ok thats strange that the auctioneer would telling you that you have to pay stamp duty at all, it should be a real marketing strategy to tell you that you'll be exempt even at as a 2nd time buyer! the 5% rate for a 275k property relates to a 2nd hand home, non FTB! Cant expain that one! And are you buying off the developer, not off someone who bought it, never lived in it, and is selling it off??? think you must be the 1st purchaser...might make a difference! otherwise the EA is in the wrong job! Hope it turns out positive for you. but it would appear from what you say that you will be exempt! Another example of the Govt boosting the builing industry once again given its heavy reliance on this industry me thinks!!! I'm not complaining though!
Edited to add: in any case SD is payable to the Revenue Commissioners and your solicitor is charged with making the payment on your behalf, so its not payable to the builder so seems completely strange that auctioneer would say that the builder "wants you" to pay 5%
Edited to add: in any case SD is payable to the Revenue Commissioners and your solicitor is charged with making the payment on your behalf, so its not payable to the builder so seems completely strange that auctioneer would say that the builder "wants you" to pay 5%