Property for sale in Egypt
Property in Egypt is sold three ways: by a developer off-plan, through a brokerage, or directly by the current owner. This site carries the third kind — resale units listed by the people who hold the keys, with no commission layer between you and them.
Egypt has one of the largest housing markets in the Arab world and one of the least standardised. Two apartments on the same street can differ by half in price because one is registered at the Shahr Aqari and one is held on a chain of unregistered contracts. Almost nothing about the market is visible from a listing photograph, which is why the useful part of any property search here is the questions you ask before you pay a deposit.
This page is the starting point for buyers. It covers where property is sold, what your money buys in each city, how owner-direct sales differ from the developer and brokerage routes, and what to verify before any money moves.
Where property is sold in Egypt
Housing demand concentrates in a handful of urban areas. Roughly speaking the market splits into four blocks, and they behave differently enough that advice from one rarely transfers to another.
| Market | Main areas | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Greater Cairo | New Cairo / Fifth Settlement, Nasr City, Maadi, Heliopolis, Zamalek, Shorouk, Madinaty, Mostakbal City | The deepest resale market. Compound units and older street buildings side by side. |
| Giza | Sheikh Zayed, 6th of October, October Gardens, Mohandessin, Dokki, Haram, Faisal | Cheaper per metre than New Cairo for comparable build quality; heavy new supply. |
| Alexandria | Smouha, San Stefano, Sidi Gaber, Gleem, Miami, Agami, Borg El Arab | Sea-view premium is steep and narrow — one street back, prices fall sharply. |
| Coastal & resort | Hurghada, El Gouna, Sahl Hasheesh, Sharm El Sheikh, North Coast, Ain Sokhna | Second homes and short-let. Highest share of foreign buyers; Sinai has its own ownership regime. |
Everything outside those blocks — Delta cities, Upper Egypt, Suez Canal towns — trades thinly. Units there can be good value and are harder to sell again quickly.
What your money buys
Prices in Egyptian pounds have moved faster than the underlying market because of currency devaluation, so quoting EGP figures with any shelf life is misleading. As a rough orientation in hard currency, as of September 2026:
- A liveable two-bedroom apartment in an ordinary Cairo or Giza district: the low tens of thousands of dollars.
- A finished apartment in a mid-tier New Cairo or Sheikh Zayed compound: roughly USD 70,000–200,000 depending on size and finishing.
- A resort studio or one-bedroom in Hurghada: often under USD 100,000, which is why the Red Sea dominates foreign-buyer volume.
- Prime Zamalek, Maadi garden-floor, or a compound villa: USD 300,000 upward, with no real ceiling.
Treat those as bands to sanity-check a listing against, not as valuations. The only current price for a specific unit is what comparable units on the same street actually closed at this month.
Owner-direct, broker, or developer
The three routes carry different costs and different risks, and buyers often pick one without realising the others exist.
| Route | You pay | Main risk |
|---|---|---|
| Directly from the owner | No commission; you do the legwork | You verify title and condition yourself — nobody else will. |
| Through a brokerage | Typically 1–2.5% of price, sometimes both sides | The broker is paid on closing, not on your due diligence. |
| From a developer | Headline price, often with an instalment plan | Delivery delay and the gap between contract and registered title. |
Owner-direct is the cheapest and the least cushioned. It suits buyers who are willing to hire their own lawyer for the contract review rather than rely on an intermediary whose incentive is the transaction closing.
Before any money moves
- Ask what the seller actually holds: a registered title (عقد مسجل), a preliminary contract (عقد ابتدائي), or a power of attorney (توكيل). These are not equivalent and they price differently.
- Trace the chain backwards. Unregistered units change hands on stacked contracts; every link needs to exist on paper.
- Check the building has a licence and the unit matches the licensed plan — added floors and enclosed balconies are common and can be demolition orders.
- Confirm utility meters, and whose name they are in. Unpaid electricity and gas arrears follow the meter.
- Get the seller's national ID and match it to the contract name before you hand over a deposit or an earnest cheque.
Owner listings on this site
Common questions
Can a foreigner buy property in Egypt?
Yes. Under Law 230 of 1996 a non-Egyptian may own up to two residential units, together no more than 4,000 square metres. Agricultural land is off-limits, coastal and border zones need approval, and the Sinai Peninsula operates on long leasehold rather than freehold.
What are the total costs on top of the price?
Budget roughly 5–8% over the purchase price once you include registration, lawyer fees, notarisation, any agency commission and the maintenance deposit a compound will ask for at handover.
Is it safe to buy directly from an owner?
It is as safe as your due diligence. Removing a broker removes a commission, not a risk. Hire an independent Egyptian lawyer to check title and draft the contract — that cost is trivial against the price of the unit.
How long does the purchase take?
Agreeing terms and signing a preliminary contract can happen in days. Full registration at the Shahr Aqari takes months, and longer for foreign buyers because of the security clearance step.
Last reviewed September 2026. Prices, tax rates, residency thresholds and ownership rules in Egypt change frequently — verify anything you are relying on.