New Capital Real Estate: A Buyer's Due-Diligence Guide

Buying New Capital real estate safely comes down to four checks before any money moves: who the developer is and how it holds the land, whether the project has a building permit, what the contract actually commits both sides to, and what the payment plan costs in total. This guide walks through each check, compares primary and resale units and residential and commercial units, and ends with a checklist you can take to a viewing.

TL;DR. Confirm the developer's legal identity and its right to the plot, and ask for the building permit: Egypt's Consumer Protection Law bars advertising unit bookings or contracting to sell units before a permit is issued. Read the delivery date, the delay penalties, the maintenance deposit and the finishing annex before signing. Compare payment plans on total cost, using the cash price as your reference. In resale, verify the paid and remaining instalments with the developer. If any answer is vague, pause.

What you are actually buying in the New Capital

The New Administrative Capital is a planned city east of Cairo. According to Ahram Online, the Administrative Capital for Urban Development (ACUD) is "the owner and developer of the New Administrative Capital". Most units that buyers see advertised, though, are sold by private developers building compounds and commercial projects inside the city.

That gives every purchase three layers to check. There is the city level, meaning the district and plot. There is the developer level, meaning the company, its permit and its track record. And there is the unit level: the contract, the finishing, the payment plan and the delivery date.

Most buyer guides you will find online jump straight to the third layer, usually a list of "best compounds". A list cannot tell you whether a specific contract protects you. The checks below do. For project-by-project details such as compounds, unit types and payment plans, browse www.newcapital.site, a New Capital portal built on Buildoura. Then come back here to vet the unit you shortlist.

Step 1: Verify the developer and its right to the land

A brochure is marketing. These are the documents to ask for:

1. The developer's legal identity. The company name exactly as it will appear on your contract, its commercial registry details and its address. The Consumer Protection Law (No. 181 of 2018), Article 5, requires suppliers to write contracts in Arabic and to state their identifying data, including their commercial registry entry. If the selling company differs from the brand on the billboard, ask why and get it in writing.
2. The document behind the plot. Ask which document proves the developer's right to the land, and check that the plot number and district match the brochure and the contract.
3. The building permit. Article 15 of the same law says unit bookings may not be advertised, and units may not be contracted for sale, until a building permit is obtained under the Building Law (No. 119 of 2008). Ask for the permit number and check it covers your building.
4. Delivered work you can visit. Ask which earlier projects the developer has handed over, inside or outside the capital, and go and see one. Talk to residents about delivery and maintenance.

If a seller cannot produce the permit, or says it is "coming soon", treat the offer as unverified, whatever the discount.

Step 2: Read the contract clause by clause

Ask for the full draft contract and its annexes before you pay anything beyond a refundable booking. Article 12 of the law requires a supplier who takes a booking to give you a receipt stating the product's specifications. Then read these clauses carefully:

• Delivery. A specific date or window, the condition the unit is delivered in, and what happens to that date if you pay late.
• Delay penalties in both directions. Find the penalty for a late buyer, then check whether there is an equivalent for a late developer, and how it is calculated.
• Area definition. Whether the stated area is gross (including a share of common areas) or net, and what happens if the measured area differs at handover.
• Finishing specification. "Fully finished" means little without an annex that lists materials, brands or grades, and what is excluded, such as kitchen, AC units or meters.
• Maintenance deposit and other fees. How much, when it is due (often at handover), who manages the fund, and whether parking, club membership or utility connections are charged separately.
• Resale and transfer. Article 15 also states that a contract may not include a condition entitling the seller to a percentage, fee or commission from the price of the buyer's later sale of the unit, and that any such condition is void. If your draft has a transfer or resale fee clause, ask a lawyer how this provision applies to it.
• Cancellation and refunds. What you get back if you withdraw, and what you get back if the project stalls.

Have a lawyer who handles Egyptian real-estate contracts review the draft. This guide is a checklist, not legal advice.

Step 3: Compare payment plans on total cost, not the monthly number

Developer instalment plans are usually marketed by their smallest number: a low down payment or a long tenor. That is the wrong number to compare.

Article 30 of the Consumer Protection Law requires a supplier selling in instalments to give the buyer an invoice or document showing, among other items, the total sale price, the cash price, the annual return and total return charged over the instalment period, the down payment, and the number and value of instalments. Ask for exactly those figures for every plan you consider. Article 31 adds that you may pay off instalments early, with the return reduced for the remaining period, unless agreed otherwise. Check which way your contract goes.

Then build one comparison per unit:

Cost item	What to ask for	Why it matters
Cash price	The price if you pay in full now	Your reference point: the gap to the instalment total is what the plan costs you
Down payment	Amount and due date	Cash you need now
Instalments	Number, value, frequency, any balloon payments	Annual or handover payments can be large
Total instalment price	The sum of everything above	The real price of the plan
Maintenance deposit	Amount and when due	Often due at handover, on top of the price
Extras	Parking, club, meters, finishing upgrades	Can be priced outside the contract total
Registration and legal costs	Your lawyer's estimate	Part of the true cost of ownership

Two plans with the same monthly instalment can differ widely in total price. A plan with a lower monthly figure and a longer tenor may also put a larger payment at handover. Put each plan into the table and compare the totals.

Primary vs resale in the New Capital

The choice is not only about price. It changes what you verify and who you deal with.

Factor	Primary (from the developer)	Resale (from an existing buyer)
Who you contract with	The developer	The current owner, with the developer's approval of the transfer
Payment	Developer instalment plan	Usually cash to the seller for the paid amount, plus the remaining instalments to the developer
What to verify	Permit, land, developer track record	All of that, plus the original contract, receipts and the instalment statement
Delivery	Contract date, often off-plan	May be closer, or already delivered (ready to move)
Unit choice	Developer's current inventory	Specific units, sometimes in phases already sold out
Main risk	Delivery delay or spec change	Unpaid instalments, disputed ownership, transfer conditions

In resale, ask the developer, not just the seller, for a statement of what has been paid and what remains. Confirm the seller is the person named on the original contract. And ask what the developer requires to register the transfer to your name.

Residential vs commercial and administrative units

Commercial and administrative units such as shops, clinics and offices are sold alongside homes in the New Capital, and buyers often compare the two. They are different products.

Factor	Residential	Commercial / administrative
Who uses it	You or a tenant household	A business tenant or your own business
Permitted activity	Housing	Check the licensed activity: retail, medical or admin
Key specs	Area, floor, view, finishing, bedrooms	Frontage, floor, footfall, ceiling height, parking, signage rights
Fees	Maintenance deposit	Maintenance plus possible service charges for the mall or tower
Income	Not the point for an end-user	Rent depends on tenants; nothing is guaranteed
Exit	Wider pool of buyers	Narrower pool, tied to how the project performs

Some commercial projects advertise a "guaranteed return". Treat that as a contract term to read: who guarantees it, for how long, how it is paid, and what happens if the operator fails to pay. Do not treat it as a fact about the market.

Questions to ask a broker before you pay

A good broker answers these quickly and in writing. Vague answers tell you something too.

1. Is this unit primary or resale, and who exactly will I sign with?
2. What is the building permit number, and does it cover this building?
3. What are the cash price and the total instalment price for this plan?
4. What is the contractual delivery date, and what is the penalty if it slips?
5. What exactly does the finishing annex include and exclude?
6. How much is the maintenance deposit, and when is it due?
7. For resale: what has been paid, what remains, and what does the developer charge or require for the transfer?
8. Which completed projects by this developer can I visit?
9. Are you paid by the developer, by me, or by both?

Red flags that mean "stop and check"

• Pressure to pay today "before the price rises", with no draft contract available.
• No building permit, or a permit for a different plot or phase.
• A contract party that differs from the brand you were sold.
• A finishing spec that exists only as photos or a showroom.
• Payment requested to a personal account instead of the company.
• Resale with no developer statement of paid and remaining instalments.
• Any promised return or resale value that is not written into the contract.

Your New Capital pre-payment checklist

Check	Ask for	Good sign
Developer identity	Company name and commercial registry details	Same entity on the contract, receipt and permit
Land	Document behind the plot	Plot and district match the brochure
Building permit	Permit number	Issued, and covers your building
Booking	Receipt with unit specs	Specs and price stated, refund terms clear
Contract	Full draft and annexes	Delivery date, mutual penalties, finishing annex
Payment plan	Cash price and total instalment price	Both stated in writing
Fees	Maintenance deposit and extras	Amounts and due dates fixed
Resale	Developer statement and original contract	Seller is the original buyer, balance confirmed
Legal review	Lawyer's comments	Concerns answered before signing

If something goes wrong with a supplier, Egypt's Consumer Protection Agency receives consumer complaints.

How Buildoura fits in

Buildoura is not a developer and does not sell units. According to the Buildoura homepage, it is a SaaS platform for real-estate agencies in Egypt and the MENA region: a branded website, project pages, landing pages, a CRM with lead scoring and routing, and analytics.

For buyers, that means agencies on Buildoura can publish each project with its photos, floor plans, unit pricing and an instalment calculator. That is the kind of page where you can find the answers to the questions above before you pick up the phone. www.newcapital.site is one such New Capital portal.

For brokers, the checklist above doubles as a listing standard. Our guide to a property listing that converts shows how to put permit, delivery and payment facts up front. The broker lead management guide and the real-estate CRM guide cover answering buyers' questions fast and in writing.

FAQ

Is it safe to buy New Capital real estate off-plan?

It can be, if you verify before paying. Confirm the developer's legal identity, its right to the plot and the building permit. Then read the delivery, penalty and finishing clauses, and have a lawyer review the contract. Buying off-plan always carries delivery risk, so the contract terms matter more than the brochure.

What is the difference between primary and resale in the New Capital?

Primary means buying from the developer on its payment plan. Resale means buying an existing buyer's contract, usually paying them for what they have paid and taking over the remaining instalments. Resale needs extra checks: the original contract, receipts, and a developer statement of paid and remaining amounts.

How do I compare New Capital payment plans?

Compare total cost, not the monthly instalment. Ask for the cash price and the total instalment price for each plan. Egypt's Consumer Protection Law requires instalment sellers to state both. Then add the maintenance deposit, extras and legal costs to each.

Can a developer charge me a fee when I resell my unit?

Article 15 of the Consumer Protection Law states that a contract may not include a condition entitling the seller to a percentage, fee or commission from the price of the buyer's later sale, and that such a condition is void. Ask a lawyer how it applies to the specific transfer clause in your contract.

Should I buy a residential or a commercial unit in the New Capital?

It depends on your goal. A home is judged on layout, finishing and delivery. A commercial unit is judged on its licensed activity, frontage, footfall and fees, and any rental income depends on tenants. Treat any "guaranteed return" as a contract term to read closely, not a market fact.

Written by Hala Mostafa, Real-Estate Solutions Lead, Buildoura.

Shortlisting units now? Browse New Capital projects on www.newcapital.site, then run each one through the checklist above.