Budget roughly 13% of the price in cash before you get the keys: 10% deposit plus about 3% for stamp duty, legal fees and valuation. The bank finances the property, not these.
I can run these numbers for your own situation. WhatsApp me at +60 17-880 2526.
By price, in cash terms
| Home price | Deposit (10%) | Duty, legal, valuation (~3%) | Cash before keys |
|---|---|---|---|
| RM500,000 | RM50,000 | RM15,000 | RM65,000 |
| RM700,000 | RM70,000 | RM21,000 | RM91,000 |
| RM1,000,000 | RM100,000 | RM30,000 | RM130,000 |
| RM1,500,000 | RM150,000 | RM45,000 | RM195,000 |
| RM2,000,000 | RM200,000 | RM60,000 | RM260,000 |
The 3% is an allowance, not a quotation. It moves with whether stamp duty is exempt, the firm’s scale fees and the loan size. Your lawyer’s statement of account is the number that counts.
Why the 3% surprises people
The deposit gets all the attention because it is one clean number. The rest arrives in pieces — transfer duty, loan agreement duty, two sets of legal fees, valuation, disbursements — and it arrives at the same time. On a million-ringgit purchase that is roughly RM30,000 on top of the RM100,000 deposit.
What can reduce it
- First-home stamp duty exemption. If you qualify, the duty portion disappears. The conditions are stricter than most assume — market value rather than price, one unit only, and never having owned any residential property.
- EPF. A housing withdrawal can cover part of it. Housing withdrawals come from Akaun Sejahtera (the old Account 2 under its new name); check the amount you can withdraw on KWSP.
What cannot
The deposit itself, if you want a 90% margin. And the legal fees, which are scale-based. Plan the cash, then shop — not the other way round.
Prices are developer-published gross prices, last checked 24 September 2026.
When each payment actually falls due
| When | What | Roughly, on a RM1,000,000 purchase |
|---|---|---|
| On booking | Booking deposit | Commonly 2–3% — RM25,000 |
| On signing the SPA | Balance of the 10% deposit | RM75,000 |
| Within weeks of signing | Stamp duty on transfer and on the loan agreement | Varies; exempt for a qualifying first home |
| Same period | Legal fees, valuation, disbursements | Scale-based |
| At handover | Utility and management deposits, fit-out | Not financed |
They arrive close together, which is why a buyer who planned only for the deposit gets caught. The handover month is usually the tightest of the whole purchase — fit-out, furniture and deposits all land at once, often while rent is still running.
If you are short
- Buy lower rather than borrow more. A smaller purchase reduces the deposit, the duty and the instalment together. Borrowing more only moves the problem into every month for thirty years.
- Check first-home eligibility properly. The exemption turns on market value, one unit, and never having owned residential property — including inherited and jointly held. If it applies, it is the single largest saving available.
- Look at what is completed. Buying something finished removes the years of paying rent while you wait, which is often larger than the price difference.
A worked example
Take a RM1,000,000 purchase with a 90% margin:
| Item | Amount | Financed? |
|---|---|---|
| Deposit (10%) | RM100,000 | No |
| Stamp duty on transfer | Tiered on value | No |
| Stamp duty on the loan agreement | A percentage of the loan | No |
| Legal fees, both sets | Scale-based | No |
| Valuation and disbursements | Varies | No |
| Allowance for all of the above | About RM30,000 | No |
| Total before keys | About RM130,000 | — |
| Then, at handover | Utility and management deposits, fit-out | No |
Nothing in that list is lent to you. It is also why a buyer who has exactly the deposit and nothing else cannot complete.
Where the exemption changes the picture
If you qualify as a first-time buyer, the stamp duty on both the transfer and the loan agreement can be exempt. The conditions are narrower than most people assume:
- It turns on market value, not the price you negotiated
- One unit only
- You must never have owned any residential property — including one inherited or received as a gift, and including a share held jointly
Confirm eligibility with the lawyer before you sign, not when the duty falls due.
Questions
Can I borrow the stamp duty?
Generally no. Some buyers cover it from an EPF housing withdrawal instead; check the current rules with KWSP directly.
Is the 3% allowance accurate?
It is an allowance for planning. The real figure depends on whether duty is exempt, on the firm’s scale fees and on the loan size. The lawyer’s statement of account governs.
When is the booking deposit refundable?
It depends on the booking terms. Read them before paying — some are not refundable once the SPA is issued.
Do I pay agency fees as a buyer?
On a new launch the developer pays the agency. On a sub-sale the arrangement varies, so establish it before you offer.
What else lands at handover?
Utility deposits, the management deposit, fit-out and furniture. That month is usually the tightest of the whole purchase.