Stamp duty and a shortage of suitable smaller homes are discouraging some older Australians from downsizing, even when their family properties no longer meet their needs.
ABC News reported that the tax on a $1 million home can range from about $30,000 to more than $50,000 across Australian jurisdictions. Moving costs, legal fees and strata charges can add further barriers for people on fixed incomes.
National Seniors Australia says repeated surveys have identified transaction costs as a major obstacle. Urban-planning specialists also point to limited suburban housing diversity, with some residents reluctant to leave established communities or move into apartments.
South Australia has announced exemptions for eligible over-60s buying new builds, while Victoria and the ACT offer some pensioner concessions. Queensland says its current stamp-duty focus is on first-home buyers purchasing new homes.
Source: ABC News, 21 September 2026.
Image disclosure: The featured image is an AI-generated symbolic editorial illustration using fictional people and homes. It is not a photograph of anyone quoted in the report.
