Saudi Arabia has officially launched the Saudi Properties portal, the government's digital platform for processing foreign real estate ownership applications. According to reports from Gulf News, the Real Estate General Authority (REGA) announced this launch on June 24, 2026, operationalizing the Foreign Real Estate Ownership Law that came into effect in January 2026. The platform enables eligible individuals and companies both inside and outside Saudi Arabia to complete the entire property ownership process online, including eligibility verification, application submission, tracking and access to approved investment opportunities. As reported by Gulf News, the portal allows prospective buyers from inside and outside the Kingdom to complete regulatory procedures online, check available ownership routes, view approved real estate opportunities, verify eligibility requirements, submit applications and track their requests. The move operationalizes the law and forms part of Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 strategy to attract investment and diversify its economy beyond oil.
The new framework allows non-Saudi individuals, companies and other entities to own real estate across most parts of the Kingdom through a regulated application process. According to REGA, the portal is the official channel for foreign property ownership applications and provides a streamlined digital journey for prospective property owners through a single official channel. Foreign residents already living in Saudi Arabia can apply directly using their residency (Iqama) number, with eligibility verified automatically through government databases. Applicants residing outside Saudi Arabia will first need to obtain a digital identity card through Saudi diplomatic missions before submitting their applications online. According to REGA, non-Saudi companies and entities without an existing presence in the Kingdom must register with the Ministry of Investment through the Invest Saudi platform and obtain a national unified number before becoming eligible to purchase property in the Kingdom. The system allows non-Saudi individuals, companies and entities to own property across various regions of Saudi Arabia, subject to the approved geographic scope and regulatory framework.
While the law significantly expands foreign ownership opportunities, it maintains restrictions in Islam's two holiest cities. According to REGA, property ownership in Makkah and Madinah will remain limited to Muslim individuals whether they reside inside or outside the Kingdom. The regulatory framework provides greater transparency by linking ownership opportunities with structured pathways and official data sources. REGA stated this will improve market credibility, support higher-quality urban growth and enhance the experience for applicants. The authority announced that a Geographical Zones Document detailing the applicable zones would be announced during the first quarter of 2026. The framework is designed to make ownership decisions more transparent by linking property opportunities to official data sources and structured regulatory pathways.
The launch marks another step in Saudi Arabia's broader push to attract foreign investment and diversify its economy beyond oil. According to REGA, these developments are strengthening Saudi Arabia's attractiveness as a destination for living, working and investment. The move is part of the Kingdom's Vision 2030 strategy to position itself as a global destination for business, tourism and real estate. The rollout comes at a time when Saudi Arabia is undergoing one of the world's largest urban development programmes, with the Kingdom investing hundreds of billions of dollars in mega projects including NEOM, Diriyah Gate, the Red Sea Project, Qiddiya and New Murabba. The government believes opening the market to a broader pool of international buyers will support these developments by attracting long-term capital and increasing demand for residential and commercial property. As part of Vision 2030, Saudi Arabia said it intends for 70 percent of its citizens to be homeowners by the end of the decade, currently at 66 percent, up from 47 percent in 2016.
Saudi Arabia's residential housing market has experienced challenges in recent months, with the first half of 2025 showing cooling trends due to economic fallout from regional conflicts, affordability pressures and reduced mortgage issuances. According to Knight Frank Mena, the regional conflict has added to factors contributing to slowing residential sales activity that was evident before the conflict began. However, major real estate projects continue to attract foreign investment, with Red Sea Global reporting SAR 1.8 billion ($480 million) in residential sales and SAR 2 billion pending, with foreigners accounting for 20 percent of transactions. The Saudi Properties portal, launched in December 2025 at Cityscape Global in Riyadh, serves as the official channel for foreign real estate ownership applications and accessing key information on owning property in the kingdom. Looking ahead, REGA CEO Mohammad Al-Suliman announced plans to introduce fractional ownership for foreigners and grant 'lifetime' residency to foreigners who cross a certain threshold when purchasing property, supporting Saudi Arabia's efforts to increase annual foreign direct investment inflows to $100 billion by 2030. According to REGA, the new ownership system is aimed at attracting international developers and major companies, improving the quality of real estate projects and supporting growth in residential, commercial, industrial and tourism segments, supporting the sustainable contribution of the real estate sector to the non-oil GDP.
