Housing lobby warns against extending residency requirement to three years
Eiendom Norge's CEO Henning Lauridsen says the tax commission's proposal to raise the required residence period from one to three years would unfairly increase taxes on movers.
A proposal from the finance ministry's tax commission seeks to extend the required residence time for tax-free home sale gains from one to three years, targeting frequent short-term trades of secondary properties. Eiendom Norge's managing director Henning Lauridsen criticises the measure, saying it would add tax burdens to ordinary relocations, such as job moves, partnership changes or divorce, and would not stop traditional house-flipping, which typically involves owners staying less than a year.
The commission argues the rule would limit the ability to claim proportional gains based on residence length and reduce tax avoidance. Lauridsen also notes the proposal would affect a small group of owners who move into a secondary home for a year before selling it tax-free. He calls the plan unreasonable and urges finance minister Jens Stoltenberg to drop it.
Why it matters
The proposal could raise housing costs for many renters and homebuyers, affecting mobility and the broader property market.
In this story
