Apartment square meterage and naming of floors in Egypt

Important points to be considered while buying property in Egypt.

In advertisements of properties for sale or for rent, the total area of ​​the apartment is usually noted. The total area of Egyptian apartments is the sum of all areas of ​​the apartment, residential and non-residential: terraces, exhaust shafts, a part of the staircase and a part of the roof.

The total area is calculated by exterior perimeter of an apartment, so the difference can be from 10 to 25% to the lower side.

Gross is the total area of ​​the apartment. Net is the living area.

You need to keep in mind that if you have an apartment in the house where there are several owners, the entire adjacent area is divided by the number of owners, and also counts towards the total area of the apartments (e.g. a common roof).

For example, the announcement states that the apartment occupies 90 square meters. In fact, the living area of the apartment may be 60 square meters,  and all the rest - the large balcony.

This method of measuring the size of apartments acquired its name – ‘Egyptian meters’.

 

Naming of floors in Egypt

 

Which floor should you choose when buying apartments in Egypt? 

The floors of Egypt houses are called almost identically to European ones.

Consider the following example based on the Tiba Royal complex.

Floor at the swimming pool level - pool level

Floor at street level - ground floor

Floor above the ground floor - first floor, and so on

The most popular are the ground floor and the top floor (under the roof).

Apartments located on the ground floor are cheaper than the other apartments in the house, often have a separate entrance and a part of the fenced area where one can make the recreation space or set out a small garden. These apartments are very popular among the elderly and families with children, as not all buildings in Egypt are equipped with elevators. The only drawback of these apartments is that you will be visited by such ‘residents’ of Egypt as lizards, but it can be easily solved by special safety products.

Apartments located on the top floor are popular for the following reason: if you buy a top floor apartment, a part of the roof above your apartment also belongs to you. It is typical for the most of Egypt houses. In this case you will have the exit to roof straight from your apartment. This pleasant nuance, of course, leads to the increased apartment price. However, you will be able to arrange the barbecue area on your own rooftop, install a swimming pool or whatever you want.