A Foreigner's Guide to Buying Property in Johor Bahru
The RM1 million minimum threshold, freehold vs leasehold, strata vs individual title, Consent to Transfer and the stamp duty you'll pay — here's how foreigners buy in Johor.
Johor is one of Malaysia's most popular states for foreign buyers, thanks to its proximity to Singapore and the growth of Iskandar Malaysia. Before you start, the key rule to understand is the minimum purchase price: in Johor, foreigners may generally buy residential property priced at RM1,000,000 or more, with some development-specific and Medini exemptions.
You will encounter two forms of tenure. Freehold means you own the land indefinitely; leasehold (commonly 99 years) means you hold it for the balance of the lease. Separately, title can be strata (for condos and gated schemes, with a share of common property) or individual/master title (typically for landed homes). Always confirm both tenure and title type before committing.
Foreign purchases in Johor require state authority approval — often referred to as Consent to Transfer — which your lawyer arranges after the Sale and Purchase Agreement (SPA) is signed. Budget for stamp duty on the Memorandum of Transfer (MOT), which is tiered up to 4% for higher-value homes, plus legal fees and disbursements.
Financing is available to foreigners from Malaysian banks, though loan margins are usually lower than for locals — often around 60-70% of value. Those seeking a longer-term base may also explore the Malaysia My Second Home (MM2H) programme. Our team guides international clients through eligibility, Consent to Transfer and every contract step, in English, Malay or Mandarin.
