Johor has established itself as Malaysia's second-largest residential market in 2025, based on both transaction volume and value, according to JLL.

JOHOR, MALAYSIA – Media OutReach Newswire – 31 July 2026 – From 1 January 2026, foreign purchasers of residential property in Malaysia are subject to a flat 8% stamp duty rate on the transfer, replacing the previous fixed 4% rate. Meanwhile, a separate stamp duty remission continues to apply within the Forest City Special Financial Zone (SFZ), subject to defined eligibility conditions. Forest City has published a property verification guide for prospective foreign buyers, providing a detailed overview of the ownership framework, foreign-purchaser requirements and applicable tax treatment for property acquisitions within Forest City in Johor. Forest City is a master-planned development in Iskandar Puteri, Johor, with many residential units held under freehold tenure. Foreign buyers may purchase residential property in Forest City subject to Malaysia's foreign-ownership rules. Under the Forest City Special Financial Zone framework, eligible individual purchasers who buy completed residential or commercial units directly from the developer may receive a 50% stamp duty remission on the instrument of transfer and the loan or financing agreement. To qualify, the sale and purchase agreement (SPA) must be executed between 1 September 2024 and 31 December 2034, and construction must have been completed before 1 September 2024. Foreign Ownership and Title Structure in Forest City Foreign buyers are permitted to purchase residential units in Forest City, provided the transaction meets Malaysia's applicable foreign ownership rules, including any state authority approval required for the acquisition. Foreign buyers should distinguish between Malaysia's general state-level minimum purchase-price rules and the Forest City SFZ-linked route, as the applicable threshold may depend on the buyer's intended purchase and residency pathway. Johor's general minimum threshold for foreign residential acquisition is generally set at RM1 million. The Forest City SFZ MM2H-linked route generally starts at RM500,000 for qualifying purchases from the developer, but buyers should confirm the current threshold, timing and source-of-purchase requirements with a licensed Malaysia My Second Home (MM2H) agent and Malaysian conveyancing lawyer. The majority of residential units at Forest City are held on freehold tenure, meaning the tenure is not subject to a fixed lease-expiry period. Upon conducting a land title search, the buyer's lawyer will obtain the title document, which clearly indicates the tenure type, whether freehold or leasehold. Marketing materials, project descriptions and buyer summaries should not be treated as substitutes for title verification. Forest City SFZ Stamp Duty Remission Within the Forest City SFZ, eligible individual purchasers buying completed residential or commercial units directly from the developer may claim a 50% remission on stamp duty payable on the instrument of transfer and on the instrument of loan or financing agreement. The remission is subject to gazetted eligibility conditions, including purchaser type, source of purchase, SPA execution period and construction completion date. Sub-sale and resale transactions do not fall within the stated scope of this individual-purchaser remission. Corporate purchasers should assess any applicable SFZ treatment separately against the relevant remission order and professional tax advice. In practical terms, the remission may reduce two key transaction costs: stamp duty on the property transfer and stamp duty on the loan or financing agreement. The actual saving will depend on the property price, financing amount, buyer category and applicable stamp duty rate. EY Malaysia and Lexology provide additional details from a third-party perspective. Forest City SFZ Stamp Duty Remission vs Standard Rules for Foreign Buyers:

Element	Forest City SFZ Stamp Duty Remission	Standard Stamp Duty Rules for Foreign Buyers (from 1 Jan 2026)
Stamp duty on transfer	50% remission under the gazetted order	Flat 8% on residential property
Stamp duty on loan/financing	50% remission under the gazetted order	0.5% of loan amount, standard
SPA execution period	1 Sep 2024 – 31 Dec 2034	No specified expiry date
Construction completion required	Before 1 Sep 2024	Not applicable
Eligible buyer type	Individual purchasers only	Applicable to all buyers, subject to the relevant rules
Eligible purchase source	Direct purchase from the developer only	Developer purchase...