The real estate industry hopes the government will extend the first-time homebuyer stamp duty exemption in budget 2027:ime homebuyer stamp duty exemption in Budget 2027, along with other measures to improve housing affordability. According to BERNAMA News Agency, industrial real estate agency Juwai IQI's co-founder and group chief executive officer Kashif Ansari said the exemption saves buyers as much as RM11,250 and is currently scheduled to be in place through Dec 31, 2027. Kashif explained that the exemption involves removing the stamp duty on both the transfer instrument and the loan agreement for Malaysians buying their first home priced up to RM500,000. He noted that the extension is crucial as it aids more than three out of four buyers, with homes worth RM500,000 or less making up about 76 percent of all residential purchases. Kashif highlighted that the exemption allows buyers to pay nothing on the transfer and loan agreement. He warned that not extending the exemption in Budget 2027 could undermine the supply of good affordable housing and that any uncertainty regarding the exemption's future could lead developers to delay projects currently proposed for 2026. He also pointed out the need for government support to help buyers obtain mortgages within the affordable range, where loan rejections are highest. With three out of five loan applications being rejected, the real estate industry seeks to facilitate homeownership for individuals who can afford to buy homes but struggle to secure necessary mortgages. Kashif suggested that the government reinstate the Home Ownership Campaign, which offers buyers not only the stamp duty exemption but also a developer discount. He estimated that the campaign could save a typical young couple purchasing a RM450,000 first home about RM45,000, in addition to the stamp duty savings of around RM10,000.