Subsales in Malaysia: meaning, how to buy, costs and real prices (2026)
What a subsale is, how the purchase works step by step, what it costs, and what subsale homes actually sell for.
The short answer
A subsale is a home you buy from its current owner, not new from a developer. It is Malaysia's word for a resale, and it covers every completed home, from terrace houses to condominiums.
Subsales at a glance
- ✓ Takes 3 to 6 months from the SPA to getting the keys
- ✓ Needs about RM73,000 in cash on a RM500,000 home with a 90% loan
- ✓ Median recorded price: RM392,000 for homes sold July 2025 to June 2026
Subsale vs new launch
| Subsale | New launch | |
|---|---|---|
| Who sells | The current owner | The developer |
| Move in | About 3 to 6 months after the SPA | Often 3 to 4 years, when it is built |
| What you see | The actual home, before you pay | A show unit and a brochure |
| Price check | Recorded sales nearby | No sales yet in the project |
| Loan paid out | In one lump sum at completion | In stages as the building goes up |
| Legal fees | Paid by the buyer | Often absorbed by the developer |
| Defects | No warranty; inspect before you buy | 24-month defect liability period |
| Main risks | Hidden defects, title or consent issues | Late delivery, abandoned projects |
Stamp duty rates are the same for both. Not sure which suits you? Our guide to what subsale means covers the basics.
What subsale homes really sell for
We looked at every residential subsale recorded by Jabatan Penilaian dan Perkhidmatan Harta (JPPH) between July 2025 and June 2026: 34,615 sales.
- Middle price (median): RM392,000. Half sold for less, half for more.
- 69% sold for RM500,000 or less.
- 85% sold for RM750,000 or less.
By state, for the eight busiest:
| State | Recorded sales | Median price |
|---|---|---|
| Selangor | 7,406 | RM498,000 |
| Johor | 4,976 | RM480,000 |
| Kuala Lumpur | 3,364 | RM780,000 |
| Perak | 3,291 | RM300,000 |
| Penang | 2,911 | RM360,000 |
| Kedah | 2,254 | RM300,000 |
| Negeri Sembilan | 1,981 | RM310,000 |
| Pahang | 1,677 | RM300,000 |
Landed or condo: popular areas
Medians for landed houses and condos in the busiest parts of the Klang Valley, Penang and Johor. These use two years of sales, July 2024 to June 2026, so each figure rests on more deals.
Klang Valley
| Area | Landed house | Condo or apartment |
|---|---|---|
| Kuala Lumpur city centre | RM2,610,000 | RM1,158,000 |
| Mukim Batu, KL (Kepong, Sentul, Mont Kiara) | RM900,000 | RM980,000 |
| Mukim Petaling, KL (Bukit Jalil, Sri Petaling) | RM950,000 | RM490,000 |
| Petaling Jaya | RM1,200,000 | RM620,000 |
| Damansara (Kota Damansara, Ara Damansara) | RM1,100,000 | RM457,000 |
| Subang Jaya | RM840,000 | RM375,000 |
| Cheras, Selangor | RM695,000 | RM430,000 |
| Kajang | RM608,000 | RM340,000 |
| Dengkil (including Cyberjaya) | RM700,000 | RM450,000 |
| Klang | RM590,000 | RM340,000 |
Penang
| Area | Landed house | Condo or apartment |
|---|---|---|
| George Town and the north-east (Timur Laut) | RM1,340,000 | RM620,000 |
| Bayan Lepas and the south-west (Barat Daya) | RM800,000 | RM530,000 |
| Butterworth area (Seberang Perai Utara) | RM420,000 | RM340,000 |
| Bukit Mertajam area (Seberang Perai Tengah) | RM528,000 | RM352,000 |
| Nibong Tebal area (Seberang Perai Selatan) | RM475,000 | RM400,000 |
Johor
| Area | Landed house | Condo or apartment |
|---|---|---|
| Johor Bahru city | RM698,000 | RM530,000 |
| Tebrau (Mount Austin, Johor Jaya) | RM720,000 | RM350,000 |
| Pulai (Iskandar Puteri, Skudai) | RM680,000 | RM403,000 |
| Plentong (Masai, Permas Jaya) | RM550,000 | RM425,000 |
| Kulai | RM499,000 | Too few sales |
Landed: terrace, semi-detached, detached and cluster houses. Condo: condominiums, apartments and serviced apartments; flats and low-cost homes are left out. Areas follow official mukim and district boundaries, so a name can cover more than one township.
See median prices by property type
| Property type | Recorded sales | Median price |
|---|---|---|
| Single-storey terrace | 8,517 | RM311,000 |
| Double-storey terrace | 7,929 | RM550,000 |
| Condominium or apartment | 4,800 | RM420,000 |
| Single-storey semi-detached | 2,386 | RM400,000 |
| Low-cost house | 2,351 | RM218,000 |
| Detached house | 2,172 | RM450,000 |
| Serviced apartment | 1,905 | RM580,000 |
| Double-storey semi-detached | 1,339 | RM861,000 |
| Flat | 1,277 | RM250,000 |
Recorded sales July 2025 to June 2026. Medians mix every location in Malaysia, so always compare against your own area.
A state median is a starting point, not a price for your home. The real check is the same project or road, the same type and a similar size. Records also lag by a few months, because a sale appears only after the transfer is stamped. Where the data comes from.
Free transaction search
Check what homes near you sold for
Browse recorded subsale prices by area, property type and size before you make an offer.
How to buy a subsale property in 8 steps
- Set your budget. Ask a bank how much you can borrow before you view anything. Most first and second homes get up to a 90% loan.
- Check the price. Compare the asking price with recorded sales of similar homes nearby. Our guide to checking market value shows how.
- View the home. Look for leaks, cracks, roof and wiring problems. For a condo, ask about the maintenance fee, sinking fund and any arrears.
- Make an offer. Sign an offer letter and pay an earnest deposit, commonly 2% to 3% of the price.
- Sign the SPA. Within about 14 days, your lawyer prepares the sale and purchase agreement. You top up the deposit to 10%.
- Get the loan. Submit the SPA to your bank. Approval and the loan agreement usually take 1 to 3 months.
- Stamp and transfer. Your lawyer pays stamp duty on the Memorandum of Transfer (MOT) and the loan agreement, then registers the transfer.
- Complete and move in. The bank pays the balance, usually within 3 months of the SPA plus a 1-month extension. You get the keys and switch the utilities to your name.
Timelines vary by bank, lawyer and title. Homes that need state consent, such as some leasehold or bumiputera lots, can add 1 to 3 months.
What a subsale costs on top of the price
For a RM500,000 subsale home with a 90% loan (RM450,000), bought by a Malaysian citizen:
| Cost | Amount |
|---|---|
| Down payment (10%) | RM50,000 |
| MOT stamp duty | RM9,000 |
| Loan agreement stamp duty (0.5%) | RM2,250 |
| SPA legal fees | RM6,250 plus disbursements |
| Loan legal fees | About RM5,625 plus disbursements |
| Cash needed | About RM73,000 |
A first-time buyer of a home priced at RM500,000 or less currently pays no stamp duty on either document, which brings the total to about RM62,000. The full breakdown is in the real cost of buying a house and stamp duty and MOT.
These are estimates. Legal fees follow the Solicitors' Remuneration Order 2023, and disbursements vary by firm. Confirm with your bank and lawyer.
Budget 2027: will subsale buyers get the stamp duty break?
Budget 2027 proposes, for first-time buyers with SPAs signed from 1 January 2027 to 31 December 2030:
- Homes up to RM500,000: no stamp duty on the transfer or the loan agreement.
- RM500,001 to RM750,000: the first RM500,000 exempt, and half the duty on the rest.
What is not yet clear is whether subsale homes qualify, or only homes bought from developers. On 9 October 2026, the House Buyers Association asked the government to confirm that subsales are covered.
It matters. In the recorded sales above, 85% of subsale homes sold for RM750,000 or less. If you are a first-time buyer planning to sign around the turn of the year, ask your lawyer which rules apply on your SPA date.
Checks before you sign
- Title. Individual or strata title issued? Freehold, or leasehold with how many years left? Any bumiputera or state consent conditions?
- Existing loan. If the seller still owes the bank, the lawyers will arrange to redeem it at completion.
- Unpaid bills. Quit rent (cukai tanah), assessment (cukai pintu), maintenance fees and utilities should be settled or apportioned at completion.
- Tenant. Is the home sold with vacant possession, or with a tenancy you will take over?
- Renovations. Extensions should have council approval. Unapproved work can be your problem after you buy.
- The price. Does the offer sit within the range of recent sales for the same project or road? If not, ask what justifies the gap.
Is a subsale worth it?
Buy subsale if you want to move in or start renting within months, prefer a mature neighbourhood with schools and shops already there, or want to check the price against real sales.
Consider a new launch if you have little cash for legal fees today, want a developer warranty, or are happy to wait 3 to 4 years.
Consider an auction if you want to buy below recent sales and can live with no viewing inside and a tight payment deadline. See lelong property in Malaysia.
Whichever you choose, the price you agree is the biggest number you control. Start with recorded subsale prices for your area.
General information only, not legal, financial or tax advice. Rates and exemptions are as of 14 October 2026 and can change with each Budget.
Common questions
What is the meaning of subsale?
A subsale is a property bought from an existing owner rather than new from the developer. It is Malaysia's word for a resale, and it covers completed homes of every kind, from terrace houses to condominiums.
How much does it cost to buy a subsale house in Malaysia?
Besides the price, budget for a 10% down payment, stamp duty on the transfer (MOT) and the loan agreement, and legal fees for both. For a RM500,000 subsale home with a 90% loan, that comes to roughly RM73,000 in cash, or about RM62,000 if you qualify for the first-time buyer stamp duty exemption. These are estimates; confirm with your bank and lawyer. See the real cost of buying a house.
How to buy a subsale house in Malaysia?
Set your budget and check your loan eligibility, compare the asking price with recorded sales, view the home, pay an earnest deposit with an offer letter, sign the SPA and top up to 10%, get your loan approved, then pay the balance at completion and collect the keys. The whole process usually takes 3 to 6 months.
Is buying a subsale house worth it?
Often, yes. You see exactly what you are buying, you can move in or rent it out within months, and you can check the price against what similar homes actually sold for. The trade-offs are higher upfront legal costs than many new launches, no developer warranty, and possible repair or renovation costs.
How long does a subsale purchase take?
Usually 3 to 6 months from the SPA to getting the keys. Completion is commonly set at 3 months from the SPA with a 1-month extension. Properties that need state consent, such as some leasehold or bumiputera lots, can take longer.
Does the Budget 2027 stamp duty exemption cover subsale homes?
Not yet confirmed. Budget 2027 proposes full stamp duty exemption for first-time buyers on homes up to RM500,000, and partial exemption up to RM750,000, for SPAs signed from 1 January 2027 to 31 December 2030. As of 14 October 2026, the House Buyers Association has asked the government to confirm whether subsale purchases qualify. Check with your lawyer before you sign.
Who pays the agent fee in a subsale?
Usually the seller, when the agent was appointed by the seller. If you appoint your own agent to find a home for you, agree the fee with them in writing before they start.
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