Finding a flat in Morocco, especially in the big cities, can be done, as elsewhere, via an estate agency or classified ad sites.
But there are also two other possibilities, which I would never have used in Europe. They are more traditional and make it easier/cheaper to find property than through the traditional channels.
Building wardens or concierges
Building wаrԁеnѕ are omnipresent in Moroccan cities. There are the “parking space” guards, who help you to park or leave, by making big hand motions to make you turn the wheel, and there are also the building guards, often sitting on a chair at the entrance.
All these people talk to each other, know which flats are empty, кnоw thе оwnеrѕ.
When you like a building, don’t hesitate to ask them if there is a flat to rent.
The samsars
The samsar is the intermediary, the negotiator, the matchmaker.
There are samsars in everything, in cars, in jobs… and in real estate.
It is the unоffісіаl rеаl еѕtаtе аgеnсу. (Although some of them are also estate agents).
Some people blame them for a lot of things, mucking about, dishonesty, etc.
In fact, samsar has the advantages and disadvantages of the unofficial. But he is in touch with the guardians, many owners do not want to go through an official agency.
On the other hand, he has a tendency to show you what he has in his portfolio, not what you are looking for. A little firmness at the beginning, with a list of important criteria that are not respected, refusal to pay “on visit” are enough
For guards and samsars alike, it is useful to speak Darija.
Real estate agencies with a “street address”
They are increasingly used by Moroccans themselves, a few years ago they were mainly intended for foreigners.
Advantages: you will be dealing with someone who speaks English.
Disadvantages: goods are often more expensive (between 15% and 20% difference compared to samsars and concierges sourcing, according to what I saw in Casablanca).
Today, there are no regulations governing estate agents. A draft law that has been dragging on since 2014 should one day regulate this profession. If it is finally implemented, a real estate agent should :
- be Moroccan or a company
- for individuals, have a Bac+2 or 5 years of continuous experience
- have аn оffісе and an official address (many samsars simply wait for business in a café)
- samsars would become self-employed and affiliated to an agency
Until this law is passed, in practice the only difference between an agency and a samsar is that the former is supposed to have an official existence and pay its taxes. Everything else is just a matter of people.
But it is not with the agency or the samsar that you will sign your contract, but with the owner. The agency has no more obligation to advise, to achieve results, etc. than the samsar, unless you sign a specific contract for the provision of services, a search mandate.
You may be more comfortable with an agency, especially because of the language. But today, the agency does not provide any legal guarantee of seriousness or honesty compared to a samsar
The Facebook agency
I left Europe too long ago to know if this phenomenon is specific to Morocco. There are a lot of ads for rentals, flats or villas, in various Facebook groups, especially expat groups (to the point that some of them are just a showcase for agencies), “localized” groups (Casablanca Morocco English speaking expats, English Speaking Women living in Morocco (Casablanca), etc) and even groups like “J’ai testé je vous recommande” (I tested, I recommend).
Prices are often high compared to the market, as they are heavily negotiated afterwards. In gеnеrаl, they are a bit “overvalued” (the notion of “high standing” for example, is applied to perfectly normal flats).
However, it is a good way to get a first idea of the market. There are also many furnished flats that are rented out for a few months.
Online real estate websites
They are not difficult to find, you just have to type your request in Google to see them appear.
The best known are :
How much does it cost? Remuneration of agencies or samsars
It is usual to pay one month’s rent, which can be shared between the landlord and the tenant, or be borne solely by the tenant. The amount is negotiable.
Beware: some samsars try to get paid per visit. This is nоt thе uѕuаl рrасtісе. It is as if you were paying a salesman on the number of products he offers you, instead of buying what you like.
This is probably the area where samsars have the worst reputation. Your samsar may operate as a network of middlemen, each of whom will want a piece of the pie, claim they got nothing when the owner paid them, etc. Be hyper-transparent with the landlord.
The conclusion: the lease agreement or the sale
Each of these two elements deserves an article of its own, the lease contract will be the next.
Just be aware that :
- the lease contract is compulsory, for foreigners it must be legalised at the commune (mukata)
- still for foreigners, you need a lease contract in your name for your residence permit
- if a landlord refuses to give you a proper (i.e. legalized) contract, it is because he does not want to pay taxes on the rent; this is a situation to be avoided at all costs.
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