100+ Free RES Paper 1 Practice Questions

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Real Estate Salesperson Examination Paper 2 (Singapore)

Practice Questions100 questions

2026 Statistics

Key Facts: RES Paper 1 Exam

80 MCQs

Paper 1 has 60 stand-alone MCQs plus 20 case-study MCQs (100 marks)

CEA-approved RES course providers - examination format

60%

Passing mark for each RES examination paper, subject to CEA review

Council for Estate Agencies (CEA)

2.5 hours

Duration of Paper 1 (2 hours 30 minutes)

CEA-approved RES course providers - examination format

100% MCQ

Since 2023 the RES papers are fully multiple choice; short-answer Section C was removed

NTUC LearningHub / CEA-approved providers

Units 1 and 2

Paper 1 tests Real Estate Agency Industry Overview, Basic Land Law and Dealings in Land

RES Examination Syllabus (revised 1 Jan 2017)

About SGD 425

Examination fee per paper (inclusive of GST) for a first sitting

RES examination administrator fee schedule

2 years

Validity of the RES course completion certificate to pass both papers

Council for Estate Agencies (CEA)

100

Free original Paper 1 practice questions here

OpenExamPrep

The RES Examination Paper 1 is one of two papers that aspiring Singapore property agents must pass under the Council for Estate Agencies (CEA). Paper 1 covers the real estate agency industry overview, basic land law concepts, and dealings with interests in land (Competency Units 1 and 2). Since 2023 it is 100% multiple choice: Section A has 60 stand-alone MCQs (60 marks) and Section B has 20 case-study MCQs (40 marks), for 80 questions and 100 marks in 2.5 hours. The passing mark is 60% per paper. This 100-question bank provides original Paper 1 practice on land law, contract, agency and the regulatory framework, kept distinct from Paper 2.

Sample RES Paper 1 Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to test your RES Paper 1 exam readiness. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1Which statutory body regulates the real estate agency industry in Singapore and administers the licensing of estate agents and salespersons?

A.Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA)

B.Council for Estate Agencies (CEA)

C.Housing & Development Board (HDB)

D.Singapore Land Authority (SLA)

Explanation: The Council for Estate Agencies (CEA) was established in 2010 under the Estate Agents Act to regulate the real estate agency industry, licensing estate agents and registering salespersons. URA, HDB and SLA each have land-related roles but do not regulate agency practice.

2The Singapore property market is commonly divided into submarkets. Which of the following is the best example of a submarket distinction?

A.Buyers versus sellers

B.Residential, commercial and industrial property

C.Agencies versus salespersons

D.Freehold versus the State Lands Act

Explanation: Real estate submarkets are typically segmented by property use, such as residential, commercial and industrial, each with distinct demand drivers and regulations. This segmentation helps analyse market behaviour. Buyers/sellers and agencies/salespersons are market participants, not submarkets.

3The Additional Buyer's Stamp Duty (ABSD) is an example of which kind of government action in the property market?

A.A market-led pricing mechanism

B.A property cooling measure to moderate demand

C.A subsidy to encourage purchases

D.A planning restriction on land use

Explanation: ABSD is a property cooling measure imposed on top of Buyer's Stamp Duty to moderate demand, particularly from foreigners and those buying additional properties. Cooling measures are a key form of government intervention in the market.

4Which authority is primarily responsible for land-use planning and the Master Plan in Singapore?

A.Housing & Development Board (HDB)

B.Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA)

C.Council for Estate Agencies (CEA)

D.Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS)

Explanation: The URA is Singapore's national land-use planning authority and prepares the Master Plan, the statutory plan guiding development over the medium term. HDB builds public housing, CEA regulates agents, and MAS is the central bank and financial regulator.

5Which of the following is a regulated dealing for which a person must generally be a registered salesperson or licensed estate agent?

A.Buying a flat to live in personally

B.Introducing a buyer to a seller for a fee in the course of business

C.Renting a room from one's own landlord

D.Valuing one's own property for tax purposes

Explanation: Acting as an intermediary in property transactions for a fee or reward, in the course of business, is estate agency work requiring registration or a licence under the Estate Agents Act. Dealing in one's own property is generally not regulated estate agency work.

6In land law, the maxim 'cujus est solum, ejus est usque ad coelum et ad inferos' broadly means that ownership of land extends:

A.Only to the surface of the soil

B.Upward to the sky and downward to the centre of the earth, subject to limits

C.Only to fixtures attached to the land

D.Only to the boundaries marked by a fence

Explanation: The maxim expresses that land ownership extends, in principle, upward into the airspace and downward beneath the surface, though modern law limits this (for example, airspace rights and state ownership of minerals and deep subsurface). It explains why land includes more than just the surface.

7A built-in kitchen cabinet bolted to the wall and a free-standing dining table are in a house being sold. In land law, which is most likely classified as a fixture that passes with the land?

A.The free-standing dining table

B.The built-in cabinet bolted to the wall

C.Both items equally

D.Neither item

Explanation: A fixture is an item annexed to the land with the intention that it become part of it; the degree and purpose of annexation are tested. A cabinet bolted to the wall is generally a fixture passing with the land, while a free-standing table is a chattel that the seller can remove.

8Which of the following best describes a freehold estate in land?

A.Ownership for a fixed term of 99 years

B.Ownership of uncertain or perpetual duration, such as an estate in fee simple

C.A licence to occupy granted by the state

D.A monthly tenancy renewable at will

Explanation: A freehold estate, such as a fee simple, is held for an uncertain or perpetual duration rather than a fixed term. This distinguishes it from leasehold estates, which last for a fixed period such as 99 or 999 years.

9A 99-year lease is the most common leasehold tenure for HDB flats and many private developments in Singapore. A leasehold estate is best described as:

A.An estate of perpetual duration

B.An estate granted for a certain fixed period of time

C.A licence that can be revoked at any time

D.Ownership of the land's minerals only

Explanation: A leasehold estate gives exclusive possession for a fixed, certain term such as 99 or 999 years, after which the land reverts to the lessor. This certainty of duration is what distinguishes leasehold from freehold tenure.

10Under the State Lands Act framework in Singapore, who is the ultimate owner of all land that has not been alienated to private owners?

A.The Council for Estate Agencies

B.The State (Government of Singapore)

C.The Housing & Development Board

D.The individual occupiers in possession

Explanation: The State is the ultimate owner of land in Singapore; private parties hold estates (freehold or leasehold) derived from grants of state land. State land that has not been alienated remains vested in the State and is managed by the Singapore Land Authority.

About the RES Paper 1 Exam

The Real Estate Salesperson (RES) Examination is the licensing examination that aspiring property agents in Singapore must pass to register with a licensed estate agency under the Council for Estate Agencies (CEA). It comprises two papers, each 2.5 hours. Paper 1 covers Competency Unit 1 (Real Estate Agency Industry Overview and Basic Land Law Concepts) and Competency Unit 2 (Dealings with Interests in Land). Since 2023 both papers are 100% multiple choice: Section A has 60 stand-alone MCQs and Section B has 20 case-study MCQs, for 80 questions and 100 marks. The passing mark for each paper is 60%, and candidates must complete a CEA-approved RES course before registering. Paper 1 focuses on the legal foundations of estate agency work: how land is owned and registered, the law of contract and agency, landlord-and-tenant law, mortgages, trusts, co-ownership and the planning and development framework.

Assessment

Section A: 60 stand-alone MCQs (60 marks). Section B: 20 MCQs referring to 1 or 2 case studies (40 marks). 80 MCQs and 100 marks in total; both papers have been fully multiple choice since 2023.

Time Limit

2 hours 30 minutes (2.5 hours) for Paper 1.

Passing Score

60% per paper, subject to review by CEA. Both Paper 1 and Paper 2 must be passed to qualify for registration as a salesperson.

Exam Fee

About SGD 425 (inclusive of GST) per paper for first sitting; about SGD 240 (inclusive of GST) per paper for re-takers, payable to CEA's appointed examination administrator. (Council for Estate Agencies (CEA); examination delivered by CEA's appointed examination administrator)

RES Paper 1 Exam Content Outline

20%

Real Estate Agency Industry Overview

Competency Unit 1.1-1.2: real estate markets and submarkets, market players (developers, agencies, salespersons, financiers, regulators), and government intervention through agencies such as URA, HDB and the MAS-led cooling measures. Practice covers industry structure, the role of CEA, and how policy shapes the property market.

30%

Basic Land Law Concepts

Competency Unit 1.3-1.8: what constitutes land, the doctrine of estates, freehold versus leasehold tenure, the State Lands Act, rights in another's land (licence, easement and restrictive covenant), and registration of titles under the Torrens system and Land Titles Act, including caveats and indefeasibility.

50%

Dealings with Interests in Land

Competency Unit 2: law of contract (offer, acceptance, consideration, options to purchase), law of agency (authority, duties, commission), landlord and tenant law, negligence, mortgages and charges, gifts, trusts, succession and probate, future interests, co-ownership (joint tenancy and tenancy in common), restrictions on capacity to hold land (including foreign-ownership rules), and planning and development control.

How to Pass the RES Paper 1 Exam

What You Need to Know

Passing score: 60% per paper, subject to review by CEA. Both Paper 1 and Paper 2 must be passed to qualify for registration as a salesperson.
Assessment: Section A: 60 stand-alone MCQs (60 marks). Section B: 20 MCQs referring to 1 or 2 case studies (40 marks). 80 MCQs and 100 marks in total; both papers have been fully multiple choice since 2023.
Time limit: 2 hours 30 minutes (2.5 hours) for Paper 1.
Exam fee: About SGD 425 (inclusive of GST) per paper for first sitting; about SGD 240 (inclusive of GST) per paper for re-takers, payable to CEA's appointed examination administrator.

Keys to Passing

Complete 500+ practice questions
Score 80%+ consistently before scheduling
Focus on highest-weighted sections
Use our AI tutor for tough concepts

RES Paper 1 Study Tips from Top Performers

1Master the structure of land law first: distinguish estates (freehold vs leasehold) from interests (easements, covenants, mortgages) before tackling case-study questions.

2Learn the elements of a valid contract and the mechanics of the Option to Purchase, because contract and agency law appear throughout both Section A and the case studies.

3Know the difference between joint tenancy and tenancy in common, including the right of survivorship, as co-ownership questions are common and easy marks once understood.

4For agency law, be clear on the salesperson's duties, types of authority, and when commission is earned, since these recur in scenario questions.

5Practise reading Section B case studies carefully and identifying which legal principle each question targets; the facts often contain deliberate distractors.

6Use timing discipline: with 80 questions in 150 minutes you have under two minutes per question, so flag hard items and return to them.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many questions are on RES Paper 1?

Paper 1 has 80 multiple-choice questions: Section A is 60 stand-alone MCQs worth 60 marks, and Section B is 20 MCQs based on 1 or 2 case studies worth 40 marks, for 100 marks in total.

Is RES Paper 1 still multiple choice?

Yes. Since 2023 both Paper 1 and Paper 2 are 100% multiple choice. The earlier fill-in-the-blank short-answer Section C was removed, so all 80 questions are now MCQs.

What topics does RES Paper 1 cover?

Paper 1 covers Competency Unit 1 (Real Estate Agency Industry Overview and Basic Land Law Concepts) and Competency Unit 2 (Dealings with Interests in Land), including contract law, agency law, mortgages, trusts and co-ownership.

What is the passing mark for RES Paper 1?

The passing mark for each RES examination paper is 60%, subject to review by CEA. You must pass both Paper 1 and Paper 2 to register as a salesperson.

How is Paper 1 different from Paper 2?

Paper 1 covers the agency industry overview, basic land law and dealings in land (Units 1 and 2). Paper 2 covers regulation of the agency industry, real estate marketing and property transactions, including HDB rules, stamp duties and financial calculations (Units 3 and 4).

Are these official CEA practice questions?

No. These are original OpenExamPrep questions modelled on the published RES Paper 1 syllabus. CEA and approved course providers issue official course materials and sample questions separately.