Do I have to use an estate agency to sell in Malta?

No. There is no legal requirement to involve an agency. You need a notary for the konvenju and the final deed (the buyer appoints and pays the notary), and you need an Energy Performance Certificate. Listing directly on a portal and handling viewings yourself is entirely lawful and saves the whole commission.

What tax do I pay when I sell property in Malta?

The default is a final withholding tax of 8% of the selling price, withheld by the notary at the final deed. It can be 5% if you sell within five years of buying, 10% for property acquired before January 2004, and zero if the property was your sole ordinary residence for at least three consecutive years and you sell within twelve months of vacating it.

Who pays the stamp duty, the buyer or the seller?

The buyer. Stamp duty in Malta is generally 5% of the price and it is the buyer's cost, as are the notarial fees. The seller's statutory cost is the final withholding tax on the transfer.

How much do Maltese estate agencies charge to sell a property?

The standard quotes are 5% of the selling price on a multi-agency listing and 3.5% on a sole agency mandate, plus 18% VAT on the fee. On a €300,000 sale that is €17,700 multi-agency or €12,390 sole agency, VAT included.

How do I find out what my property is worth before selling?

Start with a data-backed estimate from listed prices for comparable property in your locality, then, if you want a formal figure, commission a perit valuation (from around €250). Agencies will value it free, but remember a valuation from someone who wants the mandate is a pitch as well as a number.

Selling property in Malta: your three routes, and what each one costs

Most owners hear one route: sign with an agency at 5%. There are three, the price gap between them runs to five figures, and the tax bill is the same on all of them. Here is the whole picture before you sign anything.

Multi-agency commission: 5% + VAT
Sole agency commission: 3.5% + VAT
Final tax on the sale: 8%
Listing it yourself: Free

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The three routes to a sale

Maltese property is usually sold one of three ways. With multiple agencies at once (multi-agency), with one agency exclusively (sole agency), or directly by you, the owner. Maltese listings are not exclusive by default, which is why the same apartment often appears with four agencies at once.

The route decides your fee. The standard rates most Maltese agencies quote are 5% of the selling price on a multi-agency mandate and 3.5% on a sole agency mandate, with 18% VAT added to the fee in both cases. Selling directly costs no commission at all: portals such as Darscover let owners list free and buyers contact you directly.

Nothing stops you combining routes over time. A common pattern is to try a sole mandate or a direct listing first, and widen to multi-agency if the property does not move.

Route	Commission	On a €300,000 sale	Who does the work
Multi-agency	5% + 18% VAT	€17,700	Several agencies, none exclusively
Sole agency	3.5% + 18% VAT	€12,390	One agency, contractually committed
Sell it yourself	None	€0	You: photos, viewings, negotiation

Commission figures include VAT at 18% on the fee. Rates are the standard quotes in the Maltese market; individual agencies can and do agree different terms in the mandate.

What the sale costs beyond commission

Whichever route you pick, Malta taxes the transfer itself. The default is a final withholding tax of 8% of the selling price, withheld by the notary at the final deed. It is a final tax on the transfer value, not a capital gains calculation, and it applies whether or not you made a profit.

There are important variations: 5% can apply if you sell within five years of buying (for property that is not part of a project), 10% applies to property acquired before January 2004, and the sale of your own home is exempt entirely if you have owned and lived in it as your sole ordinary residence for at least three consecutive years and sell within twelve months of moving out.

The other seller-side costs are small by comparison: an Energy Performance Certificate if you do not already hold a valid one (typically €150 to €250, of which €75 is the Building Regulation Office fee), and optionally an independent perit valuation from around €250 if you want a professional figure rather than an agency estimate.

The buyer, not you, pays the 5% stamp duty and engages and pays the notary. Do not let anyone fold those into your side of the negotiation.

How long a Maltese sale takes

From listing to an accepted offer is the unpredictable part: weeks for a well-priced apartment in a liquid area, months for niche property. From accepted offer the process is more fixed: the konvenju (promise of sale) is signed within a few weeks, is typically valid for three to six months, and the final deed follows once the notary completes searches and the buyer's bank issues its sanction letter.

Plan for four to eight months end to end. Pricing against real market data, rather than against hope, is the single biggest lever on the timeline: overpriced stock in Malta sits, and a listing that sits gets stale.

Before you list: three things worth doing

First, establish what the property is actually worth. A free data-backed estimate takes minutes and anchors every later conversation with agencies and buyers.

Second, get the paperwork lined up: your title deed (the contract from when you bought), the Energy Performance Certificate, and any planning permits for works done. Missing permits surface in the notary's searches and stall the deed at the worst possible moment.

Third, decide your route deliberately. The difference between 5% multi-agency and 3.5% sole agency on a €300,000 sale is €5,310 including VAT, and the difference between an agency sale and a direct sale is the entire fee.

Common questions

Do I have to use an estate agency to sell in Malta?: No. There is no legal requirement to involve an agency. You need a notary for the konvenju and the final deed (the buyer appoints and pays the notary), and you need an Energy Performance Certificate. Listing directly on a portal and handling viewings yourself is entirely lawful and saves the whole commission.
What tax do I pay when I sell property in Malta?: The default is a final withholding tax of 8% of the selling price, withheld by the notary at the final deed. It can be 5% if you sell within five years of buying, 10% for property acquired before January 2004, and zero if the property was your sole ordinary residence for at least three consecutive years and you sell within twelve months of vacating it.
Who pays the stamp duty, the buyer or the seller?: The buyer. Stamp duty in Malta is generally 5% of the price and it is the buyer's cost, as are the notarial fees. The seller's statutory cost is the final withholding tax on the transfer.
How much do Maltese estate agencies charge to sell a property?: The standard quotes are 5% of the selling price on a multi-agency listing and 3.5% on a sole agency mandate, plus 18% VAT on the fee. On a €300,000 sale that is €17,700 multi-agency or €12,390 sole agency, VAT included.
How do I find out what my property is worth before selling?: Start with a data-backed estimate from listed prices for comparable property in your locality, then, if you want a formal figure, commission a perit valuation (from around €250). Agencies will value it free, but remember a valuation from someone who wants the mandate is a pitch as well as a number.