why is there stamp duty on top of the cost of buying a house???

Question

what is stamp duty

Answer 1

If it's what I think, it's a local tax that some but not all villages/cities apply. Some communities require the seller to pay it, others require the buyer to pay. Some don't charge it at all. It is intended to cover some of the administrative costs that come with paperwork changes in property transfers and is part of what makes the documents official and legally binding