Interest from foreign buyers in real estate in North Macedonia is growing: prices remain below most of the region, construction activity is strong, and property is most often purchased as an investment, for living or as a business seat. The first question every foreign buyer asks is whether they may become an owner here at all. The answer is positive in most cases, but the rules are not the same for everyone: they depend on the buyer's country of citizenship or registration, on the type of property and on whether the purchase is made as a private individual or through a domestic company.
Can a foreigner buy real estate in North Macedonia?
Yes, in most cases. The Law on Ownership and Other Real Rights allows foreign natural and legal persons to acquire ownership of real estate in the country. The key division is between two groups: citizens and companies resident in European Union and OECD member states may buy an apartment, a residential building and business premises on the same terms as Macedonian nationals, while all other foreigners acquire ownership subject to reciprocity. Restrictions exist mainly for land, especially agricultural land.
What applies to citizens and companies from the EU and the OECD?
Under the 2008 amendments, foreign natural and legal persons resident in EU and OECD member states are treated the same as domestic buyers when it comes to apartments, residential buildings and business premises. In practice, this means that a German citizen or a company registered in an OECD member state buys an apartment in Skopje in the same way as a domestic buyer: a contract notarized before a notary public and registration in the real estate cadastre, with no prior approval required. This equal treatment, however, does not cover every type of property: it applies to the listed categories of real estate, not to land as such.
How does the reciprocity condition work?
For foreigners from countries that are not members of the EU or the OECD, acquiring ownership depends on reciprocity: whether Macedonian citizens can buy real estate in that country as well. Reciprocity is not determined by the buyer or the seller, but is checked in the procedure, in line with the practice of the competent authorities, and with most countries, including the neighbours, it has been established long ago. In a specific case, where there is doubt, the procedure may require a confirmation of reciprocity, which extends the transaction timeline. It is therefore sensible to check the buyer's status before signing a preliminary contract or paying a deposit.
Which properties remain unavailable to foreigners?
The most significant restriction concerns agricultural land: foreign natural and legal persons cannot acquire ownership of agricultural land, only a possible right of long-term lease, and even that subject to reciprocity. Similar logic applies to forests and to part of the construction land outside settlements. The table below summarizes the basic positions by buyer category.
| Buyer | Apartment, residential building, business premises | Agricultural land |
|---|---|---|
| Resident of an EU or OECD member state | Same terms as Macedonian nationals | No ownership; long-term lease possible under reciprocity |
| Foreigner from another country | Subject to reciprocity | No ownership; long-term lease possible under reciprocity |
| Domestic company founded by a foreigner | Buys as a domestic legal person | Regulated separately, depending on purpose and status of the entity |
Does forming a domestic company change the answer?
Usually yes. A company registered in North Macedonia, for example a limited liability company (DOO), is considered a domestic legal person even though its owners are foreigners. This is why foreign investors planning larger purchases, development projects or the acquisition of business premises in multiple locations most often first establish a domestic company and buy through it. This route brings additional advantages: simpler registration, a clear tax framework and better protection in any later transfer of the property. The choice between buying as a private individual and buying through a company depends on the purpose of the investment, the tax treatment and the buyer's country.
What does the purchase procedure look like step by step?
Formally, the procedure is the same as for domestic buyers, with an additional prior check of the foreigner's status. The typical sequence looks like this:
- checking the buyer's legal status: country of citizenship or registration, need for reciprocity;
- reviewing the property sheet: owner, encumbrances, mortgages, noted disputes and legal predecessors;
- checking the legality of the building and its permits, especially for new construction and business premises;
- concluding a transfer contract, which must be notarized;
- registration of ownership with the Agency for Real Estate Cadastre on the basis of the notarized contract;
- property transfer tax, the rate of which is set by the municipality where the property is located.
What should be checked before signing the contract?
With foreign buyers, problems rarely lie in the right to purchase, but in the property itself. The most common risks are a mortgage or a noted dispute over the property, a seller who is not the true owner, an unlegalized addition and a difference between the cadastral and the actual situation. The standard is therefore for the legal due diligence of the property to be completed before paying any part of the price: an extract from the property sheet, verification of permits, the seller's liabilities and, when buying through a company, the tax framework of the transaction. One day of checking costs far less than a dispute that lasts for years.
Buying property in North Macedonia as a foreigner?
Every transaction with a foreign element has two key questions: whether the buyer can become an owner and whether the property is legally clean. Both are answered before signing, not after.
We perform full legal due diligence of real estate, prepare the contracts for notarization and, where appropriate, structure the purchase through a domestic company.
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Source: Law on Ownership and Other Real Rights (Official Gazette of RM No. 18/2001, as amended) and the Law on Agricultural Land.
This text provides general legal information and does not constitute legal advice for a specific case. For advice tailored to your situation, please consult an attorney.