Updated September 2026. This checklist is general information; engage a conveyancing lawyer and the relevant qualified professionals for the property.
Start with title and legal interests
Confirm the registered owner, title, tenure, lot or strata details and interests affecting the property. The Singapore Land Authority explains that its INLIS land-title search provides title, ownership and lot information. An address is only a reference point, so check that it corresponds to the correct lot and title.
Check planning and approved use
URA's Master Plan shows permissible land use and density, while a legal requisition can provide the latest planning decision and current zoning for a property. Alterations, redevelopment or a change of use may require planning permission. Review the current Master Plan and ask qualified advisers to verify site-specific controls before assigning value to future potential.
Inspect the physical property
- Commission appropriate building, structural, waterproofing or services inspections.
- Check boundaries, access, easements and common-property responsibilities.
- Review approved plans and renovation records where relevant.
- For strata property, read the by-laws, meeting records, insurance and planned expenditure.
Verify the financial evidence
Use recent comparable transactions, not asking prices alone. URA notes that resale and subsale records are based on caveats and that caveat lodgment is not mandatory, so transaction datasets are useful but not exhaustive. Include financing, stamp duties, legal fees, renovation and ongoing costs in the decision.
Close only when the risks are understood
Ensure the Option to Purchase and sale contract reflect the agreed inclusions, deadlines and conditions. Complete financing, identity and source-of-funds checks early. A good due-diligence process does not eliminate risk; it makes exceptions visible before they become expensive.