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Heritage property authority · Singapore
Singapore's authority on conservation and commercial shophouses
Guides, neighbourhood intelligence and market evidence for buyers, tenants and investors, plus off-market alerts and heritage valuations when you are ready for the next step.
Quick answer
What is a shophouse in Singapore?
A shophouse is a two to three storey building with a commercial ground floor and living or office space above, typically fronted by a covered five-foot way. Many were built between the 1840s and 1960s and about 6,500 are protected under URA conservation, so facades cannot be altered freely.
Explore by topic
Everything shophouses, organised
Start with the question you have. Every cluster links to neighbourhood notes, tax research and live sample inventory.
Buy
Shophouses for sale
Conservation and commercial shophouses across the CBD fringe, with tenure, URA grade and ABSD framing.
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Rent
Character leases
F&B-ready, boutique office and lifestyle retail leases from Club Street to Joo Chiat.
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Neighbourhoods
Streets and districts
Telok Ayer, Tanjong Pagar, Emerald Hill, Joo Chiat and more, mapped street by street.
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Heritage
History and conservation
Five-foot ways, Peranakan tiles, URA conservation grades and the story behind the facades.
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Market
Prices, yields and trends
Transaction evidence, rental yields and what is driving shophouse values.
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Guides
Playbooks and how-tos
Publication-length guides on tenure, ABSD, licensing and renovation.
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- 6,500+
- Conservation shophouses island-wide
- 1970s
- Conservation programme begins
- 5 ft
- Minimum covered five-foot way
- 6
- Core heritage neighbourhoods covered
URA conservation programme
URA, Singapore
URA conservation guidelines
Updated regularly
Neighbourhoods
Explore by district
District playbooks plus individual neighbourhood pages for the streets buyers actually search.
Pillar guide
Start with the definitive investing guide
Investing in Singapore Conservation Shophouses covers tenure, ABSD for commercial versus residential, URA grades, yields, F&B licensing and district playbooks in one resource.
Read the pillar guide →Lead magnet · 2026
2026 Conservation Buyer Checklist
Zoning, URA grade, tenure residual, ABSD scenarios, and F&B licensing — email me the PDF.
No spam. Heritage & commercial shophouse opportunities only.
Why trust this desk
How this desk earns authority
Methodology
We underwrite zoning, tenure residual, conservation grade and licensing readiness before marketing narrative, the same sequence used in heritage valuations.
Coverage
Tanjong Pagar, Telok Ayer, Chinatown, Club Street, Kampong Glam, Emerald Hill and Joo Chiat, plus adjoining heritage streets.
Who it’s for
Family-office investors, F&B operators securing compliant shells, and heritage buyers who need URA-aware diligence, not brochure copy.
Sample inventory
Featured listings
Curated commercial and conservation examples, illustrative of the desk's coverage.
Why heritage districts still compound
Singapore's shophouse market sits at the intersection of urban scarcity, URA conservation policy, and commercial zoning advantages. Assets with full commercial zoning and no ABSD remain structurally preferred by family offices and corporates, while URA conservation grade facades lock in streetscape character that new towers cannot replicate.
Whether you are underwriting a District 01–02 CBD Club Street restaurant shell, an Emerald Hill residential conservation terrace, or an east-side Joo Chiat lifestyle asset, pair inventory with the investing pillar, ABSD commercial vs residential and F&B licensing and change of use before you bid. HDB commercial shops have their own hub at HDB shophouses.
Shophouses Singapore: frequently asked questions
What makes Singapore conservation shophouses a distinct asset class?
Conservation shophouses combine heritage façades protected under URA conservation guidelines with flexible commercial or residential use. Many CBD and city-fringe assets enjoy freehold or 999-year leasehold Telok Ayer shophouse tenures, full commercial zoning with no ABSD, and durable rental demand from F&B and boutique office tenants.
Do foreign buyers pay ABSD on commercial shophouses?
Generally no. Full commercial zoning attracts buyer stamp duty commercial properties rates without Additional Buyer's Stamp Duty. Residential or mixed residential zoning may trigger ABSD and Qualifying Certificate obligations — always verify zoning and IRAS treatment before exchange.
Which districts are strongest for shophouse investment in 2026?
Tanjong Pagar, Telok Ayer, Chinatown, Club Street, and Boat Quay lead CBD demand. Emerald Hill and Cairnhill remain residential prestige corridors. Joo Chiat, Katong, and Kampong Glam offer lifestyle retail and tourism upside with typically lower entry prices.
What is a Private Deal Room?
Our Private Deal Room is an off-market matching service for qualified buyers and sellers of conservation and commercial shophouses. Subscribers receive curated alerts before public listing, including heritage valuation notes and tenure summaries.