+ Post an ad
Buying property in Morocco (MRE special)0/8

Buying property in Morocco (MRE special): the guide to not losing your home to dispossession (spoliation)

Written and checked by the Zoco team
✓ Fact-checked · Updated July 13, 2026
💬 Share on WhatsApp

Indicative information — this is not legal advice. A notary (or adoul) is mandatory for any property purchase; for any deed, get support from a notary and, if needed, a lawyer. Procedures, fees, deadlines and laws can change; check with the relevant authorities and licensed professionals.

Jump to step
1 Verify the property, the owner and the title2 Get an independent appraisal3 Go through a notary (mandatory)4 Execute the power of attorney as a notarial deed (if buying remotely)5 Keep that power of attorney tightly restricted6 Arrange the financing7 Pay in a traceable way8 Finalize the registration and the transfer

Buying a home in Morocco from abroad is entirely doable — but this is exactly where the biggest scams targeting the diaspora (MRE) happen. The number-one trap is not the price: it's the power of attorney (procuration) (the authority you give someone to act in your name). This guide protects you from the moment you first see the listing all the way to registering the property in your name.

Typical timeline: from a few weeks to a few months. Critical point: the notary (or adoul) is mandatory; a badly drafted, overly broad power of attorney (procuration) is the leading reason MRE families lose their property to fraud (dispossession, spoliation).

Typical timeline
from a few weeks to a few months.
Your progress

The 8 steps

0 of 8 done

Verify the property, the owner and the title

What you doconfirm the property exists, that the seller really is the owner, and that they hold a proper land title (titre foncier).
Whythe Bab Darna case — the country's biggest property scam — defrauded around 1,400 families (including MREs) of hundreds of millions of dirhams, on off-plan projects that didn't exist. The main culprit was sentenced to 15 years in prison.
Documentsland title (titre foncier), the owner's ID.
🚩 Red flagsan "unbeatable price" at a trade fair (like SMAP); a seller "abroad" who is impossible to meet in person.

Get an independent appraisal

What you dohave the value, condition and title assessed by an independent expert before you commit.
🚩 Red flagsyou're refused a viewing of the property.

Go through a notary (mandatory)

What you dothe deed must go through a notary (or adoul), who must verify ownership.
🚩 Red flags"a single notary handles everything" on the seller's side (that was the pattern in the Bab Darna case) → get your own notary.

Execute the power of attorney as a notarial deed (if buying remotely)

What you doif you can't be present, the property power of attorney (procuration) must be executed as a notarial (authentic) deed — before a notary, adoul, or licensed lawyer — otherwise it is void (loi 69-16, in force since 14 September 2017).
Important for MREssince 2019, consulates no longer issue authentic deeds, only signature legalization — which is not enough for property. Go through a notary/adoul/lawyer.
New (from 1 June 2026)any power of attorney (procuration) used in a property transaction must be entered in the register of powers of attorney over real property rights in order to take full effect.
🚩 Red flagsan intermediary who asks for a broad/general power of attorney.

Keep that power of attorney tightly restricted

What you do

limit the potential for abuse.

  • Set the maximum price in writing.
  • Require that the money passes through your own bank account.
  • Give it a short duration (3 to 6 months) and a specific purpose (this property, this transaction).
Whya general sale power of attorney is the number-one cause of MRE families being dispossessed of their property (spoliation).
🚩 Red flagsthe agent asks for an open-ended power of attorney and the use of their own account.

Arrange the financing

What you doprepare your financing according to the MRE rules.
Conditionsas a non-resident, you must finance at least 30% of the price in foreign currency (via a foreign-currency transfer, or a foreign account in convertible dirhams); the loan can cover up to 80% of the price. For modest or irregular income, the FOGARIM scheme (State guarantee, income < ~6,000 MAD/month) reduces the down payment required.

Pay in a traceable way

What you dopay by a traceable means (bank transfer, a crossed non-endorsable cheque, card payment, or bill of exchange / effet).
Whysince 1 July 2026, any non-traceable property payment above 300,000 MAD carries a 2% registration surtax, applied only to the portion paid in cash.
🚩 Red flagspressure to pay a large sum in undeclared cash.

Finalize the registration and the transfer

What you dofinalize the registration and the transfer of ownership with the notary.
Documentsregistration documents, notarial deed.

Your document checklist

  • CIN / passport
  • Land title (titre foncier)
  • Notarial deed
  • Power of attorney (procuration) as a notarial deed (and, from June 2026, entered in the register)
  • Proof of transfer in foreign currency

🌍 Buying from abroad (MRE)?

  • Appoint a verified local representative, do a video viewing and an appraisal.
  • Give a power of attorney (procuration) that is short, specific and authentic (never general).
  • Plan a physical visit within 6 to 12 months after the purchase.

🚩 Common scams to watch for

  1. "Seller abroad" + a request for a deposit before any viewing → maximum alert.
  2. Payment via a money-transfer service (Wafacash / CashPlus / Western Union) → irreversible.
  3. Price too low (> 20% below market) → anomaly.
  4. Refusal of a viewing or an appraisal → be wary.
  5. Broad power of attorney requested by an intermediary → number-one cause of dispossession (spoliation).
  6. A "single notary" imposed by the seller for everything → get your own.

Glossary

Land title (titre foncier)
title of ownership registered with the land registry (conservation foncière).
Notary / adoul
the officer in charge of the property sale deed (mandatory).
Power of attorney (procuration)
authority given to a third party; must be executed as a notarial
Foreign currency (devise)
foreign money (the MRE down payment must come in foreign currency, ≥ 30%).
FOGARIM
State guarantee for a home loan for modest/irregular income.

Frequently asked questions

Yes, for the property sale deed (notary or adoul). Preferably get your own notary.

Written and checked by the Zoco team
Updated July 13, 2026 · General information, not legal advice.
Related guides
Renting a home
Deposit caps, a written lease, and your rights as a tenant.
Ready to start looking?
Browse listings from Zoco's verified sellers.
Browse verified properties