What are the legal fees for buying a property in Singapore?

Legal fees - also known as conveyancing fees - are a necessary cost in any property transaction in Singapore. In Singapore, "legal fees" and "conveyancing fees" refer to the same thing: the cost of engaging a lawyer to handle the legal work involved in a property transaction.

When purchasing a property with a bank loan, your conveyancing lawyer typically handles both sides of the transaction: the purchase (transferring ownership from the seller to you) and the mortgage (registering the bank's security interest over your property). In most cases, the buyer appoints a single lawyer from the bank's approved panel, who acts for both the buyer and the bank. You receive one quote that bundles purchase conveyancing, mortgage conveyancing, CPF work, mortgage stamp duty, disbursements, and GST. For a standard private property purchase, expect total legal costs of around S$2,000 to S$5,000 all-in. For HDB resale purchases using a private lawyer, the total is typically S$1,500 to S$3,000. Buyers using an HDB loan may use HDB's in-house legal services, which generally cost less (often under S$1,000 for a standard resale).

When requesting a quote, ask the firm to confirm the all-inclusive figure covers mortgage stamping, CPF conveyancing, title searches, caveat lodgement, Law Society fee, and GST.

If you prefer a lawyer not on the bank's approved panel, the bank will appoint its own lawyer to handle the mortgage side, and you will incur a separate legal bill for the mortgage conveyancing (typically S$1,800 to S$3,000). Many banks offer a legal subsidy on the purchase-with-loan package that partially offsets total legal costs.

Cashew can recommend experienced conveyancing lawyers and help you understand what legal subsidies are available from various banks, minimising your out-of-pocket legal costs.