What changed in 2026
Royal Decree M/14 of July 2025 replaced the 2000 ownership law. From January 2026 non-Saudi individuals may own real estate within zones designated by the Council of Ministers. Jeddah and Riyadh have open zones; the holy cities are handled separately — ownership there is restricted to Muslims and to 11 designated zones in Makkah and 10 in Madinah.
What a buyer in Pakistan actually needs
- A Saudi digital ID (Absher / Nafath), obtainable through a Saudi embassy or consulate without residency.
- A Saudi bank account in your own name, and a Saudi mobile number.
- Funds routed through banking channels — cash transactions are not accepted for registration.
- About 7% on top of the price: 5% Real Estate Transaction Tax plus a 2% fee on non-Saudi transactions, before broker and registry charges.
Routes that work
- Direct purchase inside a designated zone — the normal route for Jeddah and Riyadh, and for Makkah and Madinah if you are Muslim.
- Premium Residency (Real Estate Owner category) — property from SAR 4m qualifies you for residency, and adds a usufruct route of up to 99 years in the holy cities.
- Off-plan from a licensed developer with escrow — payments go to a regulated project account; this is how most overseas buyers enter today.
How RPRE helps
Royal Prince Real Estate is a Pakistani-led, cross-border advisory active in Karachi, Islamabad, Makkah, Madinah, Jeddah and Dubai, with its head office in Blue Area, Islamabad. We confirm your eligibility and the zone status of the specific unit before you reserve, handle the digital ID, bank and registration steps with you, and introduce projects from developers we have contracts with — including Dar Global's Trump-branded towers in Jeddah. Buyers pay the developer's published price; our fee is paid by the developer.
Related questions
01Do I have to be in Saudi Arabia to buy?
No. Reservation, contract and payment can be completed remotely; a visit for the final selection is useful but not required.
02Can I get residency by buying property?
Yes, through Premium Residency's Real Estate Owner category, for qualifying property of SAR 4 million or more.
03Can I rent the property out?
Yes in Jeddah and Riyadh. In Makkah and Madinah, pilgrim lettings need a licensed operator, and a vacant-property fee can apply to unused units.
04What does Royal Prince Real Estate charge?
Nothing to the buyer on developer projects — the developer pays our fee. You pay the published price.
Written by Faheem Iftikhar Siddiqui, Principal Consultant & CEO, Royal Prince Real Estate · WhatsApp +92 300 269 7992 · faheem@rpre.pk. General information for buyers, not legal or investment advice; rules change by regulation and we confirm your case before you commit.