Own Property Abroad

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Own Property Abroad

Helping people buy, own & invest in property abroad.

Own Property Abroad helps people navigate the process of buying, owning, and renting property abroad - from legals and taxes to costs and property management.

07/01/2026

Cambodia is one of the most foreigner-friendly markets in Southeast Asia, and most people overlook it. Here's how ownership actually works:

🏢 Condominiums: You can own one outright in your own name. Same rights as a Cambodian citizen, no nominee, no company structure. Two rules: must be above the ground floor and
foreign ownership in any single building is capped at 70%

🚫 Land and houses: Foreigners can't own land directly. Common workarounds:

- Long-term lease (up to 50 years, sometimes renewable)
- Land-holding company with majority Cambodian ownership
- 2019 Trust Law (allows foreigners to hold land through a registered trust)

💵 Prices and yields: Phnom Penh remains one of the cheapest capital cities in Asia. You can buy in the city centre from around $1,000/sqm. A typical $100,000 condo generates roughly $7,000/year in rent. Net yields after costs land around 5–6%.

Soft titles are still common in Cambodia. Always buy hard-titled (strata-titled) property registered with the Ministry of Land Management. Construction quality varies widely.

Cambodia isn't for everyone, but for the buyer who wants direct ownership of a condo in a dollarized economy with no land traps, it's worth a serious look.

06/24/2026

International Living's 2026 Global Retirement Index just dropped. Some big changes from last year:

🇬🇷 #1 Greece — Climbed from #7 last year. 7% flat tax on foreign income for 15 years. Couples live comfortably on $2,000–$2,700/month. Golden Visa still from €250,000.

🇵🇦 #2 Panama — The legendary Pensionado visa is still one of the best deals in the world for retirees. Healthcare and lifestyle discounts for anyone with $1,000+/month in pension income.

🇨🇷 #3 Costa Rica — Stable, safe, close to the US. Pensionado visa requires just $1,000/month. Strong expat community, world-class private healthcare.

🇵🇹 #4 Portugal — Still a top pick despite changes to tax benefits and the Golden Visa. D7 retirement visa active for those with passive income.

🇲🇽 #5 Mexico — Affordable, close to home for Americans, established expat hubs in Mérida, San Miguel, and Puerto Vallarta.

🇮🇹 #6 Italy — The 7% flat tax in southern Italy is drawing serious attention from retirees. Visa pathways for those with passive income.

🇫🇷 #7 France — Less expected on this list, but stable healthcare and lifestyle keep it competitive. Long-stay visa available.

🇪🇸 #8 Spain — Golden Visa ended in April 2025, but the non-lucrative visa for retirees still works.

🇹🇭 #9 Thailand — Retirement visa for over-50s requires $25,000 in a Thai bank or 65,000 THB/month income. Many retire on $1,500/month.

🇲🇾 #10 Malaysia — MM2H program now tiered. Property purchase required. Still popular for English-speaking environment and healthcare quality.

06/17/2026

Malaysia is one of the most foreigner-friendly property markets in Asia. Freehold ownership is allowed, but each state sets its own minimum price. Here's where most foreigners end up:

🏙 Kuala Lumpur — The deepest market. Minimum foreign purchase price: RM 1 million (~$215,000) for condos.

🏝 Penang — Popular with retirees and MM2H applicants. Minimum RM 1 million on Penang Island, sometimes lower on the mainland.

🌉 Johor Bahru — Strong growth tied to the Singapore RTS Link.

🌴 Kota Kinabalu (Sabah) — Emerging option. Lower entry prices, lifestyle appeal, weaker rental market.

Key things to know:

- Foreigners pay 30% RPGT on gains within 3 years.
- Stamp duty + legal fees add 6–10% to the purchase.
- Some states charge extra foreign levies (Johor 2%, Penang 3%).

06/09/2026

Malaysia's My Second Home program looks completely different in 2026. Four tiers, mandatory property purchases, and higher deposits across the board:

🥈 Silver (5 years, renewable): USD 150K fixed deposit + RM 600K minimum property purchase
🥇 Gold (15 years, renewable): USD 500K deposit + RM 1M property
💎 Platinum (20 years, renewable): USD 1M deposit + RM 2M property. Only tier that lets you work in Malaysia.
🏗️ SEZ (10 years, renewable): USD 65K deposit (USD 32K if over 50). Must buy directly from developers in Special Economic Zones.

All tiers: property must be purchased within 12 months of visa approval. Can't sell for 10 years unless upgrading to a higher-value property.

Under 50? You need to spend 90 days per year in Malaysia. Over 50? No minimum stay.

The SEZ tier through Forest City is the cheapest entry point. Total investment under $200K for applicants over 50.

06/05/2026

Can you buy property in Dubai without living there?

Yes. And a lot of people do. 🇦🇪

Dubai doesn't require residency, a visa, or a local sponsor to buy property. Any nationality. No age minimum. No cap on how many properties you own.

The rules:

🏠 Must buy in a designated freehold area (60+ zones including Dubai Marina, Downtown, Palm Jumeirah, JVC, Dubai Hills Estate)
🏠 4% Dubai Land Department (DLD) transfer fee at closing
🏠 Total closing costs typically 7-9% of purchase price
🏠 Title deed registered with DLD in your name

Bonus: property investment can qualify you for a residence visa:
💳 AED 750K+ (~$204K) = 2-year renewable visa
💳 AED 2M+ = 10-year Golden Visa

One thing to watch: always verify the seller is the registered owner through official DLD channels before sending any money. WhatsApp screenshots of title deeds are not verification.

06/01/2026

If you've been told you need IDR 10 billion (~$700K) to set up a PT PMA in Bali, that info is outdated.

BKPM Regulation 5/2025 cut the minimum paid-up capital from IDR 10 billion to IDR 2.5 billion (~$150K). For property and accommodation sectors, land and building value now counts toward the total investment requirement.

What a PT PMA actually gets you:

🏡 Your company holds HGB (Right to Build) for up to 80 years total
🏡 You can own multiple properties under one company
🏡 You can legally run short-term rentals with proper licensing
🏡 Stronger legal protection than leasehold

The trade-off: setup takes 6-8 weeks, professional fees run $1,600-4,000, and total buyer costs land at 10-15%+ on top of purchase price. Plus ongoing compliance, tax reporting, and annual costs.

For a single villa you plan to use personally? Leasehold is probably simpler. For investment or multiple properties? PT PMA starts to make sense.

05/28/2026

5 biggest mistakes foreigners make buying property overseas

These come up in almost every country we cover. 🌍

1️⃣ Not verifying ownership quota before paying. In the Philippines (40% cap) and Thailand (49% cap), if the building is full, the Land Office will reject your transfer. Your deposit is gone.
2️⃣ Trusting nominee structures. Illegal in Thailand. Illegal in Indonesia. Courts can seize the property and you have zero legal recourse.
3️⃣ Assuming lease renewals are guaranteed. In Thailand, the Supreme Court has ruled that automatic renewal clauses beyond 30 years are unenforceable.
4️⃣ Skipping title verification. In Bali, always check the land certificate type (SHM, SHGB, or Girik). In the Philippines, confirm the CCT is clean.
5️⃣ Sending money without proper documentation. Thailand requires a Foreign Exchange Transaction (FET) form. Without it, you can't register ownership. The Philippines has similar requirements.

Which of these have you run into?

05/25/2026

If you're buying property in Malaysia as a foreigner, 2026 just got more expensive. 🇲🇾

Starting January 1, 2026, foreign buyers pay a flat 8% stamp duty on residential property transfers. Malaysian buyers pay progressive rates that top out lower. This is a significant cost increase on top of an already complex process.

Other things to know:
📋 Minimum property prices for foreigners vary by state. KL, Penang, Selangor, and Johor all set their own thresholds.
📋 You need state authority approval before ownership transfers
📋 MM2H visa holders may get lower minimum price requirements (from RM 600K at Silver tier)

The MM2H program itself got overhauled. Silver tier now requires a USD 150K fixed deposit plus a mandatory property purchase within 12 months of approval. The property can't be sold for 10 years.

Still worth it for the right buyer. But factor in the full cost before committing.

05/20/2026

Thailand's rules are strict but simple once you understand them.

✅ Condos = the only true freehold path. You can own a unit in your name with a Chanote title if the building's 49% foreign quota isn't full. You must transfer purchase funds from abroad in foreign currency and get a Foreign Exchange Transaction (FET) form from a Thai bank.

🏠 Villas = you can own the house, but not the land. Most foreigners lease the land for 30 years. Renewal is contractual, not automatic. Thai courts have ruled that "30+30+30" clauses are not legally enforceable.

🚫 Nominee companies = illegal. Thai authorities are actively enforcing this. Penalties include forfeiture of the property.

One thing that catches people off guard: the 49% quota is calculated by total floor area, not by number of units. Always get written confirmation from the building's juristic person before paying a deposit.

05/16/2026

If you're still planning to buy property in Portugal for a Golden Visa, stop. That route ended in October 2023.

What still works in 2026:

💰 €500K in qualifying investment funds (most popular route now)
🔬 €500K in scientific research
🎨 €250K in arts/culture projects
🏢 €500K in company creation with job creation

And the timeline may be getting longer. In April 2026, Parliament approved extending the citizenship requirement from 5 years to 10 years. It's not law yet, still needs Presidential review.
You can still buy property in Portugal. You just can't use it to get residency anymore.

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