How a purchase works from abroad

Host: If I am sitting in London or Toronto and want to buy a flat in Madinah, what is the very first official step I must take?

Guest: The Executive Regulations set three prerequisites for a non-resident individual before buying: obtaining a digital ID, opening a bank account in the Kingdom in your own name, and setting up a Saudi phone number in your name linked to that digital ID.

Host: Where does someone living abroad actually get that digital ID?

Guest: Non-residents obtain their digital ID from Saudi missions abroad, such as the embassy or consulate in your country.

Host: Once those three items are sorted, where does the actual purchase happen?

Guest: It takes place through the Saudi Properties portal, which REGA, the Real Estate General Authority, describes as the official platform for the law on real estate ownership by non-Saudis.

Host: How do I know if the area I want in Makkah or Madinah is actually open to buyers from abroad?

Guest: You open the interactive zones map on the Saudi Properties portal, search for the neighbourhood, and see whether ownership is listed as available there.

Host: If I am dealing with an agent or marketing company, how can I be sure they are legitimate?

Guest: Anyone marketing real estate must hold a FAL licence, which REGA defines as an official permit that allows individuals and establishments to conduct licensed activities such as brokerage, advertising and marketing.

Host: What about checking the developer directly before handing over any money?

Guest: The Saudi Properties portal provides a public developer register listing each company’s commercial registration number, establishment type and contact details without needing any login.

Host: Many properties being marketed are still off-plan. How do we verify an unfinished building?

Guest: The portal features a public property requirements checker that asks if the property is off-plan and requires the project licence number, tying the purchase directly to the Wafi register.

Host: And what does that Wafi register actually show us?

Guest: REGA’s public off-plan enquiry lists the project licence number and type, the start and end dates, the escrow bank and account details, the developer, unit types and the construction completion rate without requiring a login.

Host: When someone buys into a licensed project, like Al-Alya in Knowledge Economic City in Madinah, when do they actually receive the deed?

Guest: Knowledge Economic City states that eligible buyers complete their portal requirements before purchasing and receive their title deed following handover.

Host: What is the key rule a buyer must remember before taking any of these steps?

Guest: Never commit funds until your prerequisites are complete on the official portal and you have verified the developer and project licence in the public registers.

Host: Every source and official portal link is published on zullfa dot com. This conversation provides general information and is not legal or financial advice.