Can I legally buy a house in Malaysia?
Yes, you can, though there is a minimum property value threshold in Kuala Lumpur of MYR 600,000 (USD 125,000 at the time of writing) and less in some other parts of the country. But this should not be a problem, as it is designed to not inflate prices for poorer local citizens, and the properties affected are probably not ones a foreigner would consider. The buying process is a little different. Simply do your research to identify where you want to live and what type of house best meets your needs, then brief a real estate agent. They will give you an idea of prices, find possible properties and take you through the whole process. You will then need a down payment (approximately 10%) when you have found the house and negotiated the price, as well as some processing fees: stamp duties, lawyers and legal fees, and a sales and purchase agreement fee. Malaysian banks will also give you a housing loan, if you want one, on similar terms to other countries. From beginning to end it can take as little as two to three months.