Renting an apartment in Cairo, Egypt.

[dirty boy]

Anyone have any experiences? Places to avoid, where's best?

Someone I know has been offered a job out there, he'll be taking his wife, so wants to be in a safe area, a nice complex would be ideal really.

Any help would be appreciated, websites etc..

Thanks.

db

[thainy77]

Alright mate? i spend half the year in Cairo, the best place to stay is Maadi, even though this is still a dump really. There are a few nice developments out of the city but they are a nightmare to travel to as the road network is crap and the driving is worse!

It's all pretty safe and there are a few half decent British and American schools (if he has kids), i have been offered the opportunity to move there but turned it down straight away. If your friend hasn't been yet i suggests he spends a few weeks there, that should give him a rough idea of what to expect, it would be very boring for his wife, a few of my mates who live there end up moving or the wives just go home very regularly. It's also very expensive to rent, on average a 2 bed appartment in Maadi is around $2000 a month as this is where the majority of ex-pats live and the prices are much higher because of it.

P.s. saw the Cerb in Scole a couple of weeks ago, i can't believe you're selling!

Edited by thainy77 on Monday 25th October 11:11

[Zod]

A friend of mine is a diplomat and was posted there for five years. He had a fantastic, huge apartment in an outwardly grotty building on the riverside in Zamalek.

[dirty boy]

thainy77 said:

Alright mate? i spend half the year in Cairo, the best place to stay is Maadi, even though this is still a dump really. There are a few nice developments out of the city but they are a nightmare to travel to as the road network is crap and the driving is worse!

It's all pretty safe and there are a few half decent British and American schools, i have been offered the oppertunity to move there but turned it down straight away. If your friend hasn't been yet i suggests he spends a few weeks there, that should give him a rough idea of what to expect.

P.s. saw the Cerb in Scole a couple of weeks ago, i can't believe you're selling!

Hi bud, thanks for that, may drop you a mail at some point if you don't mind, as it may turn out that the wife takes the kids out there a fair bit too.

Good to hear it's relatively safe. If you know of any decent complexes let me know, as they'll want something nice.

With respect to the Cerb, she's gone Sold her to a really nice chap, who i'm sure will look after her as well as I did, if not better, so in good hands.

I'll be back at some point, got my eye on a Caterham at the moment though.

Take care, and if I get a new motor, i'll see if I can organise a run out.

[thainy77]

dirty boy said:

thainy77 said:

Alright mate? i spend half the year in Cairo, the best place to stay is Maadi, even though this is still a dump really. There are a few nice developments out of the city but they are a nightmare to travel to as the road network is crap and the driving is worse!

It's all pretty safe and there are a few half decent British and American schools, i have been offered the oppertunity to move there but turned it down straight away. If your friend hasn't been yet i suggests he spends a few weeks there, that should give him a rough idea of what to expect.

P.s. saw the Cerb in Scole a couple of weeks ago, i can't believe you're selling!

Hi bud, thanks for that, may drop you a mail at some point if you don't mind, as it may turn out that the wife takes the kids out there a fair bit too.

Good to hear it's relatively safe. If you know of any decent complexes let me know, as they'll want something nice.

With respect to the Cerb, she's gone Sold her to a really nice chap, who i'm sure will look after her as well as I did, if not better, so in good hands.

I'll be back at some point, got my eye on a Caterham at the moment though.

Take care, and if I get a new motor, i'll see if I can organise a run out.

I'm actually off there tomorrow so i'll do some digging and speak to the guy that arranges accommodation for our company if he's about.

Jason did say it was sold, shame, that is a lovely colour!

Yeah i'm always up for a run out, take it easy.

[Dupont666]

Ok... my OH is currently living in cairo and I go out there every 6 weeks or so to go and see her, she is working for the UN out there as some type of environmental consultant and is currently paying $200 a month for a place in a 3 bed flat in zamalek.

So be wary as the $2000 is a hiked up price that they get Ex pats to pay for the privilege when the locals and those in the know dont.

Where will you be working?

I shall talk to SWMBO if you want me to find out some places and contacts so you are not ripped off, do you have a shopping list of what you want the flat/house to have and how close to work etc???

Also if you get a car out there go get a big fk off landy/hummer and fit bull bars front and back as those fkers are crazy, you will find that out as I did after 5 minutes when spotting a taxi driving up in the fast lane going the wrong way down a motorway...

Also I have a lot of tips and things that I have found out... see here for a bit more on my last trip:

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

[HOGEPH]

Don't get too close to the waterfront, or you'll be in denial.

[dirty boy]

Dupont666 said:

Ok... my OH is currently living in cairo and I go out there every 6 weeks or so to go and see her, she is working for the UN out there as some type of environmental consultant and is currently paying $200 a month for a place in a 3 bed flat in zamalek.

So be wary as the $2000 is a hiked up price that they get Ex pats to pay for the privilege when the locals and those in the know dont.

Where will you be working?

I shall talk to SWMBO if you want me to find out some places and contacts so you are not ripped off, do you have a shopping list of what you want the flat/house to have and how close to work etc???

Also if you get a car out there go get a big fk off landy/hummer and fit bull bars front and back as those fkers are crazy, you will find that out as I did after 5 minutes when spotting a taxi driving up in the fast lane going the wrong way down a motorway...

Also I have a lot of tips and things that I have found out... see here for a bit more on my last trip:

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

It's not so much for me, but they'll want to really be on a complex, possibly where there's an expat community, possibly a fitness club or similar. His wife will obviously be alone for long periods so will want to feel safe, and be able to go somewhere for a swim etc, and nice enough that we can visit with two young children.

I'd be grateful for any info really, as it's a massive lifestyle change, and they're after all the help they can get, no matter how trivial it may seem.

He's got a personal driver, so no worries there.

[Dupont666]

got this from the OH...

Duponts better half said:

Zamalek is the nice/posh area. What you saw was posh. Unless he wants to live in 6th of October City which is 30km west of Cairo, villas and pools and clean air. Not a nice commute though. But prices are high then, and 2000 USD is normal for a big fancy flat with garden etc. If they want Zamalek, it should be like that range as well for a big luxurious flat. But with a 4-5000 LE they can find a nice flat already, if they don’t want too much luxury.

He just has to contact an Agent and they will do the work for them. I don’t know any agents since I don’t move in the same levels of pay to be using them, but he can do a net search and there are many. It is just the same as if I would do it really, since I don’t know the reputations of the companies. Cairo is a complex system of simsars in street corners and unofficial agents, so they are better off trying some company who can guide them.

Here is some basic info: http://www.cairo360.com/article/city%20life/756/ca...
It lists these agents as good big ones: Coldwell Banker, Centruy 21, and ERA.

In cairo scholars network, some expats have recommended the following person as an agent (I have no personal experience, just word of mouth):

I highly recommend Sanaa Khalil's services to help you to find a flat. She helped me at the beginning of my journey in Cairo, and she was very understanding and professional (she as a very good network). Even after finding the flat, she was available all the time to help me if I had problems in my apartement. She is an essential intermediary between the owner and you.

Please, contact her if you need her services, above all if you are new in Cairo !

Her name is Sanaa Khalil,
Tel : [phone]
[e-mail]

And:
Hello All,
If you are new in town and need a reliable simsar I recommend Sanaa Khalil. She
is professional, responsive and extremely helpful in navigating all the details
that come with apartment-living in Cairo. Plus, she is fluent in English and
very knowledgeable about Cairo's neighborhoods. She was extremely helpful in
helping me find a place when I arrived so I highly recommend her.

Sanaa Khalil
012-400-5124
[e-mail]

Joanne

Hope that helps in the beginning.

Zamalek is not bad but not that luxurious from what I have seen... If you are used to the luxuries of the uk, but for $600 for a 3 bed flat that OH has its not bad... But its where a lot of expats live that work for the embassies and the UN.

Not seen the other place.

[dirty boy]

Cheers guys