Stamp duty a major factor discouraging downsizers from moving

A new report reveals that for many downsizers, the desire is there to move out of large family homes, but a few major factors hold them back. Stamp duty is one of the leading financial concerns for Australians considering downsizing, adding tens of thousands of dollars to the cost of a move, according to the 2026 Downsizing Australia report by realestate.com.au and GemLife. Developed in partnership with GemLife, the report examines the housing market and the barriers and motivations influencing downsizers across Australia. According to the report, 26% of respondents said stamp duty was a concern holding them back from moving. Picture: GettyIt draws on responses from more than 2100 buyers to the realestate.com.au Property Seeker Survey, including a sample of people aged over 50 who said they were looking to downsize. The report identifies stamp duty as a leading financial concern, with more than one in four would-be downsizers saying the tax is holding them back from moving. Stamp duty was the second most cited concern with 26% of downsizer respondents naming it, behind the hassle of moving (29%). Separate research by PropTrack and the e61 Institute, included in the report, found th...