Spotlight on the Moroccan property market

Here are some tips to help you consider making a Moroccan property buy.

Why buy in Morocco?
Investing in property in Morocco is currently backed by recent substantial policy and financial support from the Moroccan government to make tourism a major priority. These efforts have been rewarded with large increases in tourist visitors. At the end of 2006, 6.5 million foreign visitors had visited Morocco in the year – a healthy increase on the figure of 5.8 million reached in 2005.

The Moroccan government is aiming to:

• develop 6 coastal tourist zones. 5 are planned for the Atlantic coast and 1 for the Mediterranean coast
• renovate regional airports to increase cheap, international flights to Morocco
• increase flight numbers across the country and
• build a high-speed train service, initially linking Tangier to Marrakesh within just 2.5 hours.

Benefits of a Moroccan home buy:

• property prices, at time of writing, can be as much as 50% cheaper than equivalent European buys
• full freehold ownership rights are offered to foreign buyers
• as an overseas buyer, you don’t have to pay tax on rental income for the first 5 years
• capital gains tax is charged at 20% of profit with at least 3 per cent of property sale price if the home is sold within 5 years. This goes down to 10% if sold between 5-10 years and reduces to 0% after 10 years and
• inheritance tax does not apply to family members. That said, you do have to get a legally recognised Moroccan will and you need to take tax advice.

Easier Moroccan property buying
It’s a lot simpler than it was 5 years ago to buy property in Morocco as national government has simplified holiday home purchases. In 2007, Marrakesh government agencies started registering older properties with the Moroccan land registry – thus reducing ownership issues associated with overseas property buys.

Tetouan city sits between the Rif Mountains and beautiful Martil Valley. White walled houses and green tiled roofs and Spanish and Moorish architecture make this attractive city a worthwhile stay. Full of vitality, this place has plenty of traders guilds and artisans with lots of shopping opportunities.

The Rif Mountains separates much of Morocco from the Mediterranean. Full of history, this mountain range has played host to numerous conflicts between Moroccan rulers and local tribes. If you’ve been to Southern Spain or Gibraltar, you may already have seen this dramatic mountain chain across ‘the Med’.

Like much of Morocco, this area is opening up to both holiday and property development interest. If visiting for pleasure, you may find this place so appealing that you look at new build and off-plan homes. Properties in Morocco offer good investment opportunities giving an ‘exotic’ location with long summer seasons.

Whatever your motivation, here are some places you can visit in this area:

• In Tetouan
• Place Hassan II, the main square and former market place
• The medina with its historic souks and the newer ‘Ville Nouvelle’
• The Moroccan Arts Museum and Artisan School
• The Ensemble Artisanal and Archeological Museum and
• The Mellah, the old Jewish quarter
• Tetouan’s local beach strip between Martil and Fnideq. You can catch a bus to most of the beaches. There’s a stretch of beautiful, fine sandy beach starting at Martil and stretching around the Cabo Negro point. Martil is a fishing village, run down in parts but with plenty of character.

If you’re looking for a young crowd, then try Oued Laou beach which lies further south.



• Chefchaouen, one of the most prettiest and visitor-friendly towns in Morocco. It is visually stunning as it sits between two peaks and has striking blue-washed walled houses and a beautiful medina
• Historic Tangier, established as one of the top end resorts in the Mediterranean for many years. It has a good café and beach life and is easy to find your way around. Visit Petit Soccoo, an old square full of cafés where famous writers Bowles and Burroughs used to frequent
• golfing attractions. There’s the Cabo Negro Royal Golf and Tangier Royal Golf Club and
• Ceuta, a Spanish enclave working to Spanish time. Whilst not especially attractive it is of some political interest.

Travelling from Tetouan city

You can get a bus from the main bus station on Boulevard de Mouquauama. Regular routes include Chefchaouen, Tangier, Meknes and Fes.

CTM and private bus companies run from this point. It’s good to try and use the national CTM buses where possible. Or if you’re prepared to pay a bit more, you could take a grand taxi to your destination.