Buying a property in Morocco when you are not a resident is entirely possible — and thousands of foreigners do it every year. However, there can be a gap between rumors and practical realities. What many do not know is that the Moroccan legal framework is well-established for foreign buyers, provided you follow the right steps.
Can foreigners really buy property in Morocco?
Yes, with no nationality restrictions. Moroccan law imposes no limits on the buyer's origin. Apartments, villas, riads, building plots — all are accessible. The only notable exception is agricultural land, which is subject to specific regulations reserving its acquisition for Moroccan nationals.
This point is often misunderstood, causing many European buyers to hesitate unnecessarily. In practice, transactions involving non-residents are common, notaries are accustomed to them, and Moroccan banks have established procedures to support this type of purchase.
The foreign investment mechanism: the key to repatriating your funds
This is the point many forget — and it can be costly upon resale. To have the right to transfer your funds back abroad when you sell, you must route your money through the Moroccan banking system and declare the purchase as a foreign investment.
Specifically: you open a convertible dirham account with a Moroccan bank (CIH, Attijariwafa, BMCE...), transfer your euros via international wire, and pay for the transaction from this account. Backed by the Office des Changes, this mechanism is your guarantee for resale. If you pay in cash or through another channel, you lose this right.
Concrete steps, from offer to final deed
It all begins with a preliminary sales agreement (compromis de vente) — sometimes called a reservation contract for new builds. This document binds both parties and is usually accompanied by a 10% deposit. Read it carefully: escape clauses, withdrawal periods, and deposit refund conditions must be explicit.
Next, the notary instructs the file: verifying title deeds (the famous TF), checking for mortgages, and verifying administrative compliance. Expect between 6 and 10 weeks between the preliminary agreement and the signing of the final deed. This can take longer if the seller has not yet obtained their individual title deed (common in older properties).
Expected fees: about 6% to 7% of the price
For a purchase of 1,500,000 MAD (~€135,000), plan for between 90,000 and 105,000 MAD in ancillary fees. The usual breakdown: registration duties 4%, land registry 1%, notary fees 1% to 1.5%, miscellaneous fees (agency, translation, legalization) 0.5% to 1%.
Note: if you buy a new build from a developer, you may sometimes benefit from a partial exemption from registration duties for first-time buyers. Verify this with your notary.
Our advice before signing
Never pay a deposit without a properly signed preliminary agreement. Always ask for the title deed number and verify it with the National Agency for Land Registry. A property without a title deed — or with a collective title deed not yet split — can cause serious problems during resale.
If you do not master legal Arabic, have a French/English-speaking lawyer accompany you in addition to the notary. Their fees are modest (a few thousand MAD) and the security they bring is real. And above all, beware of private sellers offering 'off-notary' prices: this is illegal and exposes you to losing your investment.
Yasmine Benjelloun
Real Estate Advisor — Morocco
