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Buying freehold property in Qatar as an expat: step by step

How non-Qataris buy an apartment or villa in Qatar: where foreigners can own, off-plan versus ready homes, expat mortgages, the reservation and sale agreement, Ministry of Justice registration and fees, and the service charges you pay after you move in.

Last reviewed: 13 October 2026

Who can buy: Any non-Qatari, resident or not, in designated freehold or usufruct areas
Your own money: At least 25% of the price if you borrow (banks may lend up to 75% to residents on homes up to QAR 6 million), plus fees
Government fee: MOJ transfer fee of 0.25% of the value, plus QAR 100 for the title deed
Time: MOJ transfer about 20 minutes once papers are complete; the whole purchase usually takes weeks, longer with a mortgage

Since 2018, non-Qataris can own homes outright (freehold) in a list of designated areas such as The Pearl, Lusail and West Bay, and can hold long-term use rights (usufruct, up to 99 years) in others. You do not need to be a Qatar resident to buy, and residents can borrow from Qatari banks, usually up to 75% of the value. The usual order is: set your budget and get mortgage pre-approval, confirm the exact unit is open to foreign ownership, check the seller or developer, sign a reservation and then a sale and purchase agreement (SPA), and finally register the transfer at the Ministry of Justice (MOJ), where the title deed is issued in your name. After handover you pay yearly service charges to the building's owners' association, which a new 2026 law now regulates. If the property is worth QAR 730,000 or more it may also give you residency; that part is covered in our separate property residency guide.

Before you start

A realistic budget: deposit, 0.25% MOJ fee, broker commission, mortgage costs, furniture, and at least a year of service charges
Your passport, and your Qatar ID (QID) if you live here
Salary certificate and 3 to 6 months of bank statements, if you will take a mortgage (each bank sets its own list)
A written mortgage pre-approval from a Qatari bank before you pay any non-refundable deposit
The exact unit details: building name, unit number, zone and property number, so its eligibility can be checked
For a resale: a copy of the seller's title deed, the latest service charge statement and the owners' association rules
For off-plan: the developer's licence, the project approval and the project's escrow account details
A power of attorney (notarised; attested if issued abroad) if someone will sign for you
A Tawtheeq / national login, which many government e-services use

Step by step

Decide if buying makes sense for you
Buying ties up a large amount of cash and is hard to undo quickly, so compare it honestly with renting. Ask yourself how long you expect to stay, how secure your job is, and whether you could keep paying a mortgage and service charges if your income changed. Count the full upfront cost, not just the deposit: fees, commission, furniture and moving add up. Many people buy because property worth QAR 730,000 or more can give residency without an employer; if that is your reason, read the property residency guide first.
Read guide: Residency through property ownership in Qatar →
Understand freehold, usufruct and the eligible areas
Freehold means you own the unit outright and can sell, rent, mortgage or leave it to heirs. Usufruct means you buy the right to use the property for up to 99 years, renewable, without owning the land. Under Cabinet Decision No. 21 of 2026 the freehold areas are West Bay (Legtaifiya, including West Bay Lagoon), The Pearl, Lusail, Al Kharayej, Jabal Thuaileb, Al Dafna (Zones 60 and 61), Onaiza (Zone 63), Al Khor Resort and the Simaisma project; usufruct areas include Msheireb, Al Sadd and others. Eligibility is decided unit by unit, not by neighbourhood, so ask for the zone and property number and confirm with the MOJ non-Qatari ownership office or on Aqarat's map before you commit.
Read guide: Where to live in Doha: areas, rents and how to choose →
Get mortgage pre-approval first
If you need a loan, talk to banks before you choose a home. Qatar Central Bank rules let banks lend residents up to 75% of the value of a home they will live in (70% above QAR 6 million), over up to 25 years, and your total monthly debt repayments cannot exceed 50% of your salary. Banks then add their own rules on income, age, employer and nationality, and offer conventional or Islamic (Sharia-compliant) finance. Ask each bank for a written illustration showing the rate, fees, insurance and early settlement charges, and get pre-approval in writing so you know your real budget.
Read guide: Personal loans and credit cards in Qatar: rules, limits and travel bans →
Use a licensed broker and agree the commission in writing
Real estate brokers must be licensed, and the Aqarat app (from the Real Estate Regulatory Authority) lets you search the official broker register, licensed developers and approved projects. Brokerage is governed by Law No. 22 of 2017: the commission is whatever you agree in the brokerage contract, and only if nothing was agreed is a fair fee set, capped at 1% for a sale. Market rates are often 1% to 3%, and buyer, seller or both may pay, so put the amount and who pays in writing. Ask for an official invoice and never hand cash to an unlicensed middleman.
For a ready or resale home, check the title and the building
Ask for a copy of the seller's title deed and check that the name matches the seller, that the unit is freehold, and whether a bank mortgage is registered on it. Ask the owners' association or developer for a statement of service charges and any arrears: under the 2026 owners' association law a unit sale cannot be registered until arrears are cleared, and the new owner takes on the seller's obligations. Ask whether there is a tenant with a lease that will continue, and inspect the unit for damp, AC and plumbing problems. A short legal review is worth paying for on expensive or complicated deals.
For off-plan, check the developer, the project and the escrow
Off-plan means buying a unit before it is built, usually with staged payments. Under the real estate development law, a developer needs a licence and approval before selling off-plan, and buyers' payments must go into a dedicated escrow account for that project at a bank, released to the developer only as construction milestones are reached. Pay only into that escrow account, never to a personal or general company account. Since 2026 off-plan units can be recorded in the MOJ's Preliminary Real Estate Register, which issues a preliminary title deed that you can sell or mortgage, so ask the developer when your unit will be registered.
Sign a reservation agreement carefully
Once you choose a unit, the seller or developer usually asks for a reservation deposit to take it off the market. There is no fixed official amount, so read what you sign: the price, how long the reservation lasts, and when the deposit is refundable. Do not pay a non-refundable deposit until the unit is confirmed as open to foreign ownership and your mortgage is pre-approved. Pay by bank transfer or cheque and keep every receipt.
Sign the sale and purchase agreement (SPA)
The SPA is the main contract. It should state the full price, the payment schedule, the handover date, what happens if the handover is late or a payment is missed, who pays commission and fees, how outstanding service charges are settled, and any furniture or parking included. For off-plan, check the unit size and specification and what compensation applies for delay. If any part is in Arabic only, get a reliable translation before you sign, because the Arabic text normally prevails.
Complete the mortgage
After the SPA, the bank orders a valuation and issues its final offer. If the valuation is lower than the price, the bank lends on the lower figure and you pay the difference yourself, so leave a margin. On a resale with an existing mortgage, the bank or seller arranges to pay it off so the title can transfer cleanly. Your bank's mortgage is then registered on the title deed at the MOJ, which costs 0.025% of the loan amount.
Register the transfer at the Ministry of Justice
You only own the property when the MOJ Real Estate Registration Department issues the title deed in your name. Buyer and seller (or their attorneys) bring their IDs, the original title deed, any power of attorney and proof of payment; the MOJ has non-Qatari ownership offices, including at Al Mahara building on The Pearl and Qatari Diar building in Lusail. The fee is 0.25% of the property value plus QAR 100 for the title deed or plan, and the MOJ estimates about 20 minutes once the papers are complete. Check every detail on the new deed before you leave.
Read guide: Making a power of attorney in Qatar →
Take handover and set up the home
Inspect the unit at handover and list every defect in writing for the developer or seller to fix. Register with the owners' association or building management, and connect electricity and water with Kahramaa and, where the building uses it, district cooling, which may need a deposit. Arrange home insurance, and find out the service charge amount and payment dates. Under Law No. 11 of 2026, developers may collect up to two years of service charges before handover.
Read guide: Kahramaa: connecting electricity and water and paying bills →
Keep up with service charges and the owners' association
Law No. 11 of 2026 requires an owners' association in any building or project with three or more unit owners, registered with Aqarat. The association's general assembly sets yearly contributions for maintaining common areas, and every owner must pay them and follow its decisions, including paying for violations by their tenants. If you do not pay for three months after written notices, the board can ask for your electricity and water to be cut off and can claim against the unit. If you qualify for residency, apply next through the property residency route.
Read guide: Residency through property ownership in Qatar →

What it costs

MOJ ownership transfer fee	0.25% of the property value (for example QAR 2,500 on QAR 1,000,000)
Title deed or plan issuance	QAR 100
Mortgage registration on the title deed	0.025% of the loan amount
Final registration of an off-plan unit	QAR 100 per unit
Notarising a real estate power of attorney	QAR 100
Property ownership statement or certificate	QAR 50
Broker commission	As agreed in writing; if nothing was agreed, a fair fee capped at 1% of the price
Real estate residence approval (MOJ)	Free

Official fees at the time of review. Fees change, so confirm before paying.

Common mistakes

Assuming every building in The Pearl or Lusail is open to foreigners; eligibility is checked by unit and property number
Paying a non-refundable reservation deposit before mortgage pre-approval and eligibility checks
Paying off-plan instalments to anyone other than the project's escrow account
Forgetting the costs on top of the price: fees, commission, furniture and a year of service charges
Buying a resale unit without a written statement of service charge arrears from the owners' association
Signing an Arabic-only SPA without a reliable translation
Buying just under QAR 730,000 when the main goal is residency; a unit below the threshold does not qualify
Not making a will, leaving family unsure how the property passes on

Questions people ask

Can expats buy property anywhere in Qatar?

No. Non-Qataris can buy freehold only in the designated areas, which since June 2026 are West Bay (Legtaifiya), The Pearl, Lusail, Al Kharayej, Jabal Thuaileb, Al Dafna, Onaiza, Al Khor Resort and Simaisma. Other areas such as Msheireb and Al Sadd are open only as usufruct (use rights up to 99 years). Even inside an eligible area, confirm the specific unit with the MOJ or Aqarat.

Can I get a mortgage as an expat, and how much deposit do I need?

Yes, several Qatari banks lend to residents. Central Bank rules cap the loan at 75% of the value for homes up to QAR 6 million (70% above), over up to 25 years, so you need at least 25% plus fees from your own money. Your total debt repayments must stay within 50% of your salary, and banks may ask for more than the minimum deposit depending on your profile.

Can I buy if I do not live in Qatar?

Yes, non-residents can buy in the designated areas, and can complete the transfer in person or through a power of attorney. Getting a home loan from a Qatari bank as a non-resident is much harder; the published Central Bank limits for non-residents are for investment property, at up to 60%. Many non-resident buyers pay cash or finance from abroad.

What fees do I pay on top of the price?

The MOJ charges 0.25% of the property value plus QAR 100 for the title deed, and 0.025% of the loan to register a mortgage. Add broker commission if you use one, bank valuation and arrangement fees, any developer administration or transfer charges, and service charges. Older articles quoting 2% to 4% as a government fee are not accurate for Qatar.

Is buying off-plan safe in Qatar?

The law adds real protections: developers need a licence and approval to sell off-plan, payments go into a project escrow account released by construction stages, and since 2026 units can get a preliminary title deed. Delays still happen, so choose established developers, check approval in the Aqarat app, and read the SPA's delay and refund terms.

What happens to my mortgage if I lose my job or leave Qatar?

The loan stays in place; you must keep paying or sell the property to clear it. Talk to your bank early, because unpaid debts in Qatar can lead to court cases and travel bans. If your property is worth QAR 730,000 or more, your residency may be able to continue through the property rather than your job.

Can I rent out the property I buy?

Yes, freehold owners can rent out their units, and many investors do. Lease contracts must be registered, the owners' association rules still apply, and under the 2026 law you are responsible to the association for your tenant's violations. Service charges remain the owner's cost unless the lease says otherwise.

What happens to the property when the owner dies?

Freehold property and usufruct rights pass to heirs, and the estate is handled by the Qatari courts. Which inheritance rules apply can depend on your religion and nationality, so make a will and take legal advice, especially if the property has a mortgage.

Official sources

Always check the official source before acting. QatarSteps is independent and not a government website.

Buying freehold property in Qatar as an expat: step by step

Before you start

Step by step

Decide if buying makes sense for you

Understand freehold, usufruct and the eligible areas

Get mortgage pre-approval first

Use a licensed broker and agree the commission in writing

For a ready or resale home, check the title and the building

For off-plan, check the developer, the project and the escrow

Sign a reservation agreement carefully

Sign the sale and purchase agreement (SPA)

Complete the mortgage

Register the transfer at the Ministry of Justice

Take handover and set up the home

Keep up with service charges and the owners' association

What it costs

Common mistakes

Questions people ask

Official sources

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