Questions beforethe first conversation
Short answers with figures and sources. If your question is not here, write it to me in the questionnaire at the foot of the page or on WhatsApp.
Ownership and law
The first question is always whether a foreigner may buy at all. They may, under conditions I check before every reservation.
Can a foreigner buy an apartment in Cambodia?
Yes. Under the 2010 law an apartment above the ground floor in a strata-title building is registered in your name. Foreigners may hold at most 70 % of the units in one building, and they cannot own land or the ground floor. Before a reservation I check that there is room in the quota for your unit.
How I check itWhat is strata title, and what are hard and soft title?
Strata title is the ownership title for an apartment in a building, registered in the national cadastre, and the only form of ownership a foreigner can have. Hard title refers to land and a foreigner cannot get it. Soft title is only a local record without national registration, and for a foreign buyer it is a red flag.
Can I buy without coming to Cambodia?
Yes. A buyer from Belgrade signed for Kingston Royale in February 2026 without coming to Cambodia. The contract is exchanged electronically and by post, and registration in the cadastre runs through a power of attorney notarised at home. I still advise you to come at least once before handover.
How the purchase works, step by stepMoney and payments
How much to start, where the money goes and what is paid after the price. Every figure is from a dated developer price list.
Do I need a bank loan?
Not until handover. The deposit is 10 to 20 %, then you pay monthly installments straight to the developer at no interest. The balance is due at handover and is paid in cash or through a partner bank in Cambodia, at Kingston Royale at 10 % a year. So the construction period runs without a bank, and what comes after we agree before signing, not after.
Work out the installmentHow much money do I need to start?
The reservation is $1,000 to 5,000, and at signing you pay the deposit of 10 to 20 %. For the cheapest unit on offer, a furnished one-bedroom at Kingston Royale for $60,000 with a 20 % deposit, that is about $12,000. At Norea Square, where a one-bedroom costs $72,000 with a 10 % deposit, about $7,200.
Does the developer charge interest on installments?
Not during construction. Installments are the price divided into months, with no interest. Interest exists only if you pay the balance at handover through a loan: at Kingston Royale 10 % a year, at Norea Square a Canadia Bank loan at 7 % after the first 24 months.
What is the large payment at handover?
The share of the price that falls due at once when the building is finished. At Kingston Royale it is 54 % of the price, at Time Square 10 50 %, at Norea Square 5 %. When more than 40 % of the price is left for the end, that is a serious risk, and we talk about it before signing, not before handover.
What if I cannot pay an installment?
First a new schedule is agreed with the developer. If the site stops, the Kingston Royale contract allows a pause in installments without penalty. If you want out, you can sell the contract to another buyer for a transfer fee. That is a real exit before handover, though not the same as selling a finished apartment on the market.
What do I pay besides the price?
A 4 % transfer tax, except that until 31 December 2026 it is not charged on units up to $70,000 bought from a registered developer. Then registration and the notary, $1,500 to 2,300, building maintenance of $0.90 to 1.15 per m² a month and property tax of 0.1 % a year.
Is the return guaranteed?
No. Where a contracted rental return exists, as at LZ Sea View Premium with 8 % a year for three years, the developer pays it under the contract, without a bank guarantee, so it depends on the developer's solvency. Market rent and price growth are not guaranteed and I show them that way.
Risks
I talk about the risks before the price. Cambodia is not for everyone, and it is better to hear that at the start than after signing.
Cambodia and scams: what is true?
Scam centres exist. Since July 2025 the government has closed more than 250 such sites, and Prince Group has been under US and UK sanctions since October 2025. That is crime tied to casinos and closed compounds, not to strata-title apartments registered in the cadastre. Before I suggest a project I check who the developer is, who owns it and whether they are under sanctions.
What if the developer does not finish the building?
Cambodia has no state fund and no escrow account as Dubai does, so only the contract protects the buyer. That is why we first look at a developer with delivered buildings, like Megakim with Time Square 1, 2, 3 and 5 between 2017 and 2025, and then at the contract: the deadline, the tolerance and what happens if work stops. At Kingston Royale the buyer may then pause installments without penalty.
Who rents my apartment out from 9,000 km away?
The developer or a company it appoints maintains the building, and an agency handles letting for a share of the rent. Who exactly and on what terms differs by project, and I ask for it in writing before signing. For a one-bedroom the rent in BKK1 is $700 to 1,800 a month and in Toul Kork $400 to 1,500, per IPS in August 2025. About 15 % of apartments in Phnom Penh stand empty.
How do I get my money back out?
Rent reaches you by SWIFT in dollars. On a sale you pay the 4 % transfer tax, and the 20 % capital gains tax is deferred until 1 January 2027. Resale takes time, because Phnom Penh has more apartments than buyers and only 3 to 4 % sell a year, per Knight Frank for 2025. You buy here for the installment and the rent, not for a quick resale.
My role
You sign the contract with the developer, not with me. I am there so you do not get it wrong before signing and to follow construction on your behalf.
Do I pay Petar a commission?
No. The developer pays me, a commission of 3 to 5 % of the price, the norm in Cambodia. You pay me nothing. You sign the contract with the developer and every payment goes to the developer.
Who I am and how I workWhat if you disappear?
The contract is with the developer, and the apartment is registered in your name in the cadastre. I am there so you do not get it wrong before signing and to follow construction, but nothing you buy depends on me.
How long does it take from the first message to the contract?
From reservation to signing usually 7 to 14 days. How long before that depends on you: some decide in a week, some in three months. No pressure.
Which apartment fits your plans?
Tell me your budget and whether you are buying for yourself or to rent out. I come back with two or three apartments, with prices and payment plans. I reply personally, usually the same day.