Morocco is known around the world for its vibrant cities, such as Marrakech and Fez, as well as its increasingly popular beach resorts, such as Agadir on the Atlantic coast and Saidia on the Med. Hardly surprising then that it’s become a second home, or emigration, destination for Brits looking to tap into a more exotic lifestyle than the more typical destinations. Two such people are Simon and Debbie Weller; they had visited Morocco several times and fallen in love with the relaxed atmosphere and multicultural society.

Simon begins the story: “We had visited Morocco maybe seven or eight times when we finally decided to take the plunge and move out there. On our last visit we had driven through Marrakech and seen lots of riad renovation projects; both Debbie and I had always spoken of our wish to renovate a property and turn it into something truly spectacular. So that’s what we decided to do. It was a very scary yet exciting time.”

Debbie continues: “We had heard about title deed problems in countries such as Cyprus and Greece but we had no idea if there was cause for concern in Morocco. Luckily when we began our research we came across the Overseas Guides Company, and found a wealth of information spread over a number of their sites. There were articles on finance (another thing we hadn’t thought about), general moving information and then there was information on specific countries.”

The Wellers had at this point been speaking to a Moroccan estate agent about a specific property they were interested in and they enquired about the title deeds. “We were assured that it didn’t matter if the original title deeds were missing”, explains Simon. “Our agent was adamant that it would be our property so long as we paid for the property in the presence of a notary.”

Now even more sceptical, the couple called the Overseas Guides Company and were strongly advised not to buy a property unless it had the correct title deed that could be transferred into their name. It is not uncommon for older properties in Morocco to have no title deed, making purchasing such properties a huge gamble (the previous owner could knock on your door claiming ownership and doing any renovation work legally would be tricky). Thinking ahead, the Wellers were also warned that any property without a deed would be hard to sell, or at very best, sell for a lot less than they paid for it.

Luckily for the Wellers, they discovered the truth about Moroccan title deeds before they signed any documents, but unfortunately many people every year go ahead with plans, believing everything that they are told by their estate agent. No matter how cheap a property is, or how much you want it, a property without the correct title deeds is a bad investment and should be avoided like the plague.

For more information and advice on buying property in Morocco, why not request the free guide today.