The Telegraph reports the move would cost the government in the region of £150m.
Research from PwC, released ahead of the Autumn Statement on Thursday, said lowering tax on these properties from 3% to 2% would equate to just under 1% of the total amount of Stamp Duty raised by the coalition government since 2010.
The report said the government has taken in £16.6bn in Stamp Duty taxes in under three years, despite the level of transactions falling.
The Telegraph said radical reform of Stamp Duty is not expected in the chancellor’s speech but flagged that the average house price is nudging £250,000 at £246,693.