Are you hesitating between an apartment in a future development and a property you can already view? Between a villa to be built and an existing house with its garden and amenities?
In Marrakech, this choice affects your budget, your timetable and the way you buy. With an off-plan purchase, you make your decision based on a project and contractual commitments. With an existing property, you can examine the property and its surroundings, but you must assess its condition and any work that may be required.
The right choice depends on how you intend to use the property, your ability to wait and the total cost of the acquisition. Here are the differences to consider before committing.
Off-plan and existing properties: the main differences
A new property is not necessarily sold off-plan: it may be completed and available to view. Likewise, a resale property may be recent and require no major works.
To compare two offers, start by checking their actual status.
| Criterion | Off-plan purchase | Purchase of an existing property |
|---|---|---|
| What you examine | Plans, specification, contractual documents and progress of the works | Existing property, amenities and observable surroundings |
| Availability | Depends on completion and handover formalities | Depends on the sale, vacant possession and any works required |
| Personalisation | Depending on the options and modifications accepted in writing | Depending on the technical possibilities and the necessary authorisations |
| Additional budget | Options, installation, financing and costs associated with waiting | Repairs, renovation, installation and any communal works |
| Priority checks | Developer, contracts, permits, guarantees and payments | Ownership, occupation, compliance, technical condition and co-ownership |
To compare these criteria with specific properties, view our selection of properties for sale in Marrakech.
Buying off-plan: choosing a project before it is built
An off-plan purchase may allow you to select a floor, orientation or layout from the units still available. Some developments also offer a choice of finishes or adaptations.
These possibilities must be specified: which materials, which amenities, which modifications and at what price?
A show apartment can help you assess the specification, but ask what corresponds exactly to the unit being purchased. The kitchen, air conditioning, storage, parking and external landscaping must be identified in the contractual documents.
A computer-generated image helps you envisage the project; it is not enough to define what will be delivered.
Also check what surrounds your future property
Visit the site and its access routes. Observe neighbouring buildings and find out about the other phases of the development.
A first completed phase may coexist with construction work nearby. Ask for the timetable for the communal areas and announced amenities to be specified: swimming pool, roads, gardens or other planned facilities.
To put your search into context, our Marrakech neighbourhood guide allows you to compare areas before examining each address.
VEFA in Morocco: points to check before paying
The sale in the future state of completion, or VEFA, is governed by the Code of Obligations and Contracts, notably the provisions arising from Law no. 107-12.
Have your notary review the file before making any commitment. The building permit, identification of the property, price, delivery period and technical documents are essential points.
A regulated payment schedule
Article 618-6 provides for the following distribution of the price:
| Stage | Share of the price provided for by the legislation |
|---|---|
| Reservation contract, where one exists | 5% |
| Preliminary contract | 5%, or 10% without a prior reservation |
| Commencement of works | 10% |
| Three stages of progress defined by law | 60% in total |
| Definitive contract and handover of the keys | 20% |
The 60% corresponds to the foundations, structural works, then finishes, with the issue of the occupancy permit or certificate of conformity. Its distribution between these stages is a matter for agreement between the parties.
Have each call for funds checked. Article 618-8 considers any payment made before the preliminary contract or the reservation contract, where one is used, null and void.
Reservation and guarantees
The reservation contract cannot be concluded before the building permit has been obtained. The legislation grants the purchaser a one-month cooling-off period for this contract, with advances to be refunded within seven days of exercising the right.
For an ordinary private transaction subject to VEFA, the seller must, after the preliminary contract, provide a completion guarantee or a guarantee for repayment of instalments in the event of non-performance.
Request the relevant document and have its beneficiary, scope and conditions for implementation checked. The developer’s reputation does not replace this verification.
Off-plan: your budget must be able to absorb the waiting period
Even with an announced timetable, consider the consequences of a later delivery for your arrangements.
Will you need to extend a tenancy? Delay your move? Continue to bear financing costs? Defer anticipated rental income?
Ask the notary to examine the clauses relating to deadlines, extensions, compensation and termination. A marketing date should be compared with the commitments set out in the contract.
If you are financing the purchase with a loan, also ask the bank to confirm the conditions for releasing funds and the expenses to be borne during construction.
Staggered payments may make cash-flow planning easier, but they do not in themselves reduce the acquisition price.
Buying an existing property: being able to examine the home
An existing property allows you to view the rooms, test accessible equipment and observe the light, overlooking aspects and noise at different times.
You can also assess how a residence operates: maintenance of communal areas, access to parking, the condition of the lift and use of communal facilities.
This visibility is useful when you wish to move in soon. It does not, however, remove the need to check the conditions for vacating the property and the transaction timetable.
Assess the technical condition before negotiating
A well-presented property does not reveal the condition of its waterproofing, services or structure.
Depending on the property, have the following examined in particular:
- signs of damp and their source;
- electrical and plumbing installations;
- air conditioning and hot-water production;
- roofs, terraces and joinery;
- the swimming pool and its equipment, where there is one;
- alterations carried out and supporting documents.
For a property requiring work, have a programme and quotations prepared before setting your offer. The negotiated price must remain compatible with the budget for the property once it is ready for use.
Also examine the co-ownership
Request the co-ownership regulations, service charges, the latest available minutes of general meetings and information on works approved or under consideration.
An apartment may be in good condition while the building requires significant expenditure. Have the sums due and their allocation in connection with the sale specified.
The notary must, for their part, verify the legal status of the property, the seller’s rights and any charges. For a registered property, the title certificate provides information about its status at the time it is issued; it is not a technical survey.
Which purchase is genuinely the least expensive?
There is no answer that applies to every development and every property.
Compare properties that are sufficiently similar in terms of area, size, specification and use. An off-plan apartment on the outskirts and an existing property in the centre do not allow you to isolate the sole effect of the purchase method.
Then prepare two complete budgets.
For the off-plan property: contractual price, acquisition costs, any fees, options, financing, moving in and expenses during the waiting period.
For an existing property: negotiated price, acquisition costs, any fees, private works, communal expenditure payable by you and moving in.
Our Morocco notary fees calculator can help you prepare the acquisition element, subject to confirmation according to the exact nature of the file.
Do not assume that an off-plan purchase automatically benefits from the tax advantages or reduced costs you may know from another country.
For investment, also compare the date on which the property can be let
An existing, available property that is ready for use may allow you to start sooner, after the necessary checks and procedures. An off-plan property involves waiting for its delivery and fitting out.
Therefore compare projected net income over the same period, taking into account months without income, charges, maintenance, management, taxation and financing.
Test a lower rent assumption or a longer void period. A stated return without a breakdown of expenses is not enough to distinguish between two acquisitions.
For a holiday-letting project, also check that the property and its administrative framework are suitable for the intended activity.
How should you choose according to your project?
Do you have a fairly inflexible moving date? Direct your search towards an available existing property or an already completed new home, checking the formalities and any remaining work.
Can you wait and would you like to choose certain specifications? An off-plan purchase may be suitable if the development, documents, guarantees and payment schedule are satisfactory.
Do you enjoy transforming a property? An existing property offers possibilities to explore with a professional and cost before purchase.
In both cases, choose the property that meets your intended use with a manageable budget, including in a less favourable scenario. The quality of the file matters more than the label “new” or “existing”.
You can entrust Cameron with a property search mandate in Marrakech by specifying your overall budget, timescale and tolerance for works, so that the options can be compared on the same criteria.
Sources
- Official Bulletin no. 6518 of 17 November 2016 — Law no. 107-12 on VEFA, text hosted by the Tetouan Urban Agency: contracts, reservation, withdrawal and payment schedule.
- WIPO Lex — Moroccan Code of Obligations and Contracts : Articles 618-1 et seq., notably guarantees, completion and conclusion of the definitive sale.
- ANCFCC — Products and formalities : role of the title certificate.
- Ministry of Tourism — Tourist accommodation: regulatory framework : rules applicable to establishments and other forms of tourist accommodation.
Documentary verification finalised on 8 September 2026. The legal, financial and technical conditions must be confirmed for each acquisition.
