The number of permanent residents (PRs) granted approval to buy landed homes in mainland Singapore has dropped significantly on the back of government efforts to set aside more of these types of properties for Singaporeans, media reports said.
The government further tightened the eligibility criteria for PRs in 2011 to ensure that Singapore citizens receive priority for such homes.
According to the Singapore Land Authority (SLA), the number of approvals granted to PRs looking to purchase landed homes fell from 145 in 2010 to 117 in 2011 and to just 31 last year.
In fact, only six applications were approved during the first half of 2013.
Back in October 2011, Law Minister K Shanmugam revealed that the number of approvals given to PRs buying landed homes would decline by over 50 percent to not more than 50 approvals each year.
Romesh Navaratnarajah, Senior Editor at PropertyGuru, edited this story. To contact him about this or other stories email romesh@propertyguru.com.sg
GCB for sale at Chancery Lane