The Scottish Government is facing calls to make "full use" of its new fiscal powers.
Estate agents want the SNP administration to replace the current stamp duty regime with a sliding scale and to scrap “extravagant” home reports.
The Scotland Act, which received Royal Assent on May 1, granted the Scottish Parliament further competency over borrowing, stamp duty, and income tax.
The National Association of Estate Agents (NAEA) wants Alex Salmond to “give the Scottish housing market a double dose of support” by reducing the burden on homesellers and homebuyers.
David Mackie, NAEA spokesman for Scotland, said: “Property in the UK is already over-taxed compared to our European neighbours, and the market in Scotland, as well as elsewhere in the UK, is clearly struggling to recover from the economic slow-down.
“Now that he has been granted these extra powers, it is the perfect opportunity for Alex Salmond to make full use of them and scrap the unfair ‘slab’ structure of stamp duty. He should replace it with a fairer, more logical system that ditches the extreme jumps in taxation created by the current system and set by the UK Treasury.”
Stamp duty is charged to homebuyers in large brackets or "slabs" with significant jumps from one bracket to the next. The NAEA is particularly concerned about the tipping point at £250,000 where the duty leaps from one per cent to three per cent.
Mr Mackie added: "The UK Government has made it clear that it has no intention of addressing the current system, despite a strong case for reform. Stamp duty distorts the housing market, and especially hits first time buyers."
Mr Mackie also called for the First Minister to wind down the policy of compulsory home reports, introduced in Scotland in 2008.
He said: “Home reports are widely seen as an extravagance in Scotland; they haven’t had their desired impact and it’s not too late to suspend the scheme. Salmond should give the Scottish housing market a double dose of support by scrapping home reports, reforming stamp duty.”
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