RES Exam Syllabus 2027

This syllabus is sourced from the Council for Estate Agencies (CEA).

Download the official PDF: RES Examination Syllabus 2027.pdf

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Unit 10/41

Unit 20/60

Able to explain the following:

physical characteristics of real estate: immobility; durability/indestructibility; uniqueness; and indivisibility.
economic characteristics of real estate: scarcity; interdependence of real estate uses; long term investment; location or area of preference; capital intensive; and low liquidity.
distinguish these characteristics from the characteristics of indirect property investments including REITs and property stocks.

1.1.2Explain the characteristics of real estate market as a whole.

Level 2 - Understanding

Explanatory notes

Able to explain the following characteristics of the real estate market:

no central market;
lack of information; and
imperfect market structure.

1.1.3Classify properties into residential, commercial and industrial according to title (land, lease or strata), form and planning parameters.

Level 2 - Understanding

Explanatory notes

Able to differentiate the following:

the title/tenure of property, zoning, use and classification of property; and
the types of commercial properties (i.e. strata-titled shop/office units), industrial and residential properties.

1.1.4Explain the factors affecting the supply, demand, and prices of properties at both micro and macro levels.

Level 2 - Understanding

1.1.5Explain the functions of the different submarkets within the real estate industry.

Level 2 - Understanding

Explanatory notes

Able to explain the functions of the following submarkets based on:

property types;
locations; and
socioeconomic characteristics.

1.1.6Explain the relationship between property cycle and business cycle.

Level 2 - Understanding

1.1.7Determine the sources of real estate market information, including property supply, transaction statistics/data and other market information, and interpret them accordingly.

Level 3 - Applying

1.1.8Identify the fundamentals of supply of state land, land valuation and government policies on public housing.

NewLevel 1 - Remembering

Explanatory notes

Able to identify and describe the following:

sales mechanism of state land by the government;
Government Land Sales (GLS) and Industrial Government Land Sales (IGLS);
purchase of land by Housing & Development Board (HDB) at fair market value for public housing; and
factors influencing valuation of state land for HDB flats and other developments.

1.2.1Explain the roles of real estate market players, including developers, investors and users, across residential, commercial, industrial, hospitality and healthcare property sectors.

Level 2 - Understanding

1.2.2Determine the impact of government control and intervention in the real estate market, including cooling measures and other measures.

Level 3 - Applying

1.2.3Explain the roles and functions of various government agencies involved in the real estate market and property transactions, including the Building and Construction Authority (BCA), Central Provident Fund Board (CPFB), JTC Corporation (JTC), Housing & Development Board (HDB), Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (IRAS), Land Transport Authority (LTA), Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), Ministry of Manpower (MOM), Singapore Land Authority (SLA) and Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA).

Level 2 - Understanding

1.2.4Explain the pricing of Build-to-Order (BTO) flats by HDB.

NewLevel 2 - Understanding

Explanatory notes

Able to explain the following:

the pricing of BTO flats by HDB using valuation principles and subsidies/housing grants; and
the subsidies provided for Standard, Plus and Prime flats.

1.3.1Distinguish real property from personal property.

Level 2 - Understanding

1.3.2Distinguish proprietary right from personal right.

NewLevel 2 - Understanding

1.3.3Distinguish ownership (the largest form of proprietary interest) from lesser interests (including leases and licences).

NewLevel 2 - Understanding

1.3.4Differentiate legal interest from equitable interest.

NewLevel 2 - Understanding

1.4.1Explain the legal meaning of land.

Level 2 - Understanding

1.4.2Examine the legal definition of fixtures and apply the legal tests relating to fixtures.

Level 3 - Applying

Explanatory notes

Able to apply the following principles:

the two tests to determine whether a chattel is/has become a fixture;
ascertain the party (buyer or seller, landlord or tenant) who is entitled to a fixture; and
examine the common usage of the term “fitting” by the industry and how it relates to “fixture”.

1.4.3Ascertain the legal descriptions of land lot, strata lot, and accessory lot, and determine the appropriate documents and sources to obtain such information.

Level 3 - Applying

1.4.4Explain the possible implications of fixtures and fittings on property values, including computation of annual values (AVs), property tax payable, capital value and market value.

NewLevel 2 - Understanding

1.5.1Explain the concepts of tenure and estate, and the various types of freehold and leasehold estates.

Level 2 - Understanding

1.6.1Explain the implied covenants and conditions in the grant in perpetuity and State lease.

Level 2 - Understanding

1.6.2Explain the scenarios that can give rise to the need to pay Land Betterment Charges (LBCs).

Level 2 - Understanding

1.6.3Explain the nature of temporary occupation licence (TOL) issued by the State.

Level 2 - Understanding

1.6.4Describe the State’s reversionary interest in State leases and the power to acquire land compulsorily under the Land Acquisition Act.

Level 1 - Remembering

1.6.5Describe road reserves and identify their implications to property owners and purchasers with regard to land development and/or redevelopment.

NewLevel 1 - Remembering

1.6.6Explain the common types of encroachment and its legal implications on property ownership and usage.

NewLevel 2 - Understanding

1.7.1Explain the term “encumbrances” on land title.

Level 2 - Understanding

1.7.2Explain the nature of a licence.

Level 2 - Understanding

1.7.3Distinguish a licence from a lease.

Level 2 - Understanding

1.7.4Explain the nature and characteristics of an easement.

Level 2 - Understanding

1.7.5Explain how an easement may be acquired and extinguished at common law and under the Land Titles Act 1993 (LTA) and Land Titles (Strata) Act 1967 (LTSA).

Level 2 - Understanding

1.7.6Explain how easements may be implied under the LTA and LTSA.

Level 2 - Understanding

1.7.7Explain the extent to which covenants affecting adjacent landowners bind their respective successors in title.

Level 2 - Understanding

1.7.8Explain the existence of a restrictive covenant in a land title.

Level 2 - Understanding

1.7.9Explain how a restrictive covenant may be discharged at common law and under the LTA.

Level 2 - Understanding

1.8.1Explain and differentiate the types of certificates of title, including certificate of title, subsidiary certificate of title, subsidiary strata certificate of title and lease title.

Level 2 - Understanding

1.8.2Determine a property type based on its type of certificate of title.

NewLevel 3 - Applying

1.8.3Explain dealings in land that are notified in the property title document.

Level 2 - Understanding

Explanatory notes

Able to explain the following dealings in land:

transfers;
mortgages;
charges; and
leases exceeding 7 years.

1.8.4Explain the effect of registration and the priority of registered interests under the LTA.

Level 2 - Understanding

1.8.5Explain the function of a caveat and the period of its effectiveness.

Level 2 - Understanding

Understanding Cognitive Levels

Your Progress

Competency Unit 1

1.1 Real estate market and submarkets1.5 hours

1.2 Real estate market players and government intervention1 hour

1.3 Introduction1.5 hours

1.4 Land2 hours

1.5 Estates in land1 hour

1.6 State Lands Act and Land Betterment Charge Act1 hour

1.7 Rights in another's land1.5 hours

1.8 Registration of titles1.5 hours

Competency Unit 2

RES Exam Syllabus 2027

Understanding Cognitive Levels

Your Progress

Competency Unit 1Real Estate Agency Industry Overview & Basic Land Law Concepts

Competency Unit 1

1.1 Real estate market and submarkets1.5 hours

1.2 Real estate market players and government intervention1 hour

1.3 Introduction1.5 hours

1.4 Land2 hours

1.5 Estates in land1 hour

1.6 State Lands Act and Land Betterment Charge Act1 hour

1.7 Rights in another's land1.5 hours

1.8 Registration of titles1.5 hours

Competency Unit 2Dealings with Interests in Land

Competency Unit 2