To expedite the resolution of real estate cases, the Supreme Judicial Council has issued a decision to establish real estate courts with jurisdiction over cases related to real estate disputes, including the consequences resulting from the cancellation of certain deeds and the resolution of related issues between the parties to a sale, as well as all real estate transactions and real estate brokerage (brokerage), lawsuits seeking to compel the sale of real estate or alleging unfairness in such sales, and many others. The real estate court will rule on any real estate case pertaining to the sector that is filed with it within just one month.
This follows statistics showing high rates of real estate-related cases and a proposal by the Ministry of Justice emphasizing the importance of establishing dedicated courts for such matters—rather than merely creating divisions within general courts— so that they may be included among the group of specialized courts designated by the Judicial System Law and others for which the Council has previously issued a decision that was subsequently ratified by royal decree. The Council’s decision regarding this establishment is subject to royal ratification, similar to enforcement courts, which is similar to the Council’s decisions issued upon proposal, whereby the Council decides and submits the matter to His Majesty for consideration and approval through royal ratification of the Supreme Judicial Council’s decision proposing their establishment, should the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques deem it appropriate.
The Ministry of Justice has launched numerous development initiatives to facilitate real estate sales through First Notary Offices by utilizing technology, streamlining procedures, increasing the number of notaries, opening numerous branches of First Notary Offices across the Kingdom’s major regions, and implementing other measures—all of which have led to the expedited issuance and sale and purchase of real estate deeds.
The 36 new real estate indices cover all regions, cities, and neighborhoods, and the neighborhood index will provide the daily average price for each neighborhood.
These indices also make it possible to build a detailed daily database of real estate prices in Saudi Arabia. The index provides a comprehensive picture of the local real estate market, and citizens will be able to compare prices from time to time.
The Ministry of Justice noted that the Real Estate Wealth Registry electronically records and documents all real estate transactions occurring during various time periods by fully recording all property transfers—whether residential, commercial, or other—including sales, purchases, waivers, and mortgages.
