Saudi property market booms as it logs over 136K transactions since September

This rise in the property business aligns with the Kingdom’s goals to launch several extensive residential projects to balance population growth and rapid urban expansion. Shutterstock       
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Updated 29 December 2023
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Saudi property market booms as it logs over 136K transactions since September

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia is witnessing a surge in property business as the Ministry of Justice revealed that over 136,000 transactions have been made through the Real Estate Stock Exchange since its launch in September.  

Not only did Riyadh account for the largest share of operations, but the five busiest neighborhoods in the Kingdom last November were in the capital, the Saudi Press Agency reported. 

This rise aligns with the Kingdom’s goals to launch several extensive residential projects to balance population growth and rapid urban expansion.          

The improved residential density has led to increased demand for housing, even as the Kingdom is working to boost the real estate supply aligned with a sustainable urban approach.

According to SPA, the stock exchange provides three trading services. The initial offering involves listed properties where the owner presents the unit at a specified price.

The second service is for available properties. Those wishing to buy can submit a price offer and pay the full amount. The owner will be notified of a purchase request for the estate in a way that maintains privacy.

Finally, the third service centers on wanted properties. These are properties for which one or more buyers submit a price quote to purchase, and the owner has yet to approve them.

In addition, the stock exchange also enables real estate traders to carry out operations electronically and quickly with reliability and safety.

It also facilitates mortgaging and financing real estate as well as issuing instrument services for requests to sort and merge property using the real estate ID. 

Furthermore, the real estate platform provides a set of daily property indicators reflecting the value of real estate transactions in the cities and neighborhoods of the Kingdom eligible for trading.

It can be displayed chronologically at the hour, day, or week level as well as month or year. It can also reveal the entire historical period of transactions since the beginning of their electronic recording.

Moreover, the stock exchange provides a complete and documented record of all transactions on a specific property.

Additionally, the indicators depend on measuring the number of transactions, properties, and the value in Saudi riyals.

By utilizing the exchange, it is possible to monitor the status of properties in different areas, observe real estate prices along with their per square meters costs, and compare listings according to the other regions.

Earlier this month, new figures disclosed that citizens in Saudi Arabia are gaining greater access to residential units as the real estate supply reservations surged 110 percent year-on-year in November to reach 12,503.

The Kingdom’s National Housing Co. announced that residential units were sold at competitive prices starting from SR250,000 ($66,649) compared to the previous year’s rates, in which the lowest contract amounted to SR321,000 per residential unit, the SPA reported at the time.


Saudi Arabia opens real estate market to foreign buyers

Updated 22 January 2026
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Saudi Arabia opens real estate market to foreign buyers

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Real Estate General Authority has announced that the regulatory system governing property ownership by foreigners officially came into effect on Jan. 22, with all provisions now enforceable under the national real estate framework.

The authority said applications for property ownership by non-Saudis can be submitted through the official digital platform, Saudi Arabia Real Estate. The system applies to residents and non-residents, as well as foreign companies and entities, in accordance with established legal procedures.

According to the authority, the application process varies by ownership category. Foreign residents in Saudi Arabia may apply directly through the portal using their residence permit, with legal requirements verified automatically and the process completed electronically.

Non-residents are required to initiate their applications through Saudi embassies and consulates abroad to obtain a digital identification number, which enables them to finalize the process via the platform.

Foreign companies and entities without a presence in the Kingdom must first register with the Ministry of Investment through the “Invest Saudi” platform and obtain a unified registration number (700) before completing ownership procedures electronically.

The authority confirmed that the system allows foreign individuals, companies, and entities to own property across Saudi Arabia, with ownership permitted in major cities including Riyadh and Jeddah.

However, property ownership in Makkah and Madinah remains restricted to Saudi companies and Muslim individuals, in line with a regulatory framework based on the Geographic Zones document, which is scheduled to be announced in the first quarter of 2026.

The authority noted that the Saudi Arabia Real Estate portal serves as the official digital gateway for all ownership procedures, ensuring regulatory compliance and direct integration with the national real estate registry to enhance transparency and protect property rights.

It added that the new system is expected to improve the quality of real estate projects by attracting international developers and specialized firms, stimulating growth in the residential, commercial, industrial, and tourism sectors, and creating employment opportunities for Saudi citizens.

The initiative is also expected to strengthen the real estate sector’s sustainable contribution to the Kingdom’s non-oil gross domestic product.