Singapore’s private residential sales rose in November to the most in seven months as government curbs on speculation failed to deter buyers.

Transactions climbed to 1,909 from a revised 1,065 in the previous month, the Urban Redevelopment Authority said on its website today. That’s the most since April, when 2,208 units were sold, according to figures from the authority.

Singapore in August increased down payments for second mortgages and imposed a stamp duty on property held for less than three years to curb speculation. Home prices have climbed for five straight quarters, with an index tracking residential values rising to the highest since at least 1993 in the three months ended Sept. 30, amid a rebound in the island’s economy.

“This shows the government measures may not have been as effective as anticipated and the policy risk is now elevated,” said Chua Yang Liang, head of research at Jones Lang LaSalle Inc. in Singapore, a real estate brokerage and consulting company. Further government measures may be introduced this month or early next year, he said.