Buying a home
If you buy an apartment, flat or house, the tax known as transfer tax (varainsiirtovero; överlåtelseskatt) will be payable. As the buyer, you will usually be responsible for the payment of transfer tax, unless it has been agreed otherwise in the contract. However, exemptions may apply if you are a first-time homebuyer.
The rate of transfer tax is 2 % (from 1 March 2013 onwards), the tax base being the purchase price of an apartment in a housing company. However, if you buy an independent real property unit, such as a house, the rate will be 4%. Responsibility for payment rests with the buyer.
The new tax base as of 1 March 2013 is the debt-free selling price i.e. the value of the apartment itself plus its portion of the debts of the housing company. For more information, click:
If you engage the services of an estate agent to help you with the contract for buying a home, transfer tax will be payable immediately the deal is made. In such cases, the estate agent will have the responsibility of ensuring that the correct tax return form is delivered to the Tax Administration and that the correct amount of tax is paid.
Buyers of real property usually borrow money to finance the purchase. If you have a home loan, you will be entitled to tax credits for your payments of interest on the loan. If you have a newly signed loan contract, we recommend that you request a new tax card (verokortti; skattekort) to reduce your tax withholding and to increase the net portion of your pay. For more information, click