An off-plan unit (sold before or during construction) usually asks for less money at the start and spreads the rest over a longer plan, but you wait years for the keys and carry the risk that delivery slips. A ready unit asks for more cash sooner, yet you inspect exactly what you buy and can move in or rent it out straight away. Neither is better by default: compare the full cost of each, including rent you pay while you wait, and read the contract terms on delay and cancellation.
What is the difference between off-plan and ready?
Off-plan means you buy a unit that does not exist yet, or exists only as a structure. You sign on drawings, a model and a delivery date. Ready (often called "immediate delivery" in Egyptian offers) means the building is finished and the unit can be handed over soon after you sign.
The line between the two has blurred. Long payment plans are no longer only for off-plan. In July 2026, Daily News Egypt reported that the National Bank of Egypt agreed with Ramtan Developments to market fully finished, ready-to-deliver units in the New Administrative Capital with installment plans of up to 10 years. So check each offer on its own terms rather than assuming a ready unit means cash only.
How do they compare?
| Point | Off-plan | Ready unit |
|---|---|---|
| What you see before paying | Drawings, model, show unit | The actual unit and building |
| Cash needed early | Usually a smaller down payment | Often a larger down payment or a cash price |
| Payment plan | Spread over the build and after it | Depends on the developer or seller |
| Time to use or rent | After delivery | Soon after signing |
| Rent while you wait | You keep paying your current rent | None |
| Main risk | Delay, changes to specs, developer finances | Hidden defects, a higher price today |
| Where the contract matters most | Delivery date, delay compensation, cancellation penalties | Condition at handover, title and fees |
What risks does an off-plan buyer carry?
The biggest is time. A legal study by the law firm Saadah & Abu El-Komsan, reported by Masrawy on 19 September 2026 after it analysed more than 40 contracts, found that contracts have moved against buyers on both sides of a delay:
- penalties a buyer pays for cancelling or defaulting rose in some contracts to as much as 30% of the unit price;
- compensation a developer pays for late delivery fell to as little as 0.25% a year, capped at 2% of the unit price in total;
- delays of 10 years or more were recorded at some large developers.
The same study found non-refundable booking amounts that reached EGP 250,000 in some cases, verbal marketing promises that never made it into the final contract, and buyers at launch events who did not receive the contract text before signing. It also noted that some developers later offer new units in the same project with a lower down payment and a longer plan, which can make it harder for early buyers to resell.
These are findings from a sample of contracts, not rules that apply to every project. They show which clauses to read before you pay a booking amount.
Is the law changing for off-plan sales?
There is a draft, not a law in force. In February 2026, Enterprise reported, citing two informed sources, that a draft law to regulate real-estate development would bar developers from marketing, selling or collecting money before completing 30% of construction and obtaining all licences, and would require a separate bank account for each project. Developers opposed the 30% condition, and one source said the matter was not settled. In August 2026, Al-Ahram reported that Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly reviewed a proposal for an Egyptian Real Estate Developers Union law that would rank developers by work executed, financial solvency and operating capacity. On 19 September 2026, Masrawy reported that the prime minister asked developers for their comments on the draft market law ahead of sending it to the House of Representatives in its next session, after President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi directed in August that contracts be respected and units delivered on time.
Until a law is issued, the contract you sign governs your rights. Check the current status before relying on any of these provisions.
Illustrative example with hypothetical numbers
Two offers for similar units. The off-plan unit costs EGP 4,000,000 with 10% down and quarterly installments over 8 years, delivered after 4 years. The ready unit costs EGP 4,800,000 with 30% down and quarterly installments over 4 years. While waiting for the off-plan unit, the buyer pays rent of EGP 15,000 a month.
| Item | Off-plan | Ready |
|---|---|---|
| Down payment | 4,000,000 × 10% = 400,000 | 4,800,000 × 30% = 1,440,000 |
| Number of installments | 8 × 4 = 32 | 4 × 4 = 16 |
| Quarterly installment | 3,600,000 ÷ 32 = 112,500 | 3,360,000 ÷ 16 = 210,000 |
| Paid by month 48 | 400,000 + 16 × 112,500 = 2,200,000 | 4,800,000 |
| Rent while waiting | 15,000 × 48 = 720,000 | 0 |
| Price plus rent | 4,720,000 | 4,800,000 |
The gap of EGP 800,000 on paper shrinks to EGP 80,000 once you count the rent. The off-plan buyer still pays much less per quarter, which matters if cash is tight.
Variation: delivery is two years late
Two more years of rent cost 15,000 × 24 = EGP 360,000. If the contract caps delay compensation at 2% of the price, as the study Masrawy reported found in some contracts, the most the buyer receives is 4,000,000 × 2% = EGP 80,000. In this example the off-plan unit now costs 4,720,000 + 360,000 - 80,000 = EGP 5,000,000 in price plus net rent, more than the ready unit. This comparison also ignores the value of money over time; the guide to comparing payment plans shows how to bring payments made in different years to today's money.
What should I check before choosing?
For an off-plan unit:
- the delivery date, the grace period, and the exact delay compensation and its cap;
- the cancellation penalty and how much of the booking amount you can recover;
- whether the specifications, area and finishing level are written in the contract, not only in the brochure;
- the developer's delivered projects and the licences for this one.
For a ready unit:
- the unit's condition at handover, and who fixes defects found after you move in;
- utility connections and any fees still due on them;
- whether the seller is the developer or a previous owner, and on a resale, the transfer fee and who pays it.
For both, add the maintenance deposit, garage and club fees to the price. The guide to the total cost of owning a unit lists them, and the explainer on the maintenance deposit covers what the deposit pays for.
Frequently asked questions
Is off-plan always cheaper than ready?
The quoted price is often lower, but the full cost may not be. Add the rent you pay while waiting and any delay risk, as in the example above, before comparing.
Can I get an installment plan on a ready unit?
Sometimes. Daily News Egypt reported in July 2026 a deal to market ready units in the New Administrative Capital with plans of up to 10 years. Whether an offer includes one depends on the developer or seller.
What happens if the developer delivers late?
Your contract decides. The study Masrawy reported in September 2026 found contracts where delay compensation was capped at 2% of the unit price. Read this clause before you pay a booking amount.
Does Egyptian law require 30% construction before sale?
Not as of the latest reports. A draft law reported by Enterprise in February 2026 included that condition, and in September 2026 Masrawy reported that the draft was still being discussed with developers. Check its status at the time you buy.
Which is better for renting out?
A ready unit can earn rent from soon after signing; an off-plan unit earns nothing until delivery. The guide to rental yield shows how to estimate the return either way.
Run the numbers
Enter each offer in the CalcRealty payment plan calculator to get the down payment, the installments and a full schedule with the date and amount of every payment, then use the total unit price and ROI calculators to work out each offer's total and return. Add the rent you would pay while waiting by hand. Get CalcRealty on Google Play.
See also how a down payment and installments are calculated, how developer discounts and cash prices work, and the guides to the New Administrative Capital and New Cairo. Unfamiliar terms are defined in the real-estate glossary.
Results are planning estimates; the developer contract sets the final amounts.