Selling a family property in Damascus from abroad: the file, the power of attorney, and the price

The question reaches us from many expats in one shape: we have the family flat in Damascus and want to sell it, but we do not know who signs, whether it is even sellable, or how to put a price on it. This article puts the order straight: ownership type first, then the file, then the power of attorney, then the contract and the tax, and finally the price. It is the mirror of the buyer’s question from abroad: instead of buying from a distance, you are selling from one.

Ownership type first: is the property even easy to sell?

Before any talk of price or buyer, look at the deed. A registered green tabu sells most cleanly: the name is fixed in the register, the transfer runs as a formal property transfer, and the buyer sees exactly what he is buying. A cooperative assignment, where ownership is tied to a housing cooperative, or a property proven by a court ruling, is a weaker and more limited position, and it is priced on that basis, not on the basis of a registered property.

This does not mean such properties cannot be sold. It means the sale is slower and more conditional. So put your ownership type on the table before any number. The three types are detailed in our article on property ownership types in Syria.

What this means for you: if you do not know your ownership type, that is the first thing to ask the property file in Damascus, because it decides everything that follows.

Before you prepare any paper, send us the ownership type and the exact size through the request form, and we will tell you from Damascus what the file is missing.

If the property is an undivided inheritance

Many family properties in Damascus are still registered under a deceased owner whose estate was never divided. Then the existence of heirs is not enough to sell: the heirs and their shares must first be established through an inheritance certificate, and only then can they agree to sell. Selling one heir’s share without settling the rest complicates the deal and delays it. The full process is in our article on proving ownership.

The file you prepare before you advertise

A serious buyer, or whoever acts for him in Damascus, will ask for a complete file, not a rough size. Prepare these items first:

• Owner names and shares. Who is on the deed, and each one’s share.
• Any existing powers of attorney. Has any owner already appointed someone, and what does that POA allow.
• Occupancy status. Is the property empty, or does someone live in it, and in what capacity.
• Debts and obligations. Any debt or obligation tied to the property itself.
• Required maintenance. What needs repair before it is ready to be shown and sold.

This list is set out in expat property guides, among them Aqaratana’s Syrian Expat Real Estate Guide 2026. A ready file saves weeks of questions and makes the viewing and the negotiation faster.

The power of attorney: a specific sale POA, not a general one

Whoever cannot attend appoints someone in Damascus. But a real-estate sale power of attorney is not a broad general delegation. Consular guidance, cited in Aqaratana’s Syrian Expat Real Estate Guide 2026, indicates that the POA normally requires a recent property registration certificate, a document specific to this transaction rather than an open-ended mandate.

The reason is that the body receiving the POA wants to be sure it covers this property and this sale specifically. Write into the POA: the property, the sale, the signing of the contract, and receipt of the price if you wish. The drafting of both POA and contract is covered in our Syria property contract checklist.

The contract: what it must carry

A written sale contract protects both sides, especially when one of them is far away. It must include the parties by name, the property description with its size and boundaries, the price and how it is paid, the handover date, and a declaration of ownership and authority to sell. An incomplete contract means a dispute later. The contract terms are set out in the contract checklist.

The tax: Property Sales Law No. 15 of 2021

The sale is subject to the property sales tax under Law No. 15 of 2021, assessed on the prevailing value determined by the automated system, not on the figure written into the contract. We do not state a rate here as settled, because its application changes by case and by property type. The full explanation is in our article on the property sales tax.

The price: who actually sets it

There is no single price for a flat in Damascus. The price moves with the ownership type, the area, the floor and the size, the occupancy status, and the maintenance the property needs. So the real gate to a sale is not the advert, but a viewing by someone on the ground in Damascus and a comparison, and then qualifying the buyers.

We qualify buyers before you do: we ask who comes forward about the source of his funds and the kind of authority he holds, and we do not take a casual viewer to a property. Send us the exact size and the price you want, and we will tell you plainly where the property stands in the market today.

Common questions

How do I sell a family property in Damascus while living abroad?

Prepare the ownership type and the property file, then arrange a specific sale power of attorney with a recent property registration certificate for someone in Damascus, and the agent signs the contract and transfers the title. Your presence is not needed at every step, but a complete file and a trusted agent are.

Can one heir sell the property alone?

No. An inherited property requires the heirs and their shares to be established through an inheritance certificate first, then their agreement to sell. Selling one share does not close the deal, and the process is covered in our article on proving ownership.

Do I need a specific POA or is a general one enough?

You most likely need a sale POA specific to this property and this transaction, with a recent property registration certificate, not a broad general POA. Ask the body that will receive it what it accepts before you draft it.

How much is the tax when selling property in Syria?

The property sales tax applies under Law No. 15 of 2021, on the prevailing value set by the automated system. The rate changes by case, and the detail is in our dedicated tax article.

How is the property valued before selling?

Start from the ownership type, the area, the floor and the size, the occupancy status, and the maintenance, then view the property in Damascus and compare it to similar offers. Do not rely on an online listing price alone.