Buying property in Egypt as a foreigner: what to check before you pay

The previous article was about where to buy. This one is about not losing your money when you pay.

First: this is general information, not legal advice. For your own case, take the opinion of an Egyptian lawyer — further down we say roughly what that costs. The people who save that fee are usually the ones who make the most expensive mistake.

Yes, a foreigner can buy — but there are limits

Under Law 230 of 1996 a foreign individual may own at most two properties in Egypt, each no larger than 4,000 square metres, for residential use. You cannot buy in military or strategic zones, and some coastal areas require presidential approval.

Prime Ministerial decrees issued between 2024 and 2025 relaxed the two-property ceiling for buyers who remit the purchase price from abroad in foreign currency.

One rule many people only learn about later: you may not sell the property on for five years from the date of registration. If you are thinking about a quick exit, factor that in.

There are three kinds of contract, and only one really counts

This is the most important paragraph in the article.

A customary contract is an agreement between buyer and seller, with signatures. Under Egyptian law that alone is not ownership. Many foreigners fly home with this and believe the job is done.

Signature authentication means a court confirms the signature is genuine. Stronger, but still not registration.

A green contract is ownership registered at the property registry, the Shahr El Aqari. It carries a unique notarisation number, a date and the authority lotus-flower seal. It is the only one with the state standing behind it. Registration usually takes three to twelve months, less on the fast track, and it is only issued for a completed building.

If someone tells you registration is not necessary because everybody here does it this way, that is exactly where you stop.

These four things cost foreign buyers the most money

Duplicate sales. The same flat sold to several buyers, exploiting the months it takes to register. This is why the contract must be filed for registration immediately.

Hidden encumbrances. Mortgages, court claims, unpaid service charges. These attach to the property and move in with the new owner. Ask for the full registry extract, not just the ownership page.

A broken ownership chain. Common with property inherited across several generations, where one link is missing. If a link is missing, do not buy.

Off-plan deposits. In one documented case 1,500 buyers paid for units that were never built. For anything under construction, ask for the developer commercial registry extract and the project permits, and go and look at a project they have already delivered.

The payment rule that has not been optional since 2024

Under a 2024 regulation the property registry will refuse to register a sale in favour of a foreign buyer without proof that the purchase price arrived from abroad, by approved bank transfer, in foreign currency.

In plain terms: bank transfer, to the official company account, and keep the SWIFT confirmation. Paying cash is not merely risky — it can make it impossible ever to register the property in your name.

If someone asks for the price in cash or into a personal account, convenience is not the reason.

A checklist to work through before you pay anything

Appoint an independent Egyptian lawyer — not the one the seller recommends.
Obtain a certified copy of the title directly from the Shahr El Aqari.
Trace the ownership chain all the way back; if a link is missing, walk away.
Ask for the full registry extract showing encumbrances, not just the owner name.
Have the building permit and the zoning checked.
Get confirmation that there are no utility, tax or service-charge arrears.
For anything off-plan: commercial registry extract, and projects the developer has already delivered.
Sign a dual-language contract, prepared with a sworn translator.
Pay by bank transfer and keep every confirmation.
Have the building inspected by an independent engineer.

What all of this costs

Registration is typically 1–3 per cent of the price, stamp duty under half a per cent, legal fees 1–2 per cent, agency fees 2–5 per cent. An independent lawyer costs in the order of 5,000–10,000 Egyptian pounds.

Most foreign owners of residential property pay no annual property tax.

Added up, that is a few per cent. The price of getting the purchase wrong is the whole purchase.

If you have a question

We are not lawyers and we do not pretend to be. But if you are looking at a specific property in Hurghada, write to us: we will tell you what we know about its paperwork and what you still need to have checked before you pay.

We will answer even if you end up buying from someone else.