The state’s peak actual property authority has known as on the WA authorities to raise stamp obligation thresholds forward of subsequent yr’s funds in a bid to enhance pathways into house possession, whereas additionally urging rental concessions for tenants to open up the struggling market.
The Actual Property Institute of WA is searching for a program to incentivise buyers to offer inexpensive rental properties at below-market charges, lifting the overall and first house purchaser stamp obligation thresholds, and an incentive scheme to encourage buyers to put in photo voltaic panels on rental properties.
Final week the Reserve Financial institution of Australia confirmed its fifth rate of interest rise of 2026, growing the money charge goal to 4.85 per cent, growing the strain on present mortgage holders as home costs dropped throughout the nation.
REIWA president Rob Mandanici mentioned whereas costs at the moment are declining, robust market development over the previous few years had made buying a property more and more costly.
“We’re asking for the stamp obligation thresholds to be elevated to replicate bracket creep attributable to worth development,” he mentioned.
“In addition to serving to consumers normally, it could facilitate downsizing and create some much-needed mobility inside the market.
“For non-first house consumers, the REIWA Perth median home sale worth has been above the best stamp obligation bracket since October 2024. The purchaser of a home at Perth’s median sale worth in January 2020 would have paid $16,815.00 in stamp obligation. The customer of a home at Perth’s median sale worth as at August 2026 would have paid $40,550.50.
“This can be a enormous improve. It makes shopping for a brand new house an costly transaction and impacts motion inside the market.”
WA Treasurer Rita Saffioti mentioned the state authorities had prolonged its stamp obligation concessions to assist extra housing provide and extra range out there.
“We elevated our concessions for stamp obligation on the final funds, particularly, for off-the-plan and under-construction houses,” she mentioned.
“We’ve prolonged it to duplexes and different extra density merchandise.
“There’s numerous altering dynamics in the mean time, so we’ll proceed to work to assist the housing business. Certainly one of our key focuses presently is to make sure that we proceed to assist extra rental provide.”
WA opposition chief Basil Zempilas mentioned stamp obligation receipts had been a “large windfall” for the state authorities’s coffers.
“On the final funds, we known as for a 20 per cent across-the-board discount in stamp obligation, and we’re happy to see that REIWA has joined that dialog now and are additionally advocating for stamp obligation aid,” he mentioned.
“Receipts from stamp obligation have gone only a few years in the past from $1 billion to $5 billion final yr. That may be a large improve, a rise of $4 billion in stamp obligation receipts in only a few years’ time.
“In the end, it’s a matter for the federal government, and it’s a matter for what the federal government will do at funds time.
Mandanici mentioned the rental market stays extraordinarily constrained.
“REIWA is requesting the Authorities set up a brand new pilot program incentivising buyers to offer inexpensive housing at below-market charges,” he mentioned.
“Lease costs are at file highs, rental affordability is at file lows, the emptiness charge is beneath 2 per cent and rental provide has not returned to pre-COVID moratorium ranges on a per capita foundation.
“Whereas affordability is a problem for a lot of tenants, it’s higher for households that earn barely above social housing earnings limits and don’t qualify for present help packages.”