Property news · Marrakech & MRE
The Monday briefing
The news that matters for your property project, with sources and what it means in practice.
Residential prices in Marrakech: +1.1% in Q2
According to the official index of Bank Al-Maghrib and the ANCFCC, in Q2 2026 in Marrakech: residential +1.1% (apartments +0.7%, houses +2.2%, villas −1.3%), all property +0.5%. Residential sales rose 14.2% over the quarter.
How to read it: this is partly a rebound, after prices fell 1.5% in Q1. Quarterly figures remain volatile.
Source: ANCFCC / Bank Al-Maghrib via TelQuel · 28 August 2026 ↗
Paying in cash: an extra 2% in duties
Since 1 July 2026, for a sale above 300,000 DH, an additional 2% registration duty applies to the share paid in cash or by an unverified means.
Our reading: plan a traceable payment from the start (bank transfer, crossed cheque), which is not affected.
Sources: Médias24 · 30 June 2026; DGI · 1 July 2026
West Marrakech: the zoning plan is approved
Published in Official Bulletin no. 7496 (April 2026), it covers Ménara, West Guéliz and South M’hamid, about 40% of the city: 8 urban projects, 466 green spaces and 150 pockets of substandard housing to be treated, including the Targa extension linked to the future station.
What it changes for you: the plan counts as a declaration of public utility for the planned expropriations. Within this area, have the plot’s zoning checked before buying.
Source: Médias24 · 14 April 2026
Building sites inspected every day
Since 27 February 2026, the Prefecture, the Wilaya and the Urban Agency have had building sites inspected every day by sworn officers, with official reports and a complaints office.
Our reading: a property built or altered without a permit is riskier than ever. Ask for the permits that match the property as it actually stands.
Source: La Vérité · 28 February 2026
Planning reform: laws 64.23 and 34.21
Published in Official Bulletin no. 7533 of 10 August 2026, they create a regional planning and housing agency in each region and amend law 25-90 on subdivisions: permit validity based on project size and a one-stop shop for investors.
Still to watch: the implementing texts, expected within the year.
Sources: Le Matin · 16 August 2026; le1.ma · 17 August 2026
High-speed rail, airport, Grand Stade
Kénitra–Marrakech high-speed line: about 30% complete (May 2026), due to open at the end of 2029. Menara airport: expansion contract awarded to raise capacity from 7.4 to 16 million passengers a year. Grand Stade: first works package launched in April 2026.
Still to be confirmed: the airport’s delivery date has not been published. These projects may add value to some areas, with no guarantee.
Sources: Hespress FR · 25 May 2026; Médias24 · 20 August 2025 and 28 April 2026
Short-term rentals: the regulatory point to keep in mind
Law 80-14 and its 2023 decree require an operating licence (valid for 5 years) for tourist accommodation, including listings on platforms; penalties range from 50,000 to 100,000 DH. Five classification orders were published in 2025, with 24 months to comply, i.e. until around mid-2027.
In Marrakech, 12,311 listings are active according to AirDNA data reported by TelQuel (July 2026): competition is strong. Before buying to let, check that the property can be licensed and also work out a long-term rental scenario.
Ethical financing: participative (Islamic) banking
Umnia Bank, founded in 2017 (shareholders: QIIB, CIH Bank and CDG), describes itself as Morocco’s first participative bank. Other participative banks were licensed in 2016 (Bank Assafa, Al Akhdar Bank, Bank Al Yousr, Bank Al Karam), as well as participative “windows” of conventional banks.
Participative home financing is based on Murabaha: the bank buys the property and then sells it to you on an agreed payment schedule. Each product is approved by the Sharia Committee for participative finance of the Higher Council of Ulema, and Bank Al-Maghrib supervises these banks.
Ask each bank directly. Dar’Investa does not provide rates or financing terms.
Sources: Umnia Bank, “History” page; BourseNews · 2 January 2017
From information to decision
3 practical implications for your project
- Pay in a traceable way. Plan a bank transfer or crossed cheque from the start: above 300,000 DH, the share paid in cash costs 2% more.
- Check zoning and permits. Especially within the new zoning plan area, and for any property that has been extended or altered.
- Don’t buy “for Airbnb” on an average. Check that the property can obtain the law 80-14 licence and also work out a long-term rental scenario.
General information: this briefing is no substitute for legal, tax or financial advice tailored to your situation. Dar’Investa does not negotiate on your behalf: I advise, you decide.
Resources
Understand before you buy
Here we publish what we wish we had read before our first purchase in Morocco: concrete pointers on prices, procedures and pitfalls, drawn from the cases we actually handle.
The Buyer’s Guide
Notary fees, taxes, land title (titre foncier), the steps of a purchase, administrative checks and the most common mistakes.
Hijra Advice
Paperwork, budget, neighbourhoods, schools, healthcare and tax: the resource for families settling in Marrakech.
The 7 land title pitfalls
Unchecked title, joint ownership, mortgages, unregistered property: the costliest mistakes to avoid before signing.
Looking for the founder’s story? It’s told on the page My Story.
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