Accommodation in Egypt

When planning to settle abroad, finding accommodation will, with no doubt, be one of your main priorities. So when moving to Egypt, take the time to inquire on its rental and real estate market beforehand.

Start by determining in which neighborhood you would prefer to live and which time of accommodation best suits your needs according to your situation (couple, married with children, etc.) and budget. Note that each neighborhood has its own features and hence, rent prices are likely to vary from one neighborhood to another.

Find accommodation

The best way of finding accommodation in Egypt is to register with a real estate agency. However, word of mouth may definitely help if you have friends or contacts on the spot.

If you are already on the spot, why not tour the different neighborhoods to look for vacant housing units. Feel free to inquire with the buildings' concierge and inhabitants who can guide and advise you.

You may also request your employer to help you find accommodation, whether a flat or a house if you are moving there with your family.

Finally, consider checking out classified ads displayed at the consulate, at cultural centers or even supermarkets.

Visiting the premises

You are highly advised to conduct an inventory on the premises when visiting the accommodation in the company of the owner or real estate agent. Hence, you should check the plumbing and electrical installations, water pressure, air-conditioning, cable TV if any, the phone line, whether the doors and windows are in a good condition, etc. In the case of furnished accommodation, you may also request the owner for more equipment such as a washing machine, microwave oven, TV, etc.

Conditions and negotiation

As anywhere else, real estate agents tend to highlight the urgency of renting some housing units. Moreover, rent prices often tend to be higher than the budget you have established with them. You are therefore advised to minimize your budget and to discuss about it with your agent so that he can find accommodation according to your criteria.

Lease documents can be concluded either in English or in French, but in all cases, it should contain the following information:

• the mode of payment
• the monthly rental price
• the security deposit and refund conditions
• the inventory
• conditions regarding cessation.

Rent prices and charges

In Egypt, electricity, gas, telephone, water and refuse collection bills are the tenant's responsibility. The payment of water and refuse collection are taken care of by the caretaker, but you will have to refund this when settling your monthly rent. These should generally cost around 215 Egyptian pounds, excluding Internet.

As regards rent prices around the country, you will need an average of 1,400 Egyptian pounds for a studio in the outskirts and around 2,400 Egyptian pounds for the same type of accommodation in the city center.

For a bigger apartment, such as a three-bedroom apartment, you will need between 2,800 and 4,600 Egyptian pounds per month, depending on the neighborhood.

Useful links:

Expat.com ' Housing in Egypt
Expat.com ' Directory of Real estate professionals in Egypt
Estabena estabena.com
Property finder www.propertyfinder.eg
Ahlein www.ahlein.net
Real Estate Egypt www.realestateegypt.com
OLX olx.com.eg
4321 Property www.4321property.com