Saudi Arabia to spur FDI with real estate shake-up

Starting from January, Saudi Arabia will allow foreigners to buy real estate as an updated property law comes into force. Seen by industry insiders and analysts as a critical component of its Vision 2030 program to diversify the economy, the decision is expected to open a strategic window for investors.

Calling the Saudi pivotal shift "one of the most consequential policy shifts for the sector in 2025", Cliff Chau, managing partner at Riyadh-headquartered global investment firm ewpartners, said it affects not just real estate but the broader economy.

The move offers entry into one of the world's most ambitious and fast-evolving real estate frontiers, spanning residential and hospitality, logistics, healthcare and commercial sectors, he said, adding that Saudi Arabia's value for investors is rooted in its scale, economic transformation and its significance to the global Muslim population.