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Buying Off-Plan Property in Egypt: The Full Checklist
A complete 2026 checklist before buying off-plan property in Egypt: developer track record, land and permits, contract terms, gross vs net area, finishing, delivery, payments and running costs.
Last reviewed: 2026-10-30
Why off-plan is different
Most new supply in Egypt is sold off-plan: you buy a home that is not yet built, with a small down payment and a long plan. That makes buying easier at first but leaves you depending on the developer for years. The main risks are late delivery, a unit that differs from what was promised, costs you did not plan for, and difficulty reselling before delivery.
1. Developer track record and 2. land and permits
Ask which projects the developer has actually delivered and visit one: check finishing, maintenance and services, and talk to residents if you can. Compare announced and actual delivery dates on past projects. Listed developers such as Palm Hills, SODIC and Madinet Masr publish sales and delivery figures, and Mountain View announced about 1,800 deliveries in the first half of 2026.
Ask whether the land is owned by the developer or held in partnership with another party, such as the New Urban Communities Authority or a master developer like MIDAR in Mostakbal City or Modon in Ras El Hekma. Ask to see the ministerial decree and the building permit for your phase; phases without permits carry more delay risk. Have an independent lawyer review the papers if in doubt.
3. Contract terms
Read the whole contract, not the sales summary. The key clauses are the delivery date and grace period (usually six months to a year), compensation if the developer is late, your own late-payment penalties, cancellation terms and refunds, and transfer fees if you resell before delivery. Make sure every sales promise — finishing, garden, view, discount — is written into the contract or a stamped annex.
4. Gross vs net area and 5. finishing
Most Egyptian units are sold by gross area, which includes your share of stairs, corridors and walls (the loading ratio, usually 15–25% for apartments). A 150 m² gross unit at 20% loading is about 120 m² net, so compare price per net square metre where possible. For villas and townhouses, ask for land, built-up and garden areas separately.
Finishing comes in four common levels — core and shell, semi-finished, fully finished, and fully finished with air conditioning or kitchen — and the gap can reach EGP 15,000–20,000 per square metre. Ask for the specification annex. In Mountain View 1.1, for example, apartments are semi-finished, i-villas core and shell and ready villas fully finished — three levels in one compound.
6. Delivery, 7. payments and 8. running costs
Ask for construction progress in your phase and visit the site; a project still excavating with delivery promised in two years is likely to slip. Request the payment schedule in pounds, not percentages, including follow-up payments, delivery payments and annual lump sums.
Budget for the maintenance deposit (usually 8–10% of the price), club fees, a separate garage if any, utility meters and finishing if the unit is not finished. On a later sale, the 2.5% real estate disposal tax applies, plus the developer's transfer fee before registration. These costs can reach 15% or more of the unit price.
The steps in order
Shortlist and compare; pay an expression of interest (usually refundable if no contract follows); reserve and pay the down payment; sign the contract. Do not pay the full down payment before reading the contract, and keep every receipt and message in writing. Send us the offers you are weighing and we will compare them on the same terms.
Frequently asked questions
What matters most before buying off-plan?
The developer's delivery record: visit a delivered project and compare announced and actual dates. Then the contract, especially the delivery date and delay compensation.
What is the loading ratio?
Your share of stairs, corridors and walls included in the sold area, usually 15–25% for apartments, so a 150 m² unit may be about 120 m² net.
How long is the delivery grace period?
Usually six months to a year after the contract date; make sure compensation applies after it.
How much is the maintenance deposit?
Usually 8–10% of the unit price, paid before or at delivery.
Can I resell before delivery?
In most projects yes, usually with a developer transfer fee and after paying a minimum share of the installments.
Important note
This content is educational, not legal or financial advice. Prices, availability and returns change; reconfirm the data and have an independent lawyer review the contract before deciding.