Fees & brokerage
Broker commission on commercial property in Egypt: how it is calculated and when it is paid
No rate is fixed by statute. There is a market norm, and there is a written agreement — and whoever has no written agreement has no practical claim.
Property commission in Egypt is not set at a binding statutory rate. What exists is a market norm that varies by asset type and deal size, plus whatever the parties agree. Brokerage itself is recognised as a contractual relationship, but proving it depends on paperwork.
What the market charges
- In residential, the common norm is around 2.5% from each side — close to 5% on the transaction.
- On commercial and industrial land, rates run higher and wider, reaching multiples of that on remote or agricultural land.
- On leases, the norm is a percentage of the first year's value, and sometimes a full month's rent.
- There is no legal ceiling, so negotiating the rate itself is normal and expected.
When the fee actually accrues
In principle the fee accrues when the broker is the cause of the deal completing, not merely for having shown a property. In practice, written agreements tie accrual to signature of the preliminary contract and payment to completion. Anyone without a written agreement ends up negotiating their entitlement after the deal has closed — a weak position.
What protects both sides
- A written brokerage agreement with each side, naming the specific asset, the rate, and when it accrues.
- A non-circumvention clause with a defined period, preventing the parties from closing around the broker after an introduction.
- Documented introductions: timestamped delivery of the asset data, and a signed inspection record. That is the practical evidence if a dispute arises.
- Clarity on who pays, in writing, from the start. Most disputes come from this never being said plainly at the beginning.
Registration is now mandatory
From January 2026, real estate brokers in Egypt are required to register with GOEIC, in categories that differ by transaction size with a minimum capital for each. If you are dealing with a broker, ask about their registration — it is in your interest as a client.
The Togary model
On a sale we take 1% from the seller and the buyer pays us nothing. On a lease we take half a month's rent from each side, on signature. There is no listing fee and nothing up front, and the fee accrues only on completion. We work on sales from EGP 10 million upward, because the verification, inspections and legal follow-through cannot be covered below that. As for the buyer paying nothing: the biggest driver of a buyer trying to go around a broker is feeling they are paying twice — once for the asset and once in commission. When the buyer pays nothing, that driver disappears.
Common questions
- Can I negotiate the commission rate?
- Yes. There is no legal ceiling or mandatory rate, so it is negotiable like any other term — but agree it in writing before the broker starts introducing you to assets.
- What if a broker introduced the asset and I closed it myself?
- If there is a written brokerage agreement with a non-circumvention clause, the fee will usually still be due within the defined period. Without an agreement it becomes a dispute about evidence. The cleanest outcome for both sides is to put it in writing at the start.
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