Buying off-plan from a developer in Egypt: how to protect yourself

The short answer

Buying off-plan means paying for a home before it is finished, so your protection comes from the paperwork and the payment schedule, not from the brochure. Before you pay anything beyond a reservation, confirm the developer, read the delivery date and the instalments exactly as they are written in the contract, and ask for the signed sales contract rather than relying on a reservation form alone.

Who this guide suits

This guide is for a buyer who is considering a unit in a compound that is still being built, or one that has not been handed over yet. It also helps an investor comparing an off-plan price with a ready unit. It explains what to check and what to ask. It does not replace advice on your specific contract, and where the law is involved, the official authority has the final word.

Why off-plan is the normal way to buy here

Of the 878 compounds on Ahlan Homes, 725 show a full delivery date after 1 November 2026 in their catalogue record. Off-plan is therefore the usual route, not the exception. Each compound record carries a starting asking price, a minimum down payment and the longest instalment period the seller offers. These are the seller's terms as listed on 1 November 2026. They can change, so check the compound page on the day you sign.

Five checks before you pay

1. The developer and the compound

Find the compound on the site and write down the developer's name exactly. Then compare it with the name in the reservation form and in the sales contract. If the names differ, stop and ask why. A brochure is marketing; the contract is what binds the seller.

2. The delivery date in the contract

The catalogue shows a delivery date, but the date that matters is the one written in your contract. Check that the two agree. If the contract ties delivery to a phase, a permit or "the developer's schedule", ask for a fixed date and a clause that says what happens if it slips.

3. The payment schedule

Compare the down payment and instalments in the contract with the terms on the compound page. Make sure the total of all instalments is written down, not only the monthly amount. A low down payment over a long schedule reduces the cash you need now, but it can raise the total you pay over the years, so compare totals between offers, not first payments.

4. Reservation form or sales contract

A reservation form holds a unit while the paperwork is prepared; it is not the sale. Read what it says about refunds and about withdrawal, and before paying a large sum ask for the sales contract. Our article on the difference between the two goes into more detail.

5. Registration

Ask how the contract is recorded at the Real Estate Publicity Department (الشهر العقاري). Keep every receipt and every signed page. Do not pay large sums against a document that both parties have not yet signed.

Compounds that sell off-plan now, and their terms

These are compounds on the site with a delivery date after today and a published record. Each figure is the starting asking price, the minimum down payment and the longest instalment period on the record, as of 1 November 2026. Open each page for the current unit list.

• Palmet New Cairo: from 13,030,000 EGP, 5% down, up to 8 years, delivery on the record 30 June 2027.
• Kinda New Cairo: from 12,416,284 EGP, 15% down, up to 7 years, delivery on the record 30 June 2030.
• Rivers New Zayed: from 7,076,000 EGP, 5% down, up to 7 years, delivery on the record 30 August 2028.
• Sarai New Cairo: from 5,130,044 EGP, 1.5% down, up to 12 years, delivery on the record 30 December 2028.
• Palm Hills New Cairo: from 40,585,000 EGP, 5% down, up to 8 years, delivery on the record 31 December 2027.
• Midtown Solo New Capital City: from 46,031,344 EGP, 10% down, up to 5 years, delivery on the record 30 April 2030.
• Vida Residence 6th of October City: from 2,316,000 EGP, 5% down, up to 8 years, delivery on the record 30 January 2029.
• Skyla 6th of October City: from 5,299,000 EGP, 6% down, up to 5 years, delivery on the record 30 April 2028.
• Zayard Elite New Zayed: from 13,000,000 EGP, 25% down, up to 4 years, delivery on the record 31 August 2027.
• The Estates Residence New Zayed: from 19,135,000 EGP, 5% down, up to 10 years, delivery on the record 30 November 2026.

For every compound in New Cairo, see the New Cairo area page.

What the payment terms look like in practice

Across the compounds above, down payments run from 1.5% to 25% of the price and instalment periods from 4 to 12 years. A buyer who pays a small down payment over a long period needs less cash now. Before comparing two offers, check whether the total of the instalments in the contract is higher than the asking price, and compare both offers on the same price.

If the handover is late

Delays happen, and the contract decides what follows. Our article What protects me if handover is late? walks through the questions to ask. The short version: find the delay clause in your contract, know what remedy it gives, and keep a record of every reminder you send.

What to ask the developer in writing

• The exact delivery date, and whether it can move.
• Which phase or building you are buying, and its current status.
• Which instalments are due before handover, and on which dates.
• Whether the price of the unpaid balance can change, and under which clause.
• Who issues the receipts, and where the original contract is kept.

Ask for the answers in writing. A verbal promise does not appear in the contract.

FAQ

Is buying off-plan riskier than buying ready? It carries a different risk. A ready unit can be inspected; an off-plan unit has to be judged from the contract, the developer's delivery history and the drawings. The full comparison is in Is buying off-plan riskier than buying ready?.

What is the difference between a reservation form and a contract? A reservation form holds a unit and sets early terms. A sales contract records the full price, the schedule and the obligations of both sides. Ask for the contract before paying large sums.

Is the price fixed once I sign? The contract decides this, not the sales office. Read the clause on price and changes before you sign, and ask what it means in writing.

Can a developer raise the price of my unpaid balance? Only if the contract allows it. Look for any clause on price adjustment, and ask for its exact wording in writing.

What protects me if handover is late? The delivery clause and the remedies written in the contract. See What protects me if handover is late?.

General guidance — check with the official authority before you act.