Selling your apartment in Morocco: the complete guide, from valuation to deed

A successful sale is won before the property goes on the market: a fair price, a complete file and a well-presented home attract serious buyers and avoid endless negotiations. This guide follows the real order of a sale in Morocco, from valuation to the notary handing over the funds. For the legal side, see also our page selling property in Morocco.

The stages of a sale

1. Value the property at the right price

A price that is too high makes the listing go stale; a price that is too low loses you money. Combine several methods: price per m² seen in the area, similar properties sold recently, the condition and floor of your home, and official indicators such as Bank Al-Maghrib’s real estate asset price index. The benchmarks on our page property prices by area give a base for new builds. Detailed method: valuing your property and our page setting the sale price.

2. Gather the documents

• Purchase deed and a recent ownership certificate
• ID of the owner or owners
• Co-ownership rules and a certificate from the building manager (charges paid)
• Clearance for housing tax and municipal services tax
• Invoices for works carried out (useful for the profit tax)
• Mortgage release if the loan is repaid, or the bank’s statement if it is not

The full list is in the seller’s documents.

3. Prepare the property

Declutter, fix what shows (taps, sockets, damaged paint), air the rooms and let the light in. Bright, wide-angle daytime photos make a difference online. State the titled area, floor, orientation, parking and the amount of charges.

4. Choose how to sell

You can sell on your own, give a simple mandate to several agents, or an exclusive mandate to one. In every case, ask for a written mandate stating the commission, its duration and who pays it.

5. Negotiate and sign the sale agreement

Ask for a written offer. Check the buyer’s ability to finance (agreement in principle). The sale agreement, ideally drafted by the notary, sets the price, the deposit, the deadline for the deed and the conditions precedent. The deposit is paid into the notary’s account. See the sale agreement in Morocco.

6. Anticipate the tax and what you will net

On a sale, the real estate profit tax is 20% of the net profit, with a minimum of 3% of the sale price, unless an exemption in the General Tax Code applies (notably for a main home, under conditions). The notary calculates and withholds this tax. What you net = price − profit tax − any commission − remaining loan − release costs. Worked examples: calculating the real estate profit tax and the method for calculating the seller’s net.

7. The deed and the handover of funds

The notary checks the documents, has the deed signed, pays the profit tax and any creditors, then hands you the balance after the formalities. If you bought with foreign currency (Moroccans abroad, foreigners), keep the records so you can repatriate the price.

Special cases

• Inherited property: all heirs must agree; see selling an inherited property.
• Let property: the lease continues with the new owner, unless agreed otherwise with the tenant.
• Untitled property: a sale is possible but more delicate; see titled or untitled property.

Mistakes to avoid

• Listing at a high price "to leave room to negotiate": buyers simply do not come.
• Starting to sell before gathering the documents: time is lost at the agreement stage.
• Accepting a cash deposit that does not go through the notary.
• Forgetting to account for the tax and the remaining loan before committing to another purchase.