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Buying property involves more than inspecting the unit and negotiating the price. Buyers in Egypt should verify ownership, construction permits, the seller’s legal authority, outstanding claims, and the procedures required to transfer ownership before making a substantial payment.

Use this 12-point checklist when purchasing a resale apartment or a unit in a new development.

The 12-point checklist

1. Verify ownership documents. Request the original title documents or available legal ownership records. Confirm their authenticity with the competent authority and establish whether ownership can legally be transferred.

2. Check the ownership history. Review previous contracts and transfers. Investigate gaps in the ownership chain, inheritance disputes, and disagreements between co-owners.

3. Confirm the seller’s identity and authority. Match the seller’s identification with the ownership documents. If an attorney-in-fact is selling the property, have an independent lawyer verify the power of attorney, its validity, and its scope.

4. Investigate registration and third-party claims. Check the property’s registration status and whether mortgages, seizures, legal claims, or other third-party rights could affect the transaction.

5. Verify the building permit. Request the construction permit and approved architectural plans. Verify them with the relevant district authority, city authority, or other competent administrative body.

6. Compare the building with its approved plans. Check the number of floors, unit area, and permitted use against the approved documents. Do not assume that an unauthorized addition can automatically be legalized through a reconciliation application.

7. Verify the land and development project. For newly developed properties, examine the land ownership or allocation documents, the developer’s legal authority to build and sell units, and the approvals applicable to the project.

8. Check utilities and outstanding payments. Review the status of electricity, water, gas, and sewage connections. Request evidence of relevant payments and check applicable property taxes, fees, and outstanding obligations.

9. Investigate disputes and legal proceedings. Ask a property lawyer to conduct the available legal checks for lawsuits, seizures, inheritance disputes, co-ownership issues, and other claims affecting the unit.

10. Review the sale contract. Ensure that it accurately identifies the property, address, unit number, floor, area, purchase price, payment schedule, delivery date, contractual obligations, termination provisions, and compensation terms.

11. Document every payment. Prefer traceable banking channels and obtain a receipt for every installment. Do not transfer funds to an unrelated person or pay the entire price before the agreed safeguards have been satisfied.

12. Plan registration and handover. Establish the steps required to transfer or register ownership. At handover, document the unit’s condition, utility meters, keys, defects, and outstanding obligations. Keep copies of all contracts and receipts.

Red flags that should stop the transaction

Pause the purchase if the seller refuses to provide original documents, the ownership records contain unexplained discrepancies, the building’s licensing status remains unresolved, or you are pressured to pay before an independent legal review.

Important: No checklist can eliminate every property risk. The appropriate verification process depends on the property’s location, ownership documents, and development status. An independent Egyptian real estate lawyer should review the documents and contract before a substantial payment or final signature.