Buying an Apartment or House in Jordan: The Steps, in Order

Decide between cash, a bank housing loan or installments from the owner or developer before you make an offer. Banks need time to value the property and approve a loan, so talk to yours first.

If you'll use a loan, ask the bank which documents it needs from the seller; most want the title deed and the permits for the building.

Ask the seller for the title deed (سند التسجيل) and compare its village, basin and plot numbers with the property you saw. The Department of Lands and Survey's e-services show the registered owner, the area and any mortgage (رهن) or seizure (حجز) on it.

For a building, ask for the building permit and the occupancy permit (إذن الإشغال) from the municipality, especially if a roof, floor or extension was added later.

Put the price, the deposit (عربون), who pays the registration fees and sale tax, and the handover date in a signed preliminary agreement. Keep the receipt for anything you pay. A lawyer can review the agreement for a modest fee.

The seller gets a clearance (براءة ذمة) from the municipality showing the property tax and dues are paid. Then both sides, or their agents with a power of attorney (وكالة), sign the sale at the land registry directorate for the property's area. The fees and sale tax are paid there, and the buyer receives the new title deed.

Get the keys, move the water and electricity accounts into your name, and keep copies of every paper. If the seller had a bank loan, make sure the mortgage was released at the registration.