LIVING "By the Real Estate Leaders" Fall 2016 Issue #10 | Page 9

Know your numbers
Market rates are known, not announced. That means that
while there is no official price list available, knowing the
average rates helps you better negotiate. For a two bedroom
apartment in Heliopolis you can expect a minimum of LE
3000 that goes up to $1300. Maadi and Zamalek both start at
LE 4000 and up to $1500. In New Cairo the rent starts at LE
6000 and up to $2400. Finally the 6th of October starts off
with as low as LE 4,000 and leads the pack with up to $2,500
owing to the rise of super luxury properties.
In Sahel however, if you are looking for a rental in one of the
newer and trendier destinations such as Marassi , Telal,
Amwaj and the like then the average price for one night is
about LE 2500 – 3000.

Standard Procedures
The good thing about renting is that standard procedures are
pretty much, standard. When renting for a year, the contract
will require the tenant to pay a deposit of 3 months in
advance and one-month insurance. For 5 years it is usually a
deposit of one year and 2 months insurance. As for Sahel, it is
usually a 10% down payment with the remaining fees paid
after the duration of stay. And while contracts are usually
standard, hiring a professional company to handle these
matters gives you a better deal simply because of their experi-

ence and history and so they will most probably add in
extra stipulations that keep you protected.

Inspect the uninspected
This is a crucial aspect when looking for a property to
rent and another reason why it helps to have a professional company on board. They know what to look for
and because they are working on your behalf they will
notice things that you probably might not and make
inquiries about things that may not necessarily cross
your mind. Does the house come with Internet? Natural
gas? Fully functioning plumbing? Does the AC leak? They
ensure that you wont have to deal with utility or maintenance issues.
Then there is some personal investigation that you will
have to do on your own. Those subtle disturbances that
rarely anyone remembers to ask about when searching
for a home. Those include inquiring about the neighbors.
Are they loud? Do they leave their trashcans in stairwell?
Is there a frequent electricity shortage? Are there fruit
and vegetable sellers with microphones on an early
Friday morning?
So if you are planning on searching for a new rental
anytime soon, don’t despair. As any veteran renter will tell
you,“It’s only hard at the beginning.” But with a sharp eye,
plenty if patience and a reputable company by your side,
it might prove to be easier than it seems.

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