Can you buy property in Malaysia without being in Malaysia?
Updated 29 October 2026. Prices, fees and taxes on this page are current at that date, are not guaranteed and may change in future. Sources are listed at the end.
Short answer: Yes. You can choose the unit on a video call, sign the sale and purchase agreement overseas before a witness your lawyer approves, pay by bank transfer and leave the state approval to your lawyer. The steps that most often need you in person are a bank loan signing and opening a Malaysian bank account. One thing you can't do: have someone sign the land documents for you under a power of attorney, because Malaysian land law makes those documents void when the buyer is a foreigner.
Confirm every bank account by phone before you pay. Pay only into the developer's Housing Development Account or your lawyer's client account, and confirm the account number by calling a number you already know, never one sent in the same email. Payment-redirection scams target overseas buyers.
What can be done remotely
| Step | From overseas? | How |
|---|---|---|
| Choosing the project and unit | Yes | Video walk-through of the show unit or completed building, floor plans, and the price list for units open to foreigners |
| Booking the unit | Yes | Booking form signed electronically or by scan; payment by bank transfer |
| Sale and purchase agreement | Usually | Couriered to you and signed before a witness your lawyer accepts, often a notary public or a Malaysian embassy or consulate |
| State approval | Yes | Your lawyer applies with copies of your passport and the agreement. See State approval |
| Bank loan | Depends on the bank | Some banks let you sign at an embassy or before a notary; some ask you to come in. Ask first. See Home loans |
| Malaysian bank account | Often in person | Not needed to buy; useful for bills and rent. See Bank accounts |
| Key handover and defects check | Yes | Someone you authorise in writing collects the keys and checks the unit for you |
Based on transactions I've handled. Each lawyer, bank and developer sets its own requirements, so confirm them before you book.
Signing documents abroad
Documents for the purchase can be signed outside Malaysia, but the witness must be someone Malaysian law and your lawyer accept, and land registration documents have strict rules on who may attest them. Ask your lawyer, before you sign anything, exactly who must witness each document in your country and whether it needs to be certified or legalised.
Why a power of attorney doesn't work here
Under section 433F of the National Land Code, any deed or instrument that a non-citizen or a foreign company executes under a power of attorney in respect of alienated land is void, and an instrument of dealing made that way can't be registered. In practice, this means you sign the land documents yourself. If you're overseas, your lawyer arranges an approved witness where you are, and couriers the documents back.
Be wary of anyone who offers to "handle everything" for you under a power of attorney. For a foreign buyer, a land document signed that way is void.
A typical remote purchase
- Video call: shortlist, units open to foreigners and full cost estimate.
- Book the unit and appoint a lawyer.
- Apply to banks, if you need a loan.
- Sign the sale and purchase agreement before an approved witness and pay the deposit.
- Your lawyer applies for state approval.
- Pay the progress bills (new launch) or the balance on completion (resale).
- Your representative collects the keys and checks the unit; a property manager can find a tenant.
Watch the video
The scams overseas buyers should watch for, on video.
Malaysia Property Scams Explained: What First-Time Foreign Buyers Must Avoid · Subscribe on YouTube
Buying from overseas? I'll run the viewing on video and keep the agreement, loan and state approval moving in the right order. Ask on WhatsApp →
Read next: Off-plan or completed? · How to check a project before you buy · Renting out your property as a foreign owner
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The checks to make before you commit to any property in Malaysia.
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Frequently asked questions
Can I buy property in Malaysia without visiting?
Yes. Viewing can be done on video, documents can be signed overseas before a witness your lawyer accepts, payments are made by bank transfer and your lawyer applies for the state's approval. Some banks ask you to sign the loan in person.
Where do I sign the sale and purchase agreement if I'm overseas?
Your lawyer will tell you who may witness it in your country, often a notary public or a Malaysian embassy or consulate. Ask before you sign, because land registration documents have strict attestation rules.
Can someone sign for me under a power of attorney?
Not for the land documents. Under section 433F of the National Land Code, any deed or instrument a non-citizen or foreign company executes under a power of attorney in respect of alienated land is void. Sign them yourself, before a witness your lawyer arranges if you are overseas.
Do I need a Malaysian bank account to buy property?
No. You can pay from an overseas account by bank transfer. A Malaysian account is useful later for bills, maintenance fees and rent.
Who collects the keys if I'm not in Malaysia?
Someone you authorise in writing, such as a family member, your agent or a property manager, can collect the keys and inspect the unit for defects on your behalf.
Keep reading
- Buying step by step
- How long buying takes, and the documents
- Home loans for foreigners
- State approval for foreign buyers
About the author
Seann Siow is a registered estate negotiator in Kuala Lumpur (REN 34312) with more than 10 years in property. He helps foreign buyers and relocating families buy new condominiums in Kuala Lumpur.
Sources
Checked 29 October 2026.
- National Land Code, section 433B (state approval for acquisition of land by non-citizens and foreign companies).
- National Land Code, section 433F (deeds and instruments executed by a non-citizen or foreign company under a power of attorney are void), as reproduced in the Malaysian Bar's Circular No 444/2024 — malaysianbar.org.my.
- Housing Development (Control and Licensing) Act 1966: buyers' payments for a licensed project go into the developer's Housing Development Account.
- Which steps can be done remotely: From transactions handled by Seann Siow (REN 34312).
General information, checked on the date shown, not legal, tax or financial advice. Rules and fees change; confirm them for your purchase with the state land office, a lawyer or a tax adviser. All prices, fees, taxes and figures on this page are based on information current at the date checked, are not guaranteed, and may change in future. Seann Siow, REN 34312.