Seller guide · Johor Bahru · Updated 17 Oct 2026
Sell your property in Johor Bahru: prices, steps and costs (2026)
A plain guide for owners selling a house or condo in Johor Bahru: what similar homes are asking now, how to price yours, the steps from offer to keys, and every cost you pay as the seller. I am Jason Lim (REN 84424, IQI Realty), with 10 years in Malaysian property, and I help JB owners sell.
Thinking of selling?
Tell me 3 things. I’ll tell you what your home could sell for.
No charge for the price check. I reply myself, usually the same day. Jason Lim, REN 84424.
On the market now · 17 Oct 2026
What homes in Johor Bahru are asking now
These are the asking prices of the subsale homes listed through the IQI agent network on 17 Oct 2026. They show what your buyers will compare you with. They are not sale prices: homes often sell below the asking price, so I always check them against recorded sales too.
By area: houses (landed) and condos
| Area | Houses listed | Median asking | Middle half of asking prices | Median per sq ft | Condos listed | Condo median asking |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Johor Bahru (city, Tebrau, Setia Indah) | 56 | RM698,000 | RM598,000 – RM838,000 | RM470 | 29 | RM400,000 |
| Skudai and Tampoi | 87 | RM550,000 | RM478,000 – RM688,000 | RM375 | 27 | RM210,000 |
| Masai, Pasir Gudang and Permas Jaya | 49 | RM450,000 | RM368,000 – RM548,000 | RM429 | 16 | RM218,000 |
| Kulai and Senai | 37 | RM458,000 | RM365,000 – RM560,000 | RM349 | – | – |
| Ulu Tiram | 27 | RM548,000 | RM460,000 – RM658,000 | RM372 | – | – |
| Iskandar Puteri and Gelang Patah | 10 | RM1,200,000 | RM600,000 – RM1,470,000 | RM519 | 6 | RM518,000 |
“Middle half” means half of the listed houses ask a price inside this range. A dash means fewer than 5 listings, too few for a fair median. Iskandar Puteri has only 10 listed houses and a mix of terraces and large homes, so its median moves a lot from week to week.
By type, across Johor Bahru
| Type | Listed | Median asking |
|---|---|---|
| 2-storey terrace | 158 | RM568,000 |
| Single-storey terrace | 80 | RM498,000 |
| Semi-detached house | 9 | RM988,000 |
| Apartment | 29 | RM368,000 |
| Flat | 39 | RM200,000 |
| Serviced apartment | 6 | RM510,000 |
Source: subsale listings in the shared (co-broke) inventory of the IQI agent network, Johor Bahru district plus Kulai, Senai and Iskandar Puteri, fetched 17 Oct 2026; homes for sale only, land and commercial excluded. See the homes behind these numbers: JB subsale houses · JB subsale condos.
Pricing
How to price your house so it sells
A buyer in JB looks at three numbers before making an offer, so I price your home against the same three:
- Recorded sales nearby. What homes in your building or taman actually sold for in the last one to two years. This is the strongest evidence, and it is what the buyer’s bank will lean on.
- The homes listed against you now. The tables above, narrowed to your taman, type and size. A buyer will view those first if yours asks more for the same thing.
- The bank valuation. Most buyers need a loan, and the bank lends on its valuation, not on your asking price. If the valuation comes in lower, the buyer has to pay the gap in cash or walk away. More on this in what happens when the bank valuation is lower than the price.
Asking far above recorded sales usually means fewer viewings and a longer wait, and the listing becomes familiar to buyers before the price is corrected. A price set close to the evidence, with room to negotiate, tends to bring serious buyers earlier.
What adds value in JB: a corner or end lot, a renovated kitchen and bathrooms, extended or tiled areas done with approval, freehold title, a short walk to schools or the main road, and for condos, a good view, a higher floor and a well-run management office. Leasehold with few years left, a Bumiputera lot restriction or outstanding maintenance fees narrow the pool of buyers.
Step by step
The steps to sell, and how long each takes
- Price check and documents (about 1 week). I check recorded sales and the competing listings, and you gather the documents below.
- Listing and viewings (a few weeks to a few months). Photos, a listing on the IQI co-broke network so other IQI agents can bring their buyers, my listing pages on this site, and social media. I arrange the viewings and send you an update after each one.
- Offer and earnest deposit. The buyer signs a letter of offer and pays an earnest deposit, usually 2% to 3% of the price, subject to contract.
- Sale and purchase agreement (usually within 2 weeks of the offer). Lawyers draft the SPA. When it is signed, the buyer tops the deposit up to 10% of the price.
- Consents and loan (1 month to several months). State consent is needed for leasehold land, Bumiputera lots and foreign buyers, and it can take months in Johor. The buyer’s bank values the home and issues the loan. Your bank prepares the redemption statement for your loan.
- Completion (usually 3 months, plus a 1-month extension). The balance is due within the completion period, counted from the SPA or from the date the consents are received, with late interest during the extension. The buyer’s bank pays off your loan first and you receive the rest.
- Handover. You hand over the keys once the full price is paid, with the latest bills settled.
- Tax forms (within 60 days). You file the real property gains tax return; the buyer files theirs and pays the retention sum to LHDN (see costs below).
A straightforward cash or loan sale of a freehold home usually takes three to four months from the SPA to the keys. A leasehold title or a foreign buyer adds the state consent time.
Seller costs
What it costs to sell a house in Johor Bahru
| Cost | How much | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Agent’s fee | Up to 3% of the price | The maximum under the scale of fees set by the Board of Valuers, Appraisers, Estate Agents and Property Managers (minimum RM1,000). Paid only when the sale completes. Service tax is added where it applies. |
| Your lawyer’s fee | 1.25% of the first RM500,000, then 1% of the next RM7 million (minimum RM500) | The scale in the Solicitors’ Remuneration Order 2023, plus disbursements and service tax. |
| Real property gains tax (RPGT) | 0% to 30% of your gain | On the profit, not the price. Malaysian citizens and PRs pay 30% within 3 years, 20% in year 4, 15% in year 5 and nothing from year 6. Foreigners pay 30% for 5 years, then 10%. Worked examples in my RPGT guide. |
| Retention sum | 3% of the price (7% if you are a foreigner) | The buyer’s lawyer holds it back and pays it to LHDN as a prepayment of your RPGT. Anything above the tax you owe comes back to you after LHDN processes your return. |
| Loan settlement | Your outstanding loan | Paid off from the sale price. Check your loan letter for a lock-in period: settling early can mean a penalty, often a percentage of the loan. |
| Outstanding bills | Whatever is due | Quit rent, assessment, and for strata homes the maintenance fee and sinking fund, settled up to handover. See maintenance fees and the sinking fund. |
| Stamp duty | Nil for you | Stamp duty on the SPA and the transfer is paid by the buyer. |
Example: a 2-storey terrace at the JB median
Say you are a Malaysian who bought a 2-storey terrace in 2019 for RM450,000 and sell it in 2026 for RM568,000, the median asking price for this type above. You have owned it for more than five years, so your RPGT rate is 0%.
| Sale price | RM568,000 |
| Agent’s fee at the 3% maximum | – RM17,040 |
| Lawyer’s scale fee (RM6,250 + RM680) | – RM6,930 |
| RPGT (owned more than 5 years) | RM0 |
| Before your loan, disbursements and service tax | RM544,030 |
The buyer’s lawyer still holds back the 3% retention, RM17,040, and pays it to LHDN. With no tax due, you claim it back after filing your return, so plan your cash for the wait. This is an illustration, not tax advice; your lawyer confirms the figures for your sale.
Get ready
Documents to prepare before you list
- Your IC (or passport), and the IC of every co-owner: all owners must sign.
- A copy of the title, or your SPA if the strata title has not been issued yet.
- Your loan details, so your bank can prepare the redemption statement.
- The latest quit rent (cukai tanah) and assessment (cukai pintu) receipts.
- For condos and gated homes: the latest maintenance and sinking fund statement.
- Recent water, electricity and sewerage bills.
- If the home is rented out: the tenancy agreement, since the buyer will want to know the end date.
- If you inherited it: the grant of probate or letters of administration.
- Your original purchase documents and renovation receipts. They lower your gain for RPGT.
Special cases
Selling to Singaporeans and other foreign buyers, tenanted homes and more
- Foreign buyers. Many JB buyers are Singaporeans. A foreigner needs state consent, pays a state levy and must meet Johor’s minimum price, so foreign buyers fit homes above that price best. See Johor’s foreigner minimum price and can a foreigner buy it?
- Bumiputera lots and Malay reserve land. These can only be sold freely to eligible buyers; any other sale needs state approval, so check your title first.
- Selling with a tenant inside. Possible. The buyer usually takes over the tenancy, or you agree a vacant-possession date. Investors often prefer a home that is already rented. See rental yields by area.
- Selling before you buy your next home. Tell me your timing. The completion period and handover date can be agreed in the SPA so that you are not left without a home.
- Inherited property. The estate must be in order first: the executor or administrator signs the sale.
Working with me
How I sell your home
- A price based on evidence. Recorded sales for your building or taman and the homes competing with yours, before you choose a price.
- Buyers from the whole IQI network. Your home goes on the IQI co-broke system, so other IQI agents can bring their buyers to you too.
- Seen by buyers searching JB. Listed on my Johor pages, which buyers use to compare homes in English, Bahasa Melayu and Chinese, and on my Smart Asset with Jason YouTube and Instagram channels.
- Updates after every viewing, and honest feedback from buyers on the price.
- Buyers checked before viewings. I check a buyer’s loan eligibility and source of funds before the viewing, so you do not lose months on a buyer whose loan is rejected.
- Owners outside Johor or in Singapore. I can hold the keys, arrange the viewings for you and send you video updates.
- Through to completion. I keep in touch with both lawyers and the banks until the keys are handed over.
I cover Johor Bahru city, Mount Austin and Tebrau, Skudai, Kulai and Senai, Ulu Tiram, Permas Jaya, Masai and Pasir Gudang, and Iskandar Puteri. More about me: About Jason · Services.
Straight answers
Selling a house in JB: common questions
How much is my house worth in Johor Bahru?
It depends on the taman, type, size, condition and tenure. As a start, the median asking price for a 2-storey terrace across JB was RM568,000 and for an apartment RM368,000 on 17 Oct 2026. For your home, send me the taman and type on WhatsApp and I will check recorded sales and the competing listings.
How long does it take to sell a house in JB?
Finding a buyer can take a few weeks to a few months, depending mostly on the price. After the SPA is signed, completion usually takes three months plus a one-month extension, longer if state consent is needed for a leasehold title or a foreign buyer.
What are the costs of selling a house in Malaysia?
The agent’s fee (up to 3%), your lawyer’s scale fee, real property gains tax on any gain, any early settlement penalty on your loan, and outstanding bills. The buyer pays the stamp duty. The table above gives the rates.
Do I pay RPGT if I have owned the house for more than five years?
Malaysian citizens and permanent residents pay 0% from the sixth year. You still file the return within 60 days, and the buyer’s lawyer still holds back 3% of the price, which you claim back if no tax is due.
Can I sell a house that still has a bank loan?
Yes, most JB sellers do. The buyer’s bank pays off your loan from the price and you receive the balance. Check whether your loan is still in its lock-in period.
Can I sell my house to a Singaporean?
Yes, if the home meets Johor’s minimum price for foreign buyers and it is not on a Bumiputera lot or Malay reserve land. The buyer needs state consent and pays the state levy, which adds time to completion.
Who pays the stamp duty when selling a house?
The buyer pays the stamp duty on the SPA and the transfer. As the seller you pay your own lawyer, the agent and any RPGT.
Should I renovate before selling?
Usually only small repairs are worth it: fix leaks and cracks, repaint, and clean up the garden or balcony. A big renovation rarely returns its full cost in the price, but keep the receipts of any work, since they lower your RPGT.
Sources for this guide (6)
- LHDN (Inland Revenue Board), Real Property Gains Tax (RPGT) rates (accessed October 2026)
- LHDN (Inland Revenue Board), Responsibilities of the Disposer and Acquirer (updated June 2026)
- Board of Valuers, Appraisers, Estate Agents and Property Managers, Scale of fees (accessed October 2026)
- Conventus Law, Malaysia: The Solicitors’ Remuneration Order 2023
- Halim Hong & Quek, Johor property boom: the new legal and tax framework for foreign acquisitions (6 October 2025)
- DNH Advocates & Solicitors, Cash flow and timing of sub-sale property purchase in Malaysia (updated March 2024)
Asking prices come from the IQI co-broke listings on 17 Oct 2026. Rates and rules are from the sources above; check them with your lawyer before you sign.
Thinking of selling in JB?
Send me the taman, the type and the size. I will check recorded sales and the homes competing with yours, and tell you what it could sell for.