Can foreigners buy property in Morocco?

Yes — and this is one of the things that makes Morocco unusually welcoming compared to some countries. Foreigners can buy urban real estate with essentially the same ownership rights as Moroccan citizens: apartments in Casablanca, a crumbling riad to restore in the Marrakech medina, a beach villa on the Atlantic. Plenty of the gorgeous restored riads you stay in were bought and lovingly rebuilt by foreigners who came on holiday and left as homeowners.

The headline restriction to know: agricultural land. Foreigners generally cannot buy land classified as agricultural (terre agricole). This is the rule that trips people up — they fall for a rural plot with olive trees and a view, only to discover the zoning bars them. There are routes around it (such as certain company structures, or land being reclassified), but they're complex and need proper legal advice. Urban and titled residential property is the straightforward path.

The process itself is more formal than a casual handshake suggests. You'll want a notaire (or an adoul for traditional contracts) to handle the deed, and I strongly recommend an independent lawyer who represents you — not the seller's. Critical checks: that the property has a clean, registered title (titre foncier), no outstanding debts or disputes, and that what you're buying matches what's on the land registry. Older medina properties especially can have tangled ownership histories.

A few honest practicalities: keep records of the foreign currency you bring in to buy, because it matters if you ever want to repatriate the proceeds of a future sale. Budget for notary fees, registration tax and agent commission on top of the price. And do not rush — riad romance has cost more than one buyer dearly. Because property and currency rules can change, confirm the current regulations with a Moroccan notaire or lawyer before signing anything.