Foreign buyer in Marrakech: the off-plan purchase process and what we do at each step

What we clarify before talking about developments

We start with your situation, because it determines the checks to make before any choice: country of residence, nationality, intended use and method of payment.

• Your country of residence and your nationality
• The intended use: second home, rental, passing it on to relatives
• Where the funds come from and how they will be transferred
• The language in which you will read the documents, and whether you may need a translation

We do not settle questions of law: we put them to the notary with you. The first is always the same: does my nationality or residence bring a formality, an authorisation or a limit for this type of property? Only a Moroccan legal professional can answer that for your case.

A clear fact sheet for each development we present

Each development we present comes with a fact sheet saying what has been checked, when, and what remains to be confirmed.

The sheet shows whether the land title, the building or subdivision permit and the completion or refund guarantee have been checked, followed by the status of the other documents in the file. For a foreign buyer, the quality of the documentation matters twice as much: a detail that takes one site visit to sort out is slow to settle from a distance. So it pays to know, development by development, what is already established and what is still to be obtained before you commit.

What you receive for each development

• A summary of what has been checked, with the date of the check, and of what remains to be confirmed
• The questions we put to the developer and its written answers
• The list of points to put to the notary before any reservation

The notary, the deed and the language of the documents

The deed is prepared with a notary: our role is to bring you to that meeting with the right questions and with documents you have understood.

The contractual documents are written in a language that may not be yours. Before signing, make sure you understand every clause: ask the notary to explain it and, if necessary, have a translation made by a translator of your choice.

Points to have the notary explain

• Any formalities or authorisations linked to your nationality or residence, to be known before you sign
• Which version of the contract prevails if it exists in several languages, and what applies if they differ
• The papers the notary will ask for from a buyer who does not live in Morocco
• The deed costs: ask for a written estimate before committing

Bringing the funds in without a hitch

Transferring the funds should be prepared early, with your bank and the notary, well before the first payment.

To ask your bank and the notary

• What proof of the origin of the funds will be required?
• How long does an international transfer take, and what does it cost?
• Which papers should I keep to show where the funds came from and where they went?
• Into which account, in whose name and in which currency must each payment be made?

An international transfer may involve a currency conversion: get it in writing which currency the contract uses, who bears the exchange costs and on what date the conversion is taken to have been made. The check to make on the bank details before each transfer is described in our guide for Moroccans abroad; it applies to any buyer paying from a distance.

After signing: the papers to keep and what comes next

After signing, keep a complete, up-to-date file of your papers: it will serve for tracking payments, for handover and for your discussions with your tax adviser.

• The signed copies of the contract and its annexes (plans, specification, schedule)
• A receipt for each payment, showing the date, the amount and the account credited
• The proof of the origin and transfer of the funds
• Your written exchanges with the developer and the notary

The follow-up of the works, the checking of payment requests and remote handover are described in our guide for Moroccans abroad; they apply to a foreign buyer too. If you plan to let the property, read our guide on rental management after handover; the question of rental income is one for your tax adviser before you reserve, as our guide on tax explains.