Buying appartment/flat in KSA

I have also heard that Banks also provide expatriate owners guarantees, so if they are fired or deported the banks will sell the property and send the money to the owners,.. any one has any idea about banks financing any such facilities..

As for my knowledge , you can't get a (Real Estate Visa ) if you want to live here without sponsorship !

Other GCC states Qatar , Bahrain , UAE , have self sponsorship visas , when you buy a property , you automatically get 2-5 year Residence Permits which are renewable !

My best advice , if you're retiring , Bahrain offers Retiree visas for those who worked in any GCC state !

Buy a property and live there

I'd give a big NO for buying property here ,having a property in other GCC states which give you more rights is way better

30 years is nothing


I know people who lived for 80+ years !

Some people whose Grand Parents were in Saudi are still considered new expats in system of Saudi Immigration !

yeah I know you dont get a Residence Permit on the basis of property you buy, but im OK with that..

No my father is retiring but I am on job and plan to save my rent money at the least..

Just FYI. Expatriates cannot own properties in Makkah or Madinah. They cannot even invest in real estate companies whose main operations are in Makkah or Madinah!

Knowing that, I am not tempted to own a property here at all.

you than find the 2nd best thing and find a city closest to mecca & madinah (commuter distance) and do it that way.

let's get some verified info on this topic posted, inshaa Allaha

Here is what you'all need

http://www.arabnews.com/some-expats-buy … 0%99-nameshttp://www.arabnews.com/news/445152

i dont even need buy in mecca or madina. im looking to buy one in jeddah only ! and i know few sudani expats who have bought places just outside haram meeqat boundary in jaroom area which is about 15mins drive from haram only.. so in short there is always an alternate and a good one too..

RUH_Dude wrote:

Just FYI. Expatriates cannot own properties in Makkah or Madinah. They cannot even invest in real estate companies whose main operations are in Makkah or Madinah!

Knowing that, I am not tempted to own a property here at all.

Expats can definitely buy a house or a flat here, but limited to one per family, and for personal use only, not for investment.  I have no idea about the procedure, but as you know, all procedures in this country are full of red tape and ambiguity.  I doubt you will find anybody on here who has done this, so since you already know people, and they are colleagues, why not ask them about the intricacies of the procedure?  Wouldn't that qualify as "first hand experience"?

My parents did know someone who bought a villa.  Selling it was peanuts.  As you know, there is a housing shortage PLUS a housing boom in Saudi Arabia, both at the same time, that means the demand is crazy.  My parents' friend even got stopped many times by real estate agents as he exited or entered his villa, asking him if he wanted to sell.  In the end when he did sell, he sold it for multiple times the price he paid a few years prior.

I don't think installments are available to expats.  As for banks guaranteeing, I have no idea.  Here are your sources of trustworthy/correct info:

1) your colleagues
2) real estate office, go with someone who speaks good Arabic to translate
3) banks to ask about the bank guarantee

Trapezius wrote:

Expats can definitely buy a house or a flat here, but limited to one per family, and for personal use only, not for investment.  I have no idea about the procedure, but as you know, all procedures in this country are full of red tape and ambiguity.  I doubt you will find anybody on here who has done this, so since you already know people, and they are colleagues, why not ask them about the intricacies of the procedure?  Wouldn't that qualify as "first hand experience"?

My parents did know someone who bought a villa.  Selling it was peanuts.  As you know, there is a housing shortage PLUS a housing boom in Saudi Arabia, both at the same time, that means the demand is crazy.  My parents' friend even got stopped many times by real estate agents as he exited or entered his villa, asking him if he wanted to sell.  In the end when he did sell, he sold it for multiple times the price he paid a few years prior.

I don't think installments are available to expats.  As for banks guaranteeing, I have no idea.  Here are your sources of trustworthy/correct info:

1) your colleagues
2) real estate office, go with someone who speaks good Arabic to translate
3) banks to ask about the bank guarantee

I have asked em but they have done the procedures years back by there parents.. none have recently done ! i am looking for up to date info if possibly I can get somehow..