Egypt’s real estate export market has big potential, but changes are needed: Setting clear policies and creating an attractive investment environment for foreign investors would support Egypt’s real estate exports, Cairo Center for Economic and Strategic Studies Director Abdel Moneim El Sayed told EnterpriseAM. Real estate exports alone could bring the country USD 10–15 bn in revenues annually, but to achieve this, the sector needs to be properly organized, according to El Sayed.

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Real estate exports? Real estate exports are the sale of real estate properties, including apartments, villas, or commercial spaces, to non-nationals or nationals living abroad. While the property never leaves the country, the money comes in foreign currency from abroad, positioning the transaction as an export in economic terms.

Why is it important? The real estate sector is one of the most important economic sectors in Egypt, representing 20% of the country’s GDP, El Sayed told us. Egypt has a real estate portfolio exceeding USD 200 bn. Real estate exports are considered a key way to bolster USD revenues, especially given the growing demand from foreigners for residential and hotel units in various projects, he added.

DATA POINT- Egyptian property purchases by foreigners and non-residents exceeded USD 1.6 bn in 2024, most of which were made by Egyptians living abroad. This figure is expected to increase in 2025, particularly following the launch of Egypt’s real estate export initiative last year.

Egypt’s real estate market is big, but it faces several challenges that weigh on real estate exports. These include the absence of accurate data on export volumes and the lack of a unified authority to regulate and develop the sector, unlike international models, El Sayed said.

One issue is that market supply does not align with the wants of foreign buyers, who usually seek ready-to-move-in properties, El Sayed explained. Housing units are normally not delivered fully finished, and so developers need to adjust their offerings to meet global demand, according to El Sayed.

Some investors looking to enter the local property market face issues related to fees and administrative requirements within compounds. In addition to government-administered requirements and fees, developers need to obtain approvals to sell units and face extra charges when transferring ownership, all of which act as obstacles for investors, El Sayed noted.

At the government level, the absence of legal regulation also discourages foreign investors from buying Egyptian real estate out of fear of legal disputes that could take years to resolve, El Sayed said. While real estate brokers play a major role in the market, they require better regulation. Some operate without licenses or oversight, leading to unfair practices that affect both prices and the buyer experience, El Sayed said. Regulating the local real estate market through an electronic transaction and registration platform, licensing brokers, and ensuring developers adhere to construction timelines and plans could help, he told us.

Attention also needs to be paid to real estate contracts in Egypt. In many cases, they lack transparency and rely on adhesion contracts that put buyers at a disadvantage against developers. One way to overcome this hurdle is by creating standardized preliminary and final sales contracts that protect buyer rights and funds without infringing on developer rights, El Sayed told us.

There is a need to accelerate property registration, possibly through a unified property ownership system that can streamline ownership transfers. The government should look to establish a “transparent, secure, and efficient system” for property registration and transactions using a decentralized digital database to secure transactions against fraud, with encrypted electronic trading and ownership verification, El Sayed told us.

The government should also facilitate and develop a comprehensive strategy to market local property abroad, identify target markets, and classify available units on a unified electronic system, El Sayed told us.

There’s been movement in this direction already, with the New Urban Communities Authority inking a cooperation protocol with the Federation of Arab Engineers last month to promote Egyptian real estate exports in Arab markets. The agreement aims to support coordination between the two sides to facilitate the marketing of Egyptian real estate to foreign buyers in the region.

A real estate exports-focused government entity could be underway, as El Sayed confirmed earlier reports we heard in December about the government mulling establishing a real estate fund or company to oversee international sales. The company would be specialized in managing real estate export and rental activities in foreign currency, with expected annual revenues of USD 3-5 bn — potentially more depending on the volume of exports, he told us.

What will the authority be in charge of? It will set clear rules for contracts, finishing standards, and developers’ financial criteria, El Sayed said. An escrow system should be used so that money goes straight into the construction account and can’t be used for anything else, ensuring trust and transparency, he added.

Your top infrastructure stories for the week:

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