An overview of Sarai
Sarai is a residential development in New Cairo, built by Madinet Masr for Housing and Development, offering Studios, Duplexes, Standalone Villas, Townhouses, Residential Apartments in sizes from 55 to 343 m². Published prices currently start from 4 million EGP, and a unit can be reserved with a 10% down payment with the balance paid over 8 years.
This is not an advertisement for Sarai. It is the full review I work through with clients before any purchase decision: the location and the real distances, the developer's record, an analysis of the rate per square metre, an instalment schedule worked out in numbers, a comparison against the other projects in the area, and the points you need to verify before you sign. If you finish reading and conclude the project does not suit your circumstances, the page has done its job.
I am Nada Mahmoud, a real estate consultant working in the Egyptian market, helping buyers and investors choose the right unit at the right price. You can browse the other available projects or contact me directly for a free property consultation.
The developer: Madinet Masr for Housing and Development
Before committing to years of instalments, the most important question is not about the project — it is about the developer. Have they delivered before? Did they deliver on time? What condition are their handed-over projects in today? That is what decides whether this contract is an asset or a risk.
Madinet Masr for Housing and Development is one of the oldest real estate companies in Egypt. Founded in 1959, it developed Nasr City itself, which means its execution and delivery record runs back more than sixty years.
Its Sarai project in New Cairo covers roughly 5.5 million square metres on the Katameya–Ain Sokhna road, and includes multiple residential phases such as Club Views, Essay and Rai Valleys, alongside retail and administrative districts.
Dealing with a listed company that has a long delivery history materially lowers delay risk, and that is reflected in secondary-market pricing: units from developers with a long record trade at a visible premium.
Where Sarai is and how to get there
New Cairo is the largest and most mature property market east of Cairo, taking in the Fifth Settlement, the First Settlement and Katameya. It has everything permanent residence requires: private universities, major hospitals, international schools and large retail centres — which is why demand here comes from residents rather than from speculators.
Its proximity to the New Administrative Capital added a new dimension: it has become the intermediate district for people who work in the capital but do not want to leave Cairo behind. That has visibly lifted rental demand over the past two years.
The road network is among the strongest in Egypt: the Ring Road, the Middle Ring Road, the Mohamed Naguib corridor, the Suez road and the Ain Sokhna road. Cairo International Airport is close, which weighs heavily in the decision for a large share of buyers.
Distances from New Cairo
These figures are approximate and vary with traffic and time of travel, but they are the reference every buyer uses when comparing two destinations:
| Cairo International Airport | 20 to 30 minutes |
|---|---|
| New Administrative Capital | 25 to 40 minutes |
| Ring Road and Middle Ring Road | 5 to 15 minutes |
| Nasr City | 20 to 30 minutes |
| Ain Sokhna | 75 to 90 minutes |
Unit sizes and types in Sarai
The units available in Sarai are studios, Duplexes, Standalone Villas, Townhouses, Residential Apartments. Sizes run from 55 to 343 m², and that wide spread between the smallest and largest layout means the project serves two buyers at once: the investor looking for the smallest rentable unit, and the family looking for a full-sized home.
In the residential market, resale speed depends on how the area maps to the number of bedrooms: a 130-square-metre three-bedroom sells faster than a 160-square-metre unit with the same bedroom count, because a buyer reads the extra metres as maintenance cost rather than value. Ask about the layout, not just the total area.
The announced delivery date is تسليم within 4 years. Always insist that this date is written into the contract with a clear compensation clause for delay.
The unit types explained
Every unit type has its own pricing logic and its own resale market. Here is a quick read on each type available in Sarai and who it suits:
Studios
A studio is an open-plan unit, usually 35 to 60 square metres, and the cheapest point of entry into the market. Its advantage for an investor is the highest return per pound invested: the nightly rate approaches that of a larger chalet while the purchase cost is far lower. Its drawback is a narrower pool of resale buyers, because families prefer more space, so it is more an investor's instrument than an end-user's home.
Duplexes
A duplex occupies two connected floors linked by an internal staircase, delivering something close to the feel of a villa at a lower price. It suits larger families well because it separates the living area from the bedrooms. On valuation, a duplex achieves a higher rate per square metre than a standard apartment and a lower one than a twin house, with moderate resale liquidity because its buyer segment is narrower.
Standalone Villas
The standalone villa is the highest tier in any project for both price and privacy, with a garden on all sides and often a private pool. Villas hold their value strongly because supply within any project is limited, but their resale liquidity is slower because fewer buyers can afford them. If you are buying a villa as an investment, model the expected time to sell, not just the expected price.
Townhouses
A townhouse sits within a terrace of adjoining units, and the corner units command a premium because they have an extra facade and a wider garden. The townhouse is the middle ground between an apartment and a villa in both price and space, and it is one of the types that finds consistent demand in the secondary market.
Residential Apartments
The apartment is the most widely held and most liquid unit type in the Egyptian market: faster to sell, easier to let and cheaper to maintain. When comparing two apartments, the deciding factor is not total area but the layout and how efficiently the space is used: a well-arranged 130-square-metre three-bedroom outperforms a 150-square-metre unit with wasted circulation.
Sarai prices and the rate per square metre
Published prices for Sarai start from 4 million EGP (last updated 24 September 2026). That price applies to the smallest available unit and rises with size, floor, view and where the unit sits on the master plan.
The approximate rate in Sarai is around 50,000 EGP per square metre. The rate per square metre is the only number that lets you compare two projects in the same area fairly — comparing the headline price of a 90-square-metre unit with a 140-square-metre one tells you nothing.
When comparing the rate between two projects, three things change the equation: whether the price includes full finishing or semi-finishing, whether the stated area is net or includes a share of common space, and whether a garden or terrace is counted at a different rate. Those differences alone can reverse the comparison.
Payment and instalment plans in Sarai
The payment plans currently available in Sarai:
- 10% down payment over 8 years
- Terms reaching 12 years in some phases
- The Shea Residence phase starts at 4.1 million
- The Rai Valleys townhouse and villa phase starts at 14 million
The instalment schedule worked out on the entry price
This table is calculated on the lowest published price (4 million EGP) with a 10% down payment over 8 years, so you can see the real commitment in money rather than in percentages:
| Total unit price | 4,000,000 EGP |
|---|---|
| Reservation down payment (10%) | 400,000 EGP |
| Balance to pay in instalments | 3,600,000 EGP |
| Approximate monthly instalment | 37,500 EGP over 96 months |
| Approximate quarterly instalment | 112,500 EGP |
| Approximate annual payment | 450,000 EGP |
The table assumes an equal split with no interest and no additional payments. Most developers add a handover payment or uneven semi-annual instalments, so the real figure can differ — ask me for the official schedule for the unit you want before deciding anything.
A practical note: the longest term is not automatically the best choice. A longer term lowers the instalment, but most developers tie the cash discount or the lower headline price to shorter terms. If you have liquidity, ask for a comparison between the 8 years plan and a shorter one and look at the real difference in the total paid — it sometimes runs to a meaningful share of the unit value.
Services and price movement in New Cairo
New Cairo has the highest concentration of private services in Egypt: universities including the American, German and Future universities, major specialist hospitals, international schools across several curricula, and malls such as Cairo Festival City, Downtown Katameya and Point 90.
I have written a full guide to New Cairo covering the services and amenities around the projects, how the rate per square metre has moved, and how to compare one project against another: Guide to Real Estate Investment in Egypt. If you are weighing Sarai against another project in the same area, start there.
Investing in Sarai: yield and season
New Cairo is the most liquid market in Egypt: a unit here sells and rents faster than anywhere else because the volume of demand is large and continuous. Annual residential yields are among the highest in the market, particularly for mid-sized furnished apartments near the universities and business districts.
Season: A permanent market with continuous residential and rental demand throughout the year.
Read it the way an investor would: you pay 400,000 EGP now to secure an asset worth 4,000,000 EGP, and settle the balance over 8 years. That is real leverage — any appreciation during the payment term accrues on the full value, not on the amount you have paid in. It is exactly why buying on instalments in an inflationary market can beat paying cash, provided the instalment is comfortable rather than punishing.
Payment scenarios: which one costs you less in Sarai?
Almost every buyer asks the same question: cash or instalments? There is no single answer — it depends on the liquidity you have and on the alternative you could invest it in. Here are three scenarios worked out on the same unit in Sarai:
| Scenario | Paid at contract | Monthly commitment | Who it suits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full cash settlement | 4,000,000 EGP | None | A buyer with the full amount available, chasing the lowest net price after discount |
| A 10% down payment over 8 years | 400,000 EGP | 37,500 EGP | The largest group of buyers — the smallest upfront commitment with an extended instalment |
| Double the down payment over half the term | 800,000 EGP | 66,667 EGP | A buyer with partial liquidity who wants to cut the total paid and capture the shorter-term discount |
The third scenario is the one most buyers overlook, and it is usually the cheapest: a larger down payment over a shorter term reduces the total paid, because developers tie the price to the length of the term. Ask me to compare the total across all three before you choose — on the same unit the gap between two plans can run into the hundreds of thousands.
Estimating the return on a unit in Sarai
If you are buying as an investment you need two numbers: the annual rental yield and the expected capital growth. This is an approximate calculation on the entry price in Sarai at three yield levels:
| Annual yield rate | Approximate annual income | Approximate monthly income |
|---|---|---|
| 4% | 160,000 EGP | 13,333 EGP |
| 6% | 240,000 EGP | 20,000 EGP |
| 8% | 320,000 EGP | 26,667 EGP |
This table is a calculator, not a promise of return. The actual rate depends on the unit position, its size, its finishing level and whether an operator manages it, and it is reduced by maintenance charges, commissions and void periods. I do not offer guaranteed returns, and if anyone guarantees you a yield in an advertisement, read the contract carefully before believing it.
One point that matters: compare the rental income against the instalment. If the expected rent exceeds the monthly instalment, the unit roughly funds itself, which is the best case for an investor. If it falls short, make sure you can cover the gap each month from other income for the whole term.
What to verify before reserving in Sarai
In New Cairo specifically, review the built-to-open-space ratio inside the compound and the annual maintenance charge. Both vary widely between projects and both bear directly on your net rental yield.
This is the list I go through with every client before any signature, whatever the developer's name:
- Actual construction progress: ask for recent site photographs and visit in person — not renders.
- Delivery record: ask about an earlier project the developer actually handed over, and go and see it yourself. It is the most honest indicator available.
- The delay clause: there must be a defined grace period and explicit compensation, not open-ended wording.
- The area in the contract: confirm whether it is net or gross, and at what proportion a garden or terrace is counted in the rate per square metre.
- Maintenance charges: establish the percentage, when it is due, and whether it is one-off or annual — this cost stays with you permanently.
- Land title and permits: ask to see the land status and the building permits before paying any deposit.
- The official instalment schedule: with the payments and their dates written down, not a percentage quoted verbally.
If any of these is unclear, that is not necessarily a reason to walk away — but it is reason enough to postpone signing until it is clarified in writing.
How to reserve in Sarai with Nada Mahmoud
- A needs call: we establish the budget, the purpose (home, holiday, investment) and the monthly instalment that is genuinely comfortable for you.
- A shortlist: I prepare two to four suitable units inside Sarai and in competing projects, with prices and official instalment schedules.
- The viewing: we arrange a site visit and inspect the unit on the ground or at its current stage.
- Negotiation: I negotiate the price, the payment plan and the available discounts with you — this is the stage where the largest difference is made.
- Contract review: we go through the critical clauses (delay, area, maintenance, handover) before you sign.
- After contracting: following up the payments and the handover, and helping you let or resell the unit later if you want to.
The service is free to the buyer because my commission comes from the developer — and even so, my interest is that you buy well, because a satisfied client comes back and refers me. You can look through my track record or read about the negotiation and buying service.
