Foreign Ownership Guide – PropScoute
01
🇮🇩 Indonesia Market Overview
🪪
Who Can Buy?
Legal Status Required
Foreigners with valid passport and KITAS/KITAP visa can purchase under Right to Use (Hak Pakai) title.
No Nominee Personal Name
📜
Ownership Rights
Right to Use — Up to 80 Years
Hak Pakai (Right to Use) for up to 80 years. Available for landed properties and condominiums in designated areas.
Landed Apartment
💰
Price Threshold
Min. IDR 2 Billion (Apt)
Apartment minimum IDR 2 billion, landed minimum IDR 5 billion. Bali-specific thresholds may vary by location.
Landed 5B+ Premium Only
1. Property Selection & Deposit — Choose your property and pay a booking fee to secure the unit. Typically 1–5% of purchase price.
2. Sign CSPA (PPJB) — Sign the Conditional Sales Purchase Agreement outlining payment terms, conditions, and completion schedule.
3. Payment Settlement — Complete installments according to the CSPA terms. Ensure all payments are traceable through official banking channels.
4. Sign Final Deed (AJB) — Sign before a Notary (PPAT) to officially transfer the Right to Use (Hak Pakai) title to your name.
VAT (PPN) — 11% Subject to government incentives/DTP. Often included in developer price.
Acquisition Tax (BPHTB) — 5% of property value minus non-taxable threshold (NJOPTKP).
Notary/PPAT Fee — ~1% of transaction value. Required for all title transfers.
Luxury Tax (PPnBM) — 20% Only applies to ultra-luxury properties above specific government thresholds.
02
🇲🇾 Malaysia Market Overview
🌐
Who Can Buy?
Open to Foreigners & MM2H
Non-residents can purchase directly via passport. Malaysia My Second Home (MM2H) holders enjoy additional benefits.
Direct Purchase Passport Based
🏡
Ownership Rights
Freehold & Leasehold
Both freehold (perpetual) and 99-year leasehold titles available. Strata title for condominiums. Fully inheritable.
Strata Title Inheritable
🏷️
Foreign Quota
Min. RM 1 Million
Minimum purchase price RM 1M for foreigners (varies by state). Cannot buy Malay Reserve land. State consent required.
No Malay Reserve State Consent
1. Letter of Offer — Sign the booking form and pay earnest deposit (usually 2–3% of purchase price).
2. Sign SPA — Sign the Sales and Purchase Agreement within 14 days. Pay remaining 10% downpayment.
3. State Consent — Apply for state authority consent for foreign acquisition. Typically takes 1–3 months.
4. Balance & Handover — Settle balance purchase price per schedule and receive vacant possession.
Stamp Duty (MOT) — Tiered rate: 1% on first RM100K, 2% next RM400K, 3% next RM500K, 4% above RM1M.
Legal Fees — Approximately 0.5%–1% of purchase price. Includes SPA and title transfer.
State Consent Fee — Varies by state; e.g. RM10,000 to 2% of property value in some states.
RPGT (Capital Gains) — 10% for foreigners selling after 5 years. Higher rates for earlier disposals.
03
🇸🇬 Singapore Market Overview
🏢
Who Can Buy?
Foreigners — Condos Only
Foreigners may purchase private condominiums freely. No HDB flats. Landed properties restricted to Sentosa Cove only.
No HDB Sentosa Landed
🛡️
Ownership Rights
Freehold or 99-Year Lease
Both freehold and 99-year leasehold condominiums available. Highest legal protection in Asia-Pacific. Strata title issued.
Strata Title High Resale Value
💸
ABSD Tax
60% for Foreigners
No quota on condominiums but 60% Additional Buyer’s Stamp Duty (ABSD) applies on top of standard BSD. Proof of funds required.
Unlimited Condos ABSD 60%
1. Grant of OTP — Pay 1–5% booking fee to secure the Option to Purchase (OTP) from developer or seller.
2. Exercise OTP — Sign OTP within 14–21 days. Pay remaining downpayment to reach 20% total.
3. Pay Taxes — Settle BSD and ABSD within 14 days of exercising the OTP. Significant upfront cost.
4. Completion — Lawyers handle conveyancing, balance paid, keys handed over (typically 8–12 weeks).
ABSD — 60% of purchase price or market value for foreigners (higher of two). Effective as of 2023.
BSD — Tiered up to 6% Applies to all buyers. On $2M property: approximately $69,600.
Legal Fees — Typically SGD 2,500–3,500 for a standard private condo transaction.
Monthly Maintenance — Varies by project share value and facilities. Budget SGD 300–800/month.
04
🇻🇳 Vietnam Market Overview
✈️
Who Can Buy?
Valid Entry Stamp Required
Any foreigner with a valid Vietnamese entry visa or permit can purchase. No permanent residency required.
No Residency Req. Passport Based
⏳
Ownership Rights
50-Year Leasehold
50-year leasehold, renewable for another 50 years. “Pink Book” certificate issued. No freehold for foreigners.
Pink Book Extendable
📊
Foreign Quota
Max 30% per Condo Block
Strict 30% foreign ownership quota per condominium building. 10% for landed properties. Restricted security zones off-limits.
10% Landed Restricted Zones
1. Deposit Agreement — Place reservation fee to lock in the unit. Developer confirms foreign quota availability.
2. Foreign Quota Verification — Developer verifies the building is within the 30% foreign ownership limit.
3. Sign SPA — Sign Sales and Purchase Agreement and follow the payment schedule outlined by developer.
4. Handover & Pink Book — Receive keys then wait for issuance of Ownership Certificate (Pink Book).
VAT — 10% Usually included in the purchase price by the developer.
Sinking Fund — 2% of property value, paid before handover for building maintenance reserve.
Registration Fee — 0.5% for issuing the Pink Book ownership certificate.
Capital Gains — 2% Personal income tax applies only when you resell the property.
🌍
Who Can Buy?
Anyone — Global
Japan is one of the most open property markets globally. No residency, visa, or permit required for foreigners to purchase.
No Visa Req. 100% Open
📋
Ownership Rights
Full Freehold Title
Complete freehold ownership of both land and building. Fully inheritable and transferable. Registered under your name.
House & Land Inheritable
🏷️
Price & Costs
No Minimum Price
No minimum price threshold for foreigners. Entry-level Akiya (abandoned houses) available from ¥1M. Tokyo condos from ¥30M.
Broker Fees Acquisition Tax
1. Submit LOI (KAIUKE-SHO) — Submit Letter of Intent to negotiate price and terms. Counter-offers typical.
2. Important Matters Disclosure — Licensed broker reads the legal disclosure document detailing property facts.
3. Contract & Deposit — Sign the purchase contract and pay earnest money deposit (10–20%).
4. Settlement & Title Transfer — Pay balance while Judicial Scrivener registers title transfer in your name.
Brokerage Fee — 3% of price + ¥60,000 + 10% Consumption Tax. Standard across all agencies.
Real Estate Acquisition Tax — ~3–4% Billed months after purchase. Varies by property type.
Registration & License Tax — up to 2% For land and building title transfers at settlement.
Judicial Scrivener Fee — ¥50,000–150,000 depending on transaction complexity.
06
🇦🇺 Australia Market Overview
🏛️
Who Can Buy?
FIRB Approval Mandatory
Foreign buyers must apply to the Foreign Investment Review Board (FIRB) before purchasing. Application fee required.
FIRB Required Strict Process
🏗️
Ownership Rights
New Builds Only
Foreigners restricted to new developments, off-plan purchases, or vacant land for construction. Cannot buy established resale homes.
Off-Plan Only Freehold Title
📈
Fees & Taxes
High Entry Cost
Foreign buyer surcharge adds 7–8% to standard stamp duty. FIRB application fees tiered by property value. Budget 12–15% extra.
+7-8% Surcharge FIRB Fees
1. Property Search & Pre-Approval — Find a new-build property and secure mortgage pre-approval if needed.
2. FIRB Approval — Apply to the Foreign Investment Review Board. Pay tiered application fee based on property value.
3. Contract & Deposit — Sign Contract of Sale (subject to FIRB) and pay 10% holding deposit.
4. Settlement — Finalize balance payment on settlement date to officially transfer title to your name.
Stamp Duty — 4–6% Varies by state. Victoria and NSW have different tiered structures.
Foreign Buyer Surcharge — 7–8% Additional stamp duty applied to foreigners on top of standard rates.
FIRB Application Fee — Starting ~AUD14,100 for residential properties. Scales with purchase price.
Legal/Conveyancing Fees — AUD1,000–2,500 for handling the transaction and title transfer.
Side-by-Side
Market Comparison Overview
Feature
🇮🇩 Indonesia
🇲🇾 Malaysia
🇸🇬 Singapore
🇻🇳 Vietnam
🇯🇵 Japan
🇦🇺 Australia
Freehold Available
No Yes Yes No Yes Yes
No Visa Required
No Yes Yes Entry Stamp Yes FIRB Required
Gov. Pre-Approval
No State Consent No No No FIRB Req.
Min. Purchase Price
IDR 2B+ (Apt)
RM 1M+
No Minimum
No Minimum
No Minimum
No Minimum
Foreign Quota
None None None Max 30%
None New Build Only
Avg. Gross Yield 2026
8.2%
6.2%
5.1%
7.1%
4.8%
4.5%
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