Your Home In Tunisia

Searching For Your Property/Land

We are happy to search for your ideal home or plot of land if what we offer in our portfolio is not to the precise specification that you require.

Financial Matters

We can obtain some expert advice for you if you would like to look into the advantages of obtaining a continental mortgage, (currently only applicable to Tunisians living abroad or if resident in the country).  We are also able to advise on opening a currency convertible bank account and the cost of living in Tunisia if you choose to make it your permanent home.

Property prices are quoted in British Pounds, Euros or Tunisian Dinars.  There is a currency converter tool at the bottom of each page displaying land or properties, to enable you to compare the cost of homes with your local currency.

Securing Your Property/Land - The Legal Aspects

We will take care of all the complicated procedures for you.

It is advisable to give at least 7 day's notice for viewings, to allow for us to contact the vendor of the property.  You can email us at our administration office in the United Kingdom or alternatively if you are out in Tunisia, please contact our office on the following telephone number :- (00 216) 25225205 .

Our agent in Tunisia will meet you at a pre-arranged meeting place, such as your hotel or apartments where you are staying, to take you to view your chosen property or land. 

Once you have chosen your home or plot of land, official legal papers will be drawn up and yourself and the vendor will be required to sign a promise of sale/promise to buy, in the presence of a solicitor.  We will also assist you in opening a currency convertible account, only accessible by yourself, to enable you to deposit money towards the purchase of your property.  The promise of sale will be authenticated and legalised at the local town hall.  Upon your return to the UK, you will be required, in most cases, to forward a deposit to your Tunisian bank account, to hold the property.

An application is forwarded to the local Governor of the area of your acquisition, to ask officially for permission to buy in Tunisia (non-Tunisian citizens only.)  This can take anything from 3 months to a year.  Once this has been obtained, the final contact will be signed to conclude the sale.  The solicitor will apply for the Titre Foncier (title deeds) to register the property in your name.   Our solicitor will keep you up to date, every step of the way and will contact you when the Titre Foncier is ready.  If required, documentation and papers due for signature can be translated into English. 


Building Your Own Home

Encouraged, by the incredibly low building costs, my wife Melanie and I chose to build our own house in Tunisia. 

From choosing your own plot, transferring the land to your own name, architectural plans for the design of your home and through personal experience and our ability to offer you tried and tested tradesmen, we can help you realise your dream.  Whilst taking on board your ideas and wishes for the design of your property, we can, if required, manage the whole project for you, therefore removing difficulties such as the language barrier and knowledge of the local laws.

Take a look at our page showing the kind of properties that are being built in and around the town of Beni Khiar.  We can recommend a local team of builders from Beni Khiar if you purchase land in the Cap Bon area, who are able to incorporate any of the designs shown on these buildings or forward you to our architects who can help you further if you are stuck for ideas.

http://www.thetunisianhouse.co.uk/buildingyourownvilla.htm

Agency Commission        

All estate agencies in Tunisia, whether Tunisian registered companies or British registered companies operating in Tunisia, charge both the vendor and the purchaser commission. 

Unlike other agencies, we have no hidden charges!

Many agencies will sell you a property which has already had their commission added to the top of the price!  This means that you will pay tax on the higher price, as opposed to the actual price of the property! 

As a British registered agency, with our team located in Tunisia, we charge the following commission

• 5% on purchases made in hard currency, from outside of Tunisia, with an application to the governor, and full after-sales service!
• 2% on purchases made in Tunisian Dinars from those resident in Tunisia
• 1.5% (only half of Tunisia's official commission rate!) for vendors selling properties in Tunisia

Commission is not included in the sale price, for the purchaser (therefore property taxes are on the actual sale price) and this is payable following the signing of the Promesse de Vente (Promise of Sale) to us, by separate cheque, or bank transfer.

After-Sales Service

Where the Tunisian House and the local estate agencies or other foreign agencies differ, is that we do not leave our customers on their own, in a foreign country, immediately after the signing of the Promesse de Vente, but provide a comprehensive after-sales service.  This includes negotiating and liaising with solicitors, vendors or promoters to keep our customers informed and updated of all current happenings with regard to the purchase of the property, until the final contract is signed.

We also like to make sure that all of our customers have a sound knowledge of day-to-day living in Tunisia, including applying for residency, payment of utility bills, knowledge of the local area and facilities, doctors, dentists, banks, schools....etc.

Costs Involved

Although the laws concerning property taxes do change from time to time, as a general rule, when buying property in Tunisia, you need to budget for the following costs :- 

• Property Tax
  
  1% of the total value of the property if buying from an immobiliere promoter. 
  6% of the total value of the property if buying from an individual.  * This could be as little as 1% (2010) for certain investments, please enquire with us!

• Opening Of A Currency Convertible Account
  
  All purchasers living abroad will need to open a currency convertible bank account, in which to send money to be converted into Tunisian Dinars to pay for their property.  A small amount of money should be brought to open this account and this should be declared with customs upon arrival and a receipt should be obtained.

• Solicitor's Fees
  
  1 - 3% of the total value of the property or land, on average. 

• On The Sale Of Property Or Land
  
  1.5% of the total value of the property or land is due from the Vendor         

Selling Your Tunisian Home

If at some stage you would like to sell your Tunisian home, you are able to take your money out of the country in the currency that you paid for your property.  For example, if you paid £200,000 and sold your property for £300,000, therefore making a £100,000 profit, you can take the £200,000 tax free, but of the profit, you will need to pay 10% tax, i.e. £10,000.  However, if you have owned the property for over 10 years, the current law states that you will only be charged 5%.   If you choose to sell your home, we can obtain up-to-date advice of the current laws at that particular time, for you.