Knowledge
Saudi property regulation, explained in full
Every rule, licence, tax and process step that applies to buying a Madinah tower apartment — written for overseas buyers and pointed at the official channel for confirmation.
Foreign ownership of Saudi property: who can buy, and what they actually acquire
The rules that decide whether a non-Saudi buyer can own, hold usufruct, lease long-term, or buy only through a licensed entity — and why Makkah and Madinah are treated separately.
Buying in Madinah: the special restrictions that apply inside the holy boundaries
Why Madinah and Makkah sit outside the general foreign-ownership framework, what routes have historically been used, and how to verify your position rather than assume it.
REGA, broker licensing and advertisement rules: how to check who you are dealing with
The Real Estate General Authority regulates brokerage, advertising and off-plan sales. Here is what must be licensed, what an advertisement must display, and how to verify both.
Off-plan purchases and the Wafi escrow regime: what protects your money
Off-plan sales in Saudi Arabia require a licence and an escrow account with staged releases against verified construction progress. Here is how the protection actually works.
Title deeds, the sakk and registration: proving the seller owns what they are selling
How Saudi title works, what an electronic deed contains, how notarisation and transfer happen, and the encumbrances that most often surprise foreign buyers.
RETT, VAT and the true cost of a Saudi property purchase
Real Estate Transaction Tax replaced VAT on most property disposals. Here is how RETT works, where VAT still applies, the main exemptions, and the other costs to budget for.
Financing a Saudi apartment: mortgages, Shariah-compliant structures and non-resident reality
What Saudi banks and finance companies actually lend on, how murabaha and ijara structures differ from a conventional mortgage, and why most non-residents end up paying cash.
The end-to-end buying process for an overseas buyer, step by step
A sequenced walkthrough from first enquiry to keys, showing which step is regulated, which is contractual, and which is where deals typically fail.
Owners' associations, service charges and the real cost of tower living
Saudi has a regulated owners' association framework for multi-unit buildings. Understanding it is the difference between a predictable holding cost and an open-ended one.
Letting your apartment: Ejar registration, short-term rental licensing and seasonal demand
Long lets must be registered on the national rental network; short lets need separate licensing. Both matter more in Madinah, where demand is seasonal and pilgrimage-driven.
AML, KYC and source of funds: what a compliant Saudi property transaction requires of you
Real estate is a designated sector for anti-money-laundering purposes. Here is the evidence you will be asked for, why refusal is not an option, and how to prepare it once.
Premium Residency, investor licences and other routes into the Saudi property market
The status-based routes that widen property access — and the specific limits attached to each, including the holy-cities exclusion.
Waqf land, central-area redevelopment and why Haram-adjacent towers are complicated
Endowment land, compulsory acquisition history and layered rights mean the most desirable Madinah towers are also the hardest to underwrite.
Red flags: how cross-border property fraud actually works, and how to stop it
The recurring patterns in overseas property fraud — unlicensed advertisers, payment redirection, phantom escrow and guaranteed-return promises — with concrete countermeasures.
Madinah market fundamentals: demand drivers, supply pipeline and what moves prices
Pilgrimage volumes, Vision 2030 capacity targets, masterplan supply and district-level differences — the structural factors behind Madinah apartment pricing.
These guides are general information compiled from public sources. They are not legal, tax or financial advice, and rules change. Confirm the current position with the relevant authority and a licensed Saudi lawyer before acting.