In Brief: What Changed for Flipping in 2026
If housing bought from January 1, 2026 is sold before two years have passed, the difference between the sale and purchase price is subject to income tax: 10% up to 8,500 MCI and 15% on the excess. According to tax consultants, renovation costs do not reduce this base — the tax is charged on almost the entire markup.
The market does not help either: across Kazakhstan resale prices rose 9% year on year in August with inflation at 9.8%, and July deals were 6.5% fewer than a year earlier. Flipping in 2026 is about buying at a discount and keeping a precise budget, not betting on rising prices.
Update, September 14, 2026. The previous version said tax applied "if owned less than a year" and promised returns of "40–60% a year". That does not match the 2026 Tax Code and is not supported by data, so the article has been rewritten.
Worked Example: How the Tax Changes the Deal
| Item | Amount | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Apartment purchase | KZT 25,000,000 | notional price |
| Renovation and furniture | KZT 4,000,000 | not part of the tax base |
| Running and transaction costs over 6 months | KZT 400,000 | utilities, paperwork |
| Sale price | KZT 31,000,000 | after 6 months |
| Tax base: sale − purchase | KZT 6,000,000 | Art. 382(2) of the Tax Code |
| Income tax 10% | KZT 600,000 | income up to 8,500 MCI |
| Net profit | KZT 1,000,000 | KZT 31m − 25m − 4m − 0.4m − 0.6m |
| Return on KZT 29.4m invested | ≈3.4% for six months | before the cost of time and risk |
A notional example to illustrate the rules, not a market price benchmark.
The pre-tax margin in the example is KZT 1.6m, while the tax is charged on KZT 6m: it takes more than a third of the result. By contrast, if the same apartment is sold after two years of ownership there is no tax, but the capital stays tied up longer — and the apartment can be rented out meanwhile. Test your own deal in the calculator.
When Flipping Can Still Work
- Buying at a real discount. The profit is made at purchase: an urgent sale or a property with fixable shortcomings that needs investment.
- A liquid format. The most popular new-build layouts in Astana are one-room units of 36 and 41 m², two-room units of 52–54 m² and three-room units of 69 m² (Homsters, August 2026); non-standard sizes take longer to sell.
- A fixed renovation budget and schedule. Every extra month means utility bills and tied-up capital.
- A horizon of two years or more. "Buy — renovate — rent — sell after two years" avoids income tax and earns rent while you wait.
- A market sale price. Use district medians — for example, in the Astana price index — rather than the most expensive listings.
Taxes on Resale: What Matters
- Holding period. Two years for housing whose title was registered from January 1, 2026; one year for earlier purchases; three years from the agreement date for apartments under a shared construction agreement.
- Base. The positive difference between the sale price and the acquisition cost. Renovation costs are not included in the acquisition cost.
- Rates. For residents, 10% up to 8,500 MCI (KZT 36,762,500 in 2026) and 15% on the excess; 15% for non-residents.
- Return. Form 270.00 by September 15 of the year after the sale; payment by September 25.
- Regular deals. If reselling becomes systematic, ask a tax consultant how such activity should be registered.
Detailed examples: "Tax on Selling an Apartment in 2026".
Flipping Risks
- Legal. Encumbrances, co-owners, unauthorized alterations — check before paying a deposit using the checklist in "Taxes and Legal Due Diligence".
- Market. Resale prices across the country grow more slowly than inflation and there are fewer deals — a sale may take longer.
- Renovation. Budgets grow and schedules slip; a contingency reserve is needed from day one.
- Tax. An understated price in the purchase agreement raises the tax on sale and creates risks in disputes.
Flip Checklist
- Calculate the deal including tax before buying: sale price − purchase price = income tax base.
- Check the apartment's documents and encumbrances, the seller's spouse consent and the technical passport.
- Fix the renovation budget, schedule and contingency.
- Estimate the selling time from similar listings in the same district.
- Prepare plan B — renting out if the sale drags on.
- Keep agreements and payment records — they prove dates and amounts.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the tax on reselling an apartment in 2026?
If housing bought from 2026 is sold before two years of ownership, a resident pays 10% income tax on the difference between the sale and purchase price up to 8,500 MCI and 15% on the excess. Non-residents pay 15%.
Do renovation costs reduce the tax on selling an apartment?
According to tax consultants, no: renovation costs are not taken into account when determining the gain; the base is the sale price minus the acquisition cost.
How long must I own an apartment to sell it tax-free?
Two years for housing whose title was registered from January 1, 2026; one year for purchases before 2026; for an apartment under a shared construction agreement, three years from the agreement date.
Is flipping profitable in Astana in 2026?
Only when buying at a meaningful discount, with a precise budget and the tax factored in. Across Kazakhstan resale prices are rising more slowly than inflation and deal numbers are falling, so counting on price growth is risky.
Can I resell an apartment in a building under construction tax-free?
For shared construction agreements signed from 2026, no income arises if three years or more have passed since the agreement date or the acquisition of the right by assignment.
Sources
- Mybuh.kz: tax on selling an apartment — when and how much (in Russian) — mybuh.kz
- Kursiv, 24.10.2025: State Revenue Committee on holding periods (in Russian) — kz.kursiv.media
- Cdb.kz: are renovation costs counted when determining the gain (in Russian) — cdb.kz
- 24.kz, 09.09.2026: August housing prices per BNS (in Russian) — 24.kz
- Kursiv, 26.08.2026: resale cheaper in real terms, fewer deals (in Russian) — kz.kursiv.media
- Homsters: Astana new-build market, August 2026 (in Russian) — info.homsters.kz
- National Bank of Kazakhstan, 04.09.2026: inflation and base rate (in Russian) — nationalbank.kz