Seller Guide · Episode 2 · 50s
The SSD Clock — Sell Too Early and the Tax Office Takes a Cut
Seller's Stamp Duty can take up to 16% of your sale price. Which rule you're on depends on when you bought — and the clock stops earlier than most sellers think.
Key takeaways
- 1
Bought on or after 4 July 2025? The holding period is four years — 16% in year one, then 12%, 8% and 4%. No SSD once you pass four years.
- 2
Bought between 11 March 2017 and 3 July 2025? You're on the older rule: three years, at 12%, 8% and 4%. Check which one applies to you before you list.
- 3
The clock stops when your buyer exercises the Option to Purchase, not at completion. If you're near the boundary, count backwards from that date — a 10–12 week completion will not save you.
- 4
Lowering your asking price doesn't reduce the duty. SSD is charged on the higher of the selling price or the market value at the date of disposal.
- 5
My own practice: if your window clears within a year, wait it out and start marketing about two months before it does. That's a listing judgement, not an IRAS rule. (Rates and definitions: IRAS, Seller's Stamp Duty for Residential Property.)
Want your own three price bands?
Start with what your home is worth today — a valuation range built on actual URA transaction data, then the asking price that fits your timeline.