Should We Reconsider the ABSD Rates?
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Why Homes Feel Out of Reach in Singapore — and How Dual Incomes Mask the Risk
TLDR
Singapore’s housing affordability crisis is increasingly masked by dual-income households. Rising property prices make single-income ownership nearly impossible, pushing families to rely on both partners’ earnings. While this creates the illusion of affordability, it also heightens financial vulnerability: if one income is lost due to job cuts, illness, or caregiving needs, mortgage stress quickly follows. The cultural shift toward dual incomes has normalized higher property prices, but it also erodes resilience, leaving households exposed to economic shocks. At the same time, developers and policymakers often overlook this fragility, focusing on aggregate affordability metrics rather than household-level risks. Ultimately, the reliance on dual incomes sustains demand but conceals systemic weaknesses, making housing feel out of reach for many Singaporeans despite headline affordability figures.
In conversations about housing affordability, people often compare wages to property prices or look at debt-to-income ratios. But one change that quietly shifted the balance is the widespread need for two incomes.
Decades ago, a single earner could often manage household mortgage commitments. Today, many couples need both salaries just to afford monthly repayments — and sometimes they wouldn’t qualify for a loan on one income alone. That dependence creates a hidden vulnerability:
How crucial is a dual income when buying a typical resale flat?
A worked example: a resale 4-room flat Assume a couple pays a seller’s price of $700,000. The bank valuation is $670,000, so they must cover $30,000 in Cash Over Valuation (COV) — a realistic scenario in 2025. Add a mid-range renovation of $60,000.
Numbers:
- Purchase price: $700,000
- Valuation: $670,000
- Max loan (75% of valuation): $502,500
- Down payment (25% of valuation): $167,500
- Cash Over Valuation (cash only): $30,000
- Less CPF Housing Grant: –$80,000
- Renovation: +$60,000
Upfront cash needed: about $177,500 (including COV and renovation). Monthly mortgage: about $2,260 (25-year loan, 2.6%). Income required (MSR cap): roughly $7,540 household income.
For a typical dual-income household earning the median household wage of about $11,300, this is manageable — they qualify, and repayments sit within the Mortgage Servicing Ratio (MSR).
Now remove one income If only one spouse earns the median personal income of about $5,800, the MSR allows a maximum monthly mortgage repayment of 30% of income, or $1,740. That is around $520 less than the $2,260 repayment above, so the loan would not pass MSR underwriting.
Putting the full repayment on a single $5,800 salary means servicing the loan would consume about 39% of take-home pay — well beyond the 30% prudence threshold commonly used in Singapore. The practical consequences are clear: cutbacks to savings, fewer enrichment activities for children, and a budget squeezed to essentials. With little buffer, one medical bill, a retrenchment or another shock could force a rapid and painful financial change — many would need to consider selling and downsizing.
Hidden risks behind the headline metrics Several blind spots can make the official figures misleading:
- Metrics that assume two incomes give a false sense of security.
- Losing the second earner removes a major safety valve.
- An ageing society increases care obligations and spending.
- Family life and fertility are squeezed when both partners must work full-time.
- Singles and single-parent households face disproportionately tougher barriers.
Metrics can mask vulnerability When affordability is expressed as price-to-income ratios, the “income” often implicitly assumes two paychecks. Couples meeting MSR and Total Debt Servicing Ratio (TDSR) limits may feel confident, and may stretch — taking a larger unit or a more central location. But those calculations rely on both salaries continuing. If one income falls, there’s no simple undo: policy constraints can complicate exits. For instance, unless you’re older (55+), selling a private property and buying a resale flat usually requires a waiting period; likewise, Sellers’ Stamp Duty (SSD) can chip away at sale proceeds if you need to trade down within a short timeframe.
It’s prudent to stress-test any mortgage plan by removing one income and checking the numbers — and to map out an exit plan in case that scenario occurs.
- The safety valve that used to exist is gone Previous generations often had one partner who could step in to work part-time or re-enter employment if the main earner lost income. Today, both partners frequently hold full-time roles just to keep up. If one loses their job or faces reduced hours, the other may have little scope to increase earnings further. Caring responsibilities for children or elderly relatives make such transitions even harder.
- An ageing population amplifies pressure As the population ages, more families will shoulder care duties and medical expenses for older relatives. Where a non-working spouse might once have provided care while the other worked, now both may already be working full-time. The result is less flexibility: families could rely more on paid care or face difficult trade-offs, such as moving relatives into care facilities or hiring helpers — both costly options.
- Less family time, fewer children Dual full-time work reduces time parents spend with children and increases reliance on external caregivers. The time and financial costs of raising children look much starker when two incomes are already needed just to service a mortgage. For many couples, adding children feels unaffordable; this is one of the pressures feeding Singapore’s low birth rates.
- Singles and single-parent households are at a disadvantage Affordability statistics that use household medians can obscure the realities for people who don’t benefit from combined incomes — singles, single parents, divorced or never-married buyers. These groups face stricter grant rules, longer waiting periods, and the same MSR/TDSR constraints but with one income. As more people remain single, failing to account for them will leave an increasing share of the population outside the definition of “affordable.”
Where this leaves us On paper, Singapore’s housing affordability still looks defensible: median household income meets common thresholds and most families pass MSR/TDSR checks. But that picture depends heavily on the assumption that both partners will continue earning. That dependency reduces resilience to shocks, strains family choices, and creates inequities for single-income households.
Practical takeaway: when assessing affordability, always run a worst‑case scenario that strips out one income. Check whether a single earner could feasibly cover the mortgage and how you would exit or adjust if needed. That exercise may reveal that what looks affordable with two paychecks is riskier in real life.
If you want a personalized walk-through for your situation — or to stress-test a mortgage plan by removing one income — tell me your figures (purchase price, valuation, renovation budget, CPF/grants, loan term and rate) and I’ll run the numbers and show the outcomes.
Should You Buy, Sell or Wait?
If you’re reading this, you must be trying to figure out the best course of action right now: is it the right time to buy or sell?
It’s difficult to give an exact answer since everyone’s situation is unique and what works for one person may not necessarily work for you.
I can bring you a wealth of on-the-ground experience and a data-driven approach to provide clarity and direction. From beginners to experienced investors, our top-down, objective approach will help you on your real estate journey.
I can help you by:
- Offering Strategic Real Estate Advice – I can help create a comprehensive plan to guide you through your property journey.
- Connecting Your Home with the Perfect Buyers – Through stunning visuals, an effective communication strategy, and an in-depth knowledge of the market, we’ll ensure your home is presented in the best possible way to fulfill your goals.
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