Can a single, 31 year-old afford a private property with a $5,000 salary?

It's possible, but you would be looking mainly at resale condo units in the $600,000 range. At this price range, your monthly loan repayment (assuming a 25-year loan tenure at 3.5 per cent interest*) is roughly $2,253 per month; within the limit of the 60 per cent TDSR requirement.

However, you will need to pay the first five per cent in cash, and the next 20 per cent in cash or CPF, as the down payment (assuming you qualify for the full loan).

You should save up at least six months of your expenses - including the monthly loan repayment - before going ahead with it.