Mortgage finance for compound apartments in Egypt
How mortgage finance works for a compound apartment: who provides it, the steps to register the security, and what it means that the unit stays as collateral until paid.
The short answer
Yes, you can buy an apartment in a compound with a mortgage, but the finance does not come from the developer. It comes from a bank registered with the Central Bank of Egypt, or from a mortgage finance company licensed by the Financial Regulatory Authority. The contract follows a model approved by the Authority and is registered at the Real Estate Publicity Department, so the unit stays as security for the lender until the price is paid in full. This guide explains the conditions and the steps as set out in the Real Estate Finance Law, shows what the catalogue says about developer instalments, and stops where we cannot confirm a figure from an official source.
Developer instalments versus mortgage finance
A developer's instalment plan is an agreement between you and the selling company. The company sets the down payment, the number of years and the size of each instalment, and it keeps the unit until the payments are complete. Mortgage finance is a loan from a different party. The lender pays part of the price to the developer, and you repay the lender. The law calls the lender the "financier" (ممول) and the buyer the "investor" (مستثمر).
The catalogue shows developer terms, not bank terms: across all units on the site, the most common down payments are 5% and 10%, and the most common instalment periods are 8 and 10 years. A bank will not necessarily accept the same terms.
Who can provide mortgage finance
Under the Real Estate Finance Law No. 148 of 2001, as amended by Law No. 93 of 2018, three kinds of body may carry on this activity:
- Banks registered with the Central Bank of Egypt, which may do so after the Central Bank's approval and under its rules, without registering with the administrative authority (Article 3).
- Public legal persons whose purposes include this activity, once they are entered in the register kept by the administrative authority (Article 3).
- Real estate finance companies, which must be Egyptian joint-stock companies and are licensed by the Financial Regulatory Authority (Articles 28 and onward).
The law leaves the cost of finance to the licensed financier, free of the maximum rates set in other laws (Article 4). For that reason this guide does not state an interest rate or a ceiling on the loan. Those differ from one lender to another, and we have no current official source to quote. Compare offers in writing and ask for the full terms before you sign.
The steps to finance an apartment in a compound
First, the finance agreement. It is drawn up on the models the Authority approves. It must state the property and its price, the amount paid up front from the price, the number and value of the remaining instalments and the terms of paying them. Each instalment must be fixed, or fixed by a stable formula tied to an official index that the Authority specifies (Article 6).
Second, the basic-terms model. Before you sign, the financier or intermediary must give you the administrative authority's model of basic terms, and you must confirm in writing that you received and read it (Article 39).
Third, the registration of the security. The application to register the real estate security goes to the Real Estate Publicity office in the district where the property lies. It must include the finance agreement and the title deed. The application must be decided within a week after it is filed, once the boundaries in the application have been checked against the title deed, or the applicant is told what to supply. The applicant is notified of the decision by registered letter, and a refusal must give reasons (the chapter on registering the security in the law).
Fourth, the fees. The law says that proving the date of the finance agreement, registering it, and registering, renewing, cancelling or transferring the security are exempt from all fees, charges and survey costs (Article 3). That exemption covers the finance and security procedures only. It does not cover the registration of the original sale contract, so we do not quote a figure for it here. Ask the Real Estate Publicity office before you pay.
Fifth, repayment. Instalments are paid to the financier under the agreed schedule. If you wish to pay all or part early, the law allows it, and the instalments still due are reduced in proportion under the executive regulations (Article 9).
What it means that the unit is security
The unit serves as security for the financier, either through a privilege over the property or a formal mortgage, or another guarantee the financier accepts under the executive regulations. In practice, you cannot sell the unit, rent it out or let someone else occupy it without the financier's approval (Article 7).
The financier may refuse only for serious reasons that put its rights at risk, and must state them in writing within thirty days; otherwise it is treated as having agreed (Article 7).
If a buyer falls behind on payments
The process begins thirty days after an instalment falls due and is not paid. The financier may then serve a notice to pay or provide adequate security, and then ask the enforcement judge where the property lies to order it attached with a view to sale. If the debt is still not paid, a real estate agent is appointed to sell the unit at public auction under the judge's supervision (the chapters on enforcement against the property). If you settle what is due before the sale is concluded, the process stops, and you pay the costs the judge assesses.
The advantages and the drawbacks in brief
Advantages. Finance spreads the price over a long period with one monthly payment. It means you do not depend on the developer's plan alone, and a lender's terms may suit you better than the developer's, which allows you to buy with a smaller up-front sum. It also gives you a basis for comparing bank and finance company offers.
Drawbacks. The cost of finance can be high, and the law leaves the rate to the licensed lender. The unit remains security until the debt is repaid in full, so a default can end in a forced sale. And you need the lender's approval for any transaction involving the unit before full payment.
What the catalogue says about apartment prices
According to the catalogue on 1 November 2026, there are 3,444 apartment units for sale on the site. Asking prices start at 340,025 EGP and rise to 110,244,680 EGP. These are asking prices set by sellers, not transaction prices, and the catalogue holds no price history, so we cannot describe a trend.
In New Cairo alone there are 1,075 apartments for sale, with a lowest recorded asking price of 2,353,000 EGP (1 November 2026). The table uses each compound's own record. These are not any bank's terms.
| Compound | Lowest asking price (EGP) | Down payment in the plan | Instalment years | Recorded delivery |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hyde Park New Cairo | 6,430,000 | 10% | 8 | not recorded |
| Mountain View iCity New Cairo | 5,800,000 | 10% | 8 | not recorded |
| Noll | 4,925,000 | 10% | 12 | 2029 |
| The Butterfly | 3,010,000 | 1.5% | 12 | 2030 |
| Bluetree | 6,042,000 | 5% | 8 | 2030 |
| La Mirada | 6,028,305 | 20% | 8 | 2029 |
| Saada Boutique | 7,830,000 | 5% | 9 | 2030 |
| East Vale | 9,361,000 | 5% | 9 | 2030 |
Every compound in this table sells apartments in New Cairo. You can see all their units on the New Cairo area page, or in the apartments for sale in New Cairo search page. The Hyde Park record places Dorat AlKaraz Mall about 3.6 km away and Madinaty about 15.1 km away.
Frequently asked questions
Can I buy an apartment in a compound with a mortgage?
Yes, if the finance comes from a bank registered with the Central Bank or a finance company licensed by the Financial Regulatory Authority, and the contract is on the approved model. The developer selling the unit does not provide that finance in its own right.
Is a mortgage registered at the Real Estate Publicity Department?
Yes. The security is registered at the office in the district where the property lies, and the application must be decided within a week. The law exempts these procedures from fees, but it does not cover the registration fee of the original sale contract, so ask the office about that.
Can I sell the apartment while it is mortgaged?
Yes, but only with the financier's approval first. The new buyer must accept taking over your obligations, and the financier may require you to guarantee the new buyer's payments jointly with them.
What happens if I miss an instalment on a mortgage?
After thirty days past the due date the financier may serve a notice, then ask the enforcement judge to order the unit attached and sold at auction. You can settle what is due before the sale is concluded, and the process then stops, but you pay the costs the judge assesses.
Do I need a mortgage if the compound offers an instalment plan?
Not necessarily. A developer's instalment plan is a separate agreement you make with the selling company, and it can replace a mortgage or sit alongside one in some cases. The main difference is that mortgage terms are set by a licensed lender under a model contract, while instalment terms are set by the seller in the sale contract.
Source: Real Estate Finance Law No. 148 of 2001, as amended up to Law No. 93 of 2018. The articles quoted were checked on 1 November 2026 against published copies of the law from the Financial Regulatory Authority and a legal publisher.
General guidance — check with the official authority before you act.
