer, but bought under HDB’s rules until it becomes fully private. To buy a new unit, at least one applicant must be a Singapore citizen, the household must form a family nucleus, and the household income must not exceed S$16,000 a month for every EC on the market today. Owners can sell to citizens and PRs after a minimum occupation period, and to anyone once the EC is privatised. For ECs on land sold from 8 May 2026, those waits double to 10 and 15 years.
Quick facts
- At least one applicant must be a citizen; the other can be a citizen or PR.
- Income ceiling: S$16,000 a month for ECs already launched; S$18,000 for units on land tenders closing from 24 August 2026.
- You can’t own private residential property, or have sold one in the past 30 months.
- Existing ECs: 5-year MOP, fully private after 10 years.
- ECs on land tendered from 8 May 2026: 10-year MOP, fully private after 15 years.
- Eligible first-timer families can get a CPF Housing Grant of up to S$30,000.
Who can buy a new EC?
A household buying from the developer must include at least one Singapore citizen, with the co-applicant a citizen or PR, and must form a family nucleus, such as a married or engaged couple. The household must not own private residential property, or have disposed of any in the 30 months before applying. The income ceiling is where most families are tested: S$16,000 a month for every EC that has launched. At the 2026 National Day Rally the government raised it to S$18,000, but only for new units in ECs whose land tenders close on or after 24 August 2026, so no EC on sale today uses the higher figure.
When can I sell, and to whom?
| Stage | ECs launched under the old rules | ECs on land tendered from 8 May 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum occupation period (from TOP) | 5 years | 10 years |
| After the MOP | Can be sold to citizens and PRs | Can be sold to citizens and PRs |
| Fully privatised (open to foreigners) | 10 years after TOP | 15 years after TOP |
The May 2026 changes also end the Deferred Payment Scheme for those new sites and reserve 90% of units for first-timer families, up from 70%. Every EC already launched, built or occupied keeps the rules it was sold under. During the MOP, you can’t rent out the whole unit.
What does it cost to get in?
The first 5% of the price is paid in cash when you book. Eligible first-timer families can receive a CPF Housing Grant of up to S$30,000, which is smaller as income rises and nothing at the upper end of the income range. Loans for an EC bought from the developer fall under the 30% Mortgage Servicing Ratio, as for HDB flats. Second-timers who have already had a housing subsidy pay a resale levy.
The WahLiao Verdict
An EC is a condo you commit to for a long time, and for new sites that now means at least a decade before you can sell. Check the income ceiling against your household income at booking, not at the showflat, and plan the 5% cash before you fall for a unit.
Questions people ask
Does the income ceiling apply to resale ECs?
No. It applies when buying a new unit from the developer.
Can I buy an EC if I own an HDB flat?
Second-timers who have met their flat’s MOP can apply, subject to HDB’s rules and quotas, and may pay a resale levy.
Do the 2026 changes affect ECs already sold?
No. They apply only to ECs on land sold from 8 May 2026, and the higher income ceiling to land tenders closing from 24 August 2026.
Can foreigners buy an EC?
Only once it is fully privatised, and then subject to the usual stamp duties.
Sources: The Business Times on the August 2026 income ceilings; Stacked Homes on which ECs the S$18,000 ceiling covers; JLT Realtors on the May 2026 EC changes; Sg Home Investment on first-timer quotas and the MOP; Winfred Quek on eligibility; New Launches Condo on the cash payment. Rules change; check HDB’s current EC eligibility before booking. This is general information, not financial advice.
Read next: HDB Resale Levy · HDB Loan or Bank Loan · Back to The Address
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