Vendors to pay stamp duty on modern family home

ANOTHER budget run-up, another slowdown in second-hand house sales — thanks to the annual political muddying of the waters with regard to stamp duty on sales.

Having cajoled a house sale to the line in the last few months, the vendors of an east Cork home saw their vendors disappear when the red herring of stamp duty abolition (to be replaced by a suggested annual property tax) cropped up again last month, says auctioneer Anthony O’Regan of Keane Mahony Smith.

“This had the usual effect in that any purchaser about to invest has now decided to stand back and await further developments.”