Ghaxaq, Malta: Apartments, Penthouses and Houses for Sale

Għaxaq is a traditional parish village in the south-east, set a few kilometres inland from Marsaxlokk's fishing harbour and not far from Malta International Airport. It is residential, with street-level shops, a parish square and a quieter pace than the Sliema–St Julian's strip. Driving is the norm: bus services reach Valletta, but buyers should plan for a car.

It draws local families, Maltese first-time buyers and some foreign residents who work in the airport or logistics areas and want better value than the north coast. For a seaside promenade, Marsascala is the nearest comparison; for city life, look at Sliema and St Julian's, or the central towns of Mosta, Qormi and Birkirkara.

Ask the notary to confirm the planning permit (from the Planning Authority), the title chain, any ground rent (cens) and whether the unit has an occupancy certificate. For off-plan, confirm the bank guarantee or construction timetable stated in the contract and what happens if the developer is late. Malta's property market is driven by local demand, so rents and resale prices tend to track the local job market.

In Malta, a maisonette is typically a ground or first-floor unit in a small block with its own front door, often with a back yard or terrace, while a penthouse is the top floor with a private roof terrace. Our data shows apartments, which include maisonettes, as the core of supply, and 71 penthouses.

The roof terrace is part of the sale but not always part of the airspace: confirm who owns the airspace above and whether a developer or neighbour could build on it. Ask about the garage or parking space, which is often sold separately and can add tens of thousands of euros. Also check the finishing level: many Maltese new-builds are sold in shell form or semi-finished, and fitting kitchens, floors and air conditioning can add materially to your total cost.

For a sense of resale demand, compare the 124 m² median size here with the smaller flats around Sliema, where buyers pay more per m² for location and views. Ghaxaq buyers are usually trading space for proximity.

EU nationals can buy in Malta, though second-property rules have applied, and non-EU nationals normally need an Acquisition of Immovable Property (AIP) permit unless the purchase is in a designated area. Permits carry minimum price thresholds, which are revised from time to time, so confirm the current figure with a notary.

Approximate costs (verify locally): stamp duty of around 5% on transfers, notary fees, and agent commission typically 3% to 5% plus VAT. A promise-of-sale agreement (konvenju) usually comes first with a 10% deposit, and the notary completes title searches. Read our Malta consultation guide and the Malta financing page. The Malta country page lists other areas.