# Checks before you pay for property in Saudi Arabia: title, mortgages and the seller

If you are buying property in Saudi Arabia as a foreigner, check four things before you pay. They are the title deed, any mortgage or dispute on the property, the seller's right to sell, and the broker's or developer's licence. A lawyer can check them against official records and review the contract before any money moves.

Published by RAED ALI ALJOHANI COMPANY FOR Lawyership and Legal Consultations · Last updated 2026-10-19. General information about Saudi law — not advice on your situation.

## At a glance

- **Who this is for:** Foreigners about to pay a deposit or the price for a property in Saudi Arabia, whether they buy from an owner, a company or a developer.
- **Can it be handled from outside Saudi Arabia?:** Yes. A lawyer in Saudi Arabia can run these checks while you stay in your own country.
- **What usually decides the route:** Who is selling (an owner, a company, heirs or a developer), whether the property is finished, and what has been signed or paid.
- **What you usually need first:** The listing link and a short outline. No ID copies or documents yet.
- **First step with us:** Send them to us by WhatsApp, phone or email before you pay anything.


## Can you have a Saudi property checked before you pay, from outside Saudi Arabia?

Yes, usually. A lawyer in Saudi Arabia can run the checks on this page while you stay in your own country. You do not need to travel for this step.

You start by sending the listing link and a short outline. Once we agree to act, you share the deed number and the seller's details. The checks then run in Saudi Arabia, and we go through the results with you.

Some of these checks use Saudi official platforms that need a Saudi login. [Najiz](https://saudilaw.co/glossary/najiz/), the Ministry of Justice's online platform, is one of them. To sign in, Najiz uses [Nafath](https://saudilaw.co/glossary/), the Saudi government's login app. Nafath needs a Saudi digital identity, which is linked to an ID issued in Saudi Arabia. So a buyer abroad usually has a lawyer in Saudi Arabia run these checks.

Checking is only one stage. Signing, paying and transferring the property come later, and some of those steps may need more from you. [Buying property in Saudi Arabia step by step](https://saudilaw.co/property-for-foreigners/buying-step-by-step/) explains them. If a later step needs someone to act in your name, you can usually sign a [power of attorney in your own country](https://saudilaw.co/from-abroad/power-of-attorney/). A power of attorney is a signed document that lets another person act in your name.

## What should you check before paying for a property in Saudi Arabia?

Check the property, the seller, and the broker or developer. The four main checks are the title deed, any mortgage or dispute, the seller's right to sell, and the broker's or developer's licence. A full check also covers the contract and whether you can own the property at all.

Before you pay anything, including a deposit, check:

- **The title deed.** It should name the seller as the owner and describe the property you were shown. A lawyer checks it against the official record.
- **Mortgages and other registered rights.** A bank or another person may hold a right over the property, such as a mortgage. Registered rights appear in the property's official record.
- **Disputes and court cases.** Owners, heirs or others may be in a dispute about the property. Not every dispute shows in the official record.
- **The seller's right to sell.** The seller should be the owner, or a person with written authority to act for the owner.
- **The broker's licence.** A licensed broker holds a [FAL licence](https://saudilaw.co/glossary/) from the Real Estate General Authority (REGA), the government body that regulates real estate. Check it before you pay anything.
- **The developer's licence, if the property is not finished.** Developers who sell before a building is finished need a licence under REGA's off-plan sales programme.
- **The contract and the payment terms.** They should say what you are buying, the price, when and how you pay, and what happens if either side pulls out.
- **Whether you can own this property.** That depends on your residency, the type of property and where it is. See [who can own what, and where](https://saudilaw.co/property-for-foreigners/who-can-own-property/).

## How do you check a title deed in Saudi Arabia?

You check a title deed against the official record, not against a photo or a PDF that someone sends you. The owner's name, the description of the property and the deed number should all match. A lawyer can check the record and compare it with what the seller shows you.

A title deed is the official document that shows who owns a property. The [Real Estate Registry](https://saudilaw.co/glossary/) is the national register of property and the rights over it. Its official site offers services such as checking property ownership documents.

Registration in the Real Estate Registry is announced area by area. Its site lists the areas it covers, which it calls "announced areas". For a property outside those areas, a lawyer checks the deed through the official channel that applies to it.

Ask the seller or broker for the deed number early. It identifies the deed in official records. Once we agree to act, typing the number in a message is enough. You do not need to send a copy of the deed.

## How do you find out whether a Saudi property has a mortgage or a dispute?

Start with the official record, then ask the seller direct questions. Registered rights, such as a mortgage, appear in the property's official record. Some problems do not appear there, so a lawyer also asks the seller to confirm the position in writing.

An encumbrance is a right or claim on a property, such as a mortgage. A mortgage is a bank's right over a property as security for a loan. The Real Estate Registry's site lists services for the rights, restrictions and obligations on a property. If the property has a mortgage, the contract should say how and when it will be paid off and removed from the record.

A dispute is harder to see. Owners may disagree, heirs may not all support a sale, or a court case about the property may be under way. A lawyer asks the seller about each of these and checks the official records available for the property. If anything is unclear, settle it before you pay, not after.

## How do you check that the seller of a Saudi property can sell it?

Check that the seller is the owner named on the deed, or has written authority to act for the owner. What to check depends on who is selling: an owner, someone acting for an owner, a company, or the heirs of an owner who has died.

- **An owner selling their own property.** Their identity should match the name on the deed. If several people own it together, each owner's position matters.
- **Someone acting for the owner.** They should hold a valid power of attorney that covers selling this property. Najiz lets you check a power of attorney, for example whether it is still valid. But Najiz needs a Nafath login, so a buyer abroad usually asks a lawyer to check it.
- **A company.** The person who signs should have authority to sign for the company. Its [commercial registration](https://saudilaw.co/glossary/commercial-registration/), the company's entry in the Ministry of Commerce's register, is the place to start.
- **Heirs.** Where an owner has died, the position of every heir matters before a sale. Have it checked before you pay.

## How do you check a broker's or developer's licence in Saudi Arabia?

Check the licence through REGA's official pages before you pay anyone. A licensed broker holds a FAL licence from REGA. A developer who sells a property before it is finished needs a licence under REGA's off-plan sales programme, known as [Wafi](https://saudilaw.co/glossary/).

REGA's FAL pages list its services for real-estate brokerage. One of them lets you look up the licence of a property advertisement. Ask the broker for their FAL licence number before you pay anything, and have it checked.

A broker and a lawyer do different jobs. A broker brings buyers and sellers together. A lawyer advises you on the legal position and checks the documents before you sign or pay.

REGA's off-plan sales pages also list qualified companies and projects. Buying off-plan raises its own questions, such as payment stages and delays. Our page on buying off-plan is coming soon.

## How a lawyer's check before you pay usually works, step by step

1. **Send us the listing link and a short outline.** Say who is selling, whether the property is finished, and what you have signed or paid so far. Don't send ID copies or documents.
2. **Agree the scope and the fee in writing.** Work starts only after an engagement letter, the written agreement between you and the firm, is signed. See [how we work with clients outside Saudi Arabia](https://saudilaw.co/how-we-work/) and [how legal fees work in Saudi Arabia](https://saudilaw.co/find-a-lawyer-in-saudi-arabia/how-legal-fees-work/).
3. **Share the property details we ask for.** This is usually the deed number and the seller's details, once we have agreed to act.
4. **Have the deed checked against the official record.** This includes any mortgage or other right recorded against the property.
5. **Have the seller, the broker and, for off-plan, the developer checked.** This covers the seller's right to sell and the licences that REGA issues.
6. **Review the contract and the payment terms before you sign or pay.** If they are in Arabic, we explain them in English. Where a lawyer helps: pointing out terms that are unclear or missing, such as what happens if the transfer does not go ahead.
7. **Go through what the checks showed.** Then decide what to settle with the seller before you pay. The decision to go ahead is yours.

Contact: WhatsApp or phone +966 54 797 7285 · email office@raedlawyer.com · undefined

## What to prepare

Keep these ready, but don't send them yet:

- the listing link;
- the name of the seller, and of the broker if there is one;
- the deed number, if you have it (you will type the number in a message once we agree to act; a copy is not needed);
- whether the property is finished or still being built;
- any reservation form or draft contract you have received;
- anything you have already paid, with the date and how you paid.


## Frequently asked questions

### Should I pay a deposit to reserve a property in Saudi Arabia?

Not until the checks are done. Check the title deed, any mortgage or dispute, the seller's right to sell and the broker's or developer's licence before any money moves, including a deposit. Be careful with any request to pay a deposit outside the official channels. If you do pay, keep the receipt and get in writing what happens to the deposit if the sale does not go ahead.

### What if I have already paid and the property has not been transferred to me?

Talk to a lawyer as soon as you can. Keep every receipt, the contract or reservation form, and all messages with the seller, broker or developer. Don't sign anything new or pay more until you have had advice on your situation. A lawyer can check the property against the official records and review the contract, then tell you what your options are.

### Is a registered title deed enough to show a Saudi property is safe to buy?

Not on its own. The Real Estate Registry records who owns a registered property, along with the rights, restrictions and responsibilities on it, so start there. You still need to know whether the seller can sell, whether there is a dispute that the record does not show, and what the contract says. Have a licensed lawyer check these together before any money moves.

### Can a lawyer check an off-plan property in Saudi Arabia before I pay?

Yes. Off-plan means the property is sold before it is finished. Under REGA's off-plan sales programme (Wafi), a developer needs a licence to sell off-plan units, and REGA's pages show details of licensed projects. A lawyer can check the developer and the project there, then review the sale contract, the payment stages and what it says about handover and delays. Our page on buying off-plan is coming soon.

## Official sources

- Real Estate Registry: [Home | Real Estate Registry](https://rer.sa/en) (checked 2026-10-19)
- Real Estate General Authority (REGA): [Non-Saudi Real Estate Ownership in Saudi Arabia](https://rega.gov.sa/en/rega-services/platforms/non-saudi-real-estate-ownership-in-saudi-arabia/) (checked 2026-10-19)
- Real Estate General Authority (REGA): [FAL – Real Estate Brokerage](https://rega.gov.sa/en/rega-services/platforms/fal-real-estate-brokerage/) (checked 2026-10-19)
- Real Estate General Authority (REGA): [Off-Plan Sales and Lease](https://rega.gov.sa/en/rega-services/platforms/wafi-off-plan-sales-and-lease/) (checked 2026-10-19)
- Ministry of Justice: [Najiz (Ministry of Justice e-services)](https://najiz.sa/applications/landing) (checked 2026-10-19)

General information about Saudi law, not legal advice on your situation. For your own case, speak to a licensed lawyer. Contacting us does not create a lawyer–client relationship until an engagement letter is signed.

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Saudi Law is operated by RAED ALI ALJOHANI COMPANY FOR Lawyership and Legal Consultations, licensed in Saudi Arabia. https://saudilaw.co/property-for-foreigners/checks-before-you-pay/