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Buying an apartment off-plan in Jordan: the risks and what to check

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The short answer

Buying before the building is finished can mean a lower price or easier payments, but you carry the risk of delays, changes to the plans, and your money being spent before you get a registered apartment. Before you pay, check the developer’s permits, ask where your payments are held, and make sure the contract sets a delivery date, penalties and the registration step.

The main risks

  • Delay: the handover date slips, while you may be paying rent and instalments at the same time.
  • Changes: the finished apartment differs from the plan in size, finishes, view or parking.
  • Money: payments made to the developer are spent on this project, another project or something else.
  • Registration: the apartment is not registered in your name for a long time after handover.
  • The project stops: the developer runs out of money or loses its permits.

What the law says about developer accounts

Jordan’s Real Estate Ownership Law says a regulation will set the rules for a trust (escrow) account dedicated to a project built by a real estate developer or investor, and the developer’s rights and duties toward the common parts1. The law was found in force on 31 Oct 2026.

Whether a given project actually uses such an account, and what the regulation now requires, is something to ask the developer in writing and confirm with the Department of Lands and Survey2.

Documents to ask for before you pay

  • The title deed or land registration showing who owns the land, and whether it is mortgaged.
  • The building permit for the project, with the number of floors and units.
  • The approved plans for your unit, with its area and the parts that are shared.
  • The payment schedule linked to construction stages, and whether payments go to a dedicated project account.
  • The contract terms on delivery date, penalties for delay, changes, cancellation and refunds.
  • When and how the apartment will be registered in your name.

Ways to lower the risk

  • Visit the developer’s finished projects and talk to people who live there.
  • Tie payments to visible progress, not only to dates.
  • Ask a lawyer to read the contract before you sign or pay a deposit.
  • Keep every receipt and every written promise.

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Is buying off-plan in Jordan safe?

It can work well, but it carries more risk than buying a finished, registered apartment. The developer’s record, the permits, where your money is held and a clear contract make the difference.

Does the developer have to keep my money in an escrow account?

The Real Estate Ownership Law leaves the rules for a project trust account to a regulation1. Ask the developer whether your payments go into such an account and check with the Department of Lands and Survey what applies to that project.

What happens if the project is delayed?

That depends mainly on the contract: the delivery date, the penalty for delay and your right to cancel. If the contract is silent, you may need a lawyer and the courts.

When can the apartment be registered in my name?

After the building and its units are registered at the Department of Lands and Survey, and under the terms of your contract. Ask for the expected registration date in writing.

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  1. Real Estate Ownership Law No. 13 of 2019, article 123(c)(7) and (c)(8), Arabic text hagzi-guides::app.checked_on
  2. Department of Lands and Survey: laws and regulations list hagzi-guides::app.checked_on

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