Split up with partner.

Hi everyone, nice forum.

In January 2005 i paurchased an investment property on the gold coast with my then girlfriend. A year later we split up and she said she can’t afford to contribute to the property anymore. I told her I will pay it as we would have lost money if we sold it at around the same price we bought it for. I have since applied for a loan in my own name so she can be removed from liability and also the title.

My solicitor is saying that transferring the title from both of our names to only my name is still going to attract stamp duty on the half that im purchasing from her even though im paying her no money? Is this correct? Isn’t there some other way of doing this? Getting an agreement written up for example?

Im contemplating just selling it now as its only worth about 260k, it was purchased for 250k and with all the fees to change the name coming to about $5000 I may as well just cut my losses.

Any ideas, suggestions?

Cheers