Buying and Selling Real Estate in Mauritius: Your Complete 2025 Guide

The Mauritius Real Estate Market — Buying and Selling in 2025

Mauritius has built a well-deserved reputation as one of the most accessible and investor-friendly real estate markets in the Indian Ocean region. A stable economy, a reliable legal system based on French and English law, a network of double taxation agreements, and the attractive IRS/PDS/Smart City schemes for foreign buyers have combined to make Mauritius real estate genuinely competitive with other premium offshore markets like the Algarve, Dubai, and the Côte d'Azur.

Whether you are buying your first Mauritius property, acquiring an investment for rental income, selling an inherited home, or restructuring a portfolio, this guide will help you understand the key steps, costs, and timelines involved. PropertyFinder Mauritius acts as a specialist adviser throughout the buy and sell process, working alongside our trusted network of notaries, property lawyers, and valuers.

Buying Real Estate in Mauritius: The Key Steps

The Mauritius property purchase process follows French civil law traditions and involves the following stages:

1. Property search and shortlisting — via PropertyFinder's online platform or directly with our agents
2. Offer and provisional agreement (Protocole d'Accord) — a heads-of-terms document signed by both parties and witnessed, typically with a 10% deposit
3. Due diligence period — notary checks on title, encumbrances, planning history, and for foreign buyers, EDB (Economic Development Board) approval where required
4. Deed of Sale (Acte de Vente) — the final notarially certified deed signed by all parties, after which title transfers to the buyer
5. Registration and title update — the notary registers the deed and updates the Land Registry

The typical timeline from accepted offer to completion is 8–16 weeks for a standard sale, and up to 6 months for IRS/PDS developments requiring EDB approval.

Buying Costs and Taxes in Mauritius

When purchasing real estate in Mauritius, buyers should budget for the following transaction costs:

• Transfer tax: 5% of the sale price — payable by the buyer
• Notary fees: Approximately 1.0–1.5% of the sale price (sliding scale)
• Registration fee: Approximately 0.5% of the sale price
• Agent commission: Typically 1–2% of the sale price, negotiated and paid by the seller
• EDB application fee (IRS/PDS): USD 1,000–2,000 for foreign buyer applications

Total buyer transaction costs typically amount to 6–8% of the purchase price. There is no annual property tax in Mauritius, though residential properties may be subject to a solidarity levy in certain schemes.

Selling Real Estate in Mauritius: What Vendors Need to Know

Selling a property in Mauritius involves a similarly straightforward process. As a vendor, you will need to provide: the original title deed, a property valuation (for probate or divorce settlements), any outstanding mortgage discharge documentation, and a standard disclosure of known defects. Capital gains on the sale of property in Mauritius are not taxed (there is no capital gains tax in Mauritius), which is a significant advantage for investors selling after a period of appreciation.

Estate agency commission is negotiated at the point of listing and is typically in the range of 1–2% of the achieved sale price, payable on completion. PropertyFinder Mauritius markets every listing through our website, social media channels, and international buyer network.

Working with PropertyFinder Mauritius

Our team provides end-to-end support for both buyers and sellers, from initial market appraisal through to completion and beyond. We work with the island's most experienced notaries and can provide introductions at every stage of the process. Contact us to begin your buy or sell journey in the Mauritius real estate market.