The return of the Sudanese changes the equation in Egypt: the great landing

The return of the Sudanese changes the equation … rents in some regions of Egypt land 50%

Follow-up- Al-Zawiya Net- Anji Nasser, the university student, was not forced to leave her small apartment on Faisal Street so quickly. But a major shock was waiting for them at the end of the month, when the owner of the property informed them that she decided to rent the apartment to Sudanese for 10 thousand pounds – approximately three times the value they paid.

Nasser told Al -Arabiya Business that the owner was clear: “The new price cannot be rejected.” The three girlfriends began the journey to search for an alternative in the vicinity of Faisal and the pyramid, but to no avail; The limited supply and high prices led them to move to other neighborhoods less demanding, such as the regions of ancient Egypt, where the Sudanese presence is still limited, and the prices are relatively less.

This is not an individual case. Since the conflict in Sudan erupted in April 2023, about 1.2 million Sudanese have been displaced to Egypt, according to the United Nations, which raised the number of Sudanese residing in the country to more than 4 million people, according to the data of the International Organization for Migration.

This large flow led to rapid transformations in the rental market, especially in the popular areas and urban centers that represent attraction points for people with intermediate and limited income, according to Alaa Al -Sheikh, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Aseet Tab Real Estate Marketing Company.

The Sheikh added to “Business” that it is customary for the owners to request exaggerated prices, taking advantage of the increasing demand from the Sudanese expatriates, especially in neighborhoods such as Faisal, Al -Haram, Al -Ahram Gardens, Ain Shams, October 6 and Sheikh Zayed.

With the return of more than 122 thousand Sudanese to their country since the beginning of 2025, as a result of the improvement of the security situation in Khartoum, according to the International Organization for Migration, the demand for rents in some areas began to witness a decline. This decrease in the demand comes at a time when the data of the Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics indicate that there are about 12.5 million closed housing units in Egypt, representing about 29% of the total housing units, which reflects the size of the gap between supply and demand in the real estate market.

These closed units are distributed between housing for owners who own other properties, because of travel or not completing the finishing, which creates an opportunity to re -pump these units into the rental market, and therefore can contribute to the stability of prices or even decline if these units are more activated.

A decrease of 50% in some areas

Khaled Al -Qaisi, a Sudanese broker working in the regions of Faisal and Al -Haram, said that rental prices have increased in an unprecedented manner with the flow of the Sudanese after the war, until between 7 and 9 thousand pounds per month for apartments empty of furniture, while the rent of furnished apartments exceeded the barrier For furnished.

Al -Qaisi assured Al -Arabiya Business that the rental of real estate has become easier and varied in options compared to the past period, after the decline of the population density that the Sudanese formerly formed in these areas.

In October and Zayed, the sheikh pointed out that the prices did not start to decline until recently, after large numbers of Sudanese who preferred to rent over ownership, unlike other nationalities such as the Yemenis.

A sign of a Sudanese store in Egypt

He explained that the rents during the peak period increased by 50% for the united units, and 100% for the furnishing, which currently prompted the owners to reduce prices by up to 50% in some areas, to avoid the vacancy of the units and a pursuit of returns covering their financial obligations.

Vacant

For his part, Omar Saeed, a real estate broker in the Al -Haram and Faisal regions, explained to “Business” that rental prices fell from about 15 thousand pounds to between 5 and 7 thousand pounds per month, pointing out that some shops became vacant as well, after they were occupied by Sudanese displaced people who opened small projects, such as restaurants, bakeries and clothes, before a large number of them left the country.

Relative stability in high -end areas

On the other hand, areas such as Dokki and engineers did not witness a significant influence, according to Muhammad Al -Aswani, a broker in the region, who indicated that the Sudanese were not intense in these neighborhoods, due to the high prices in them.

Al -Aswani told “Business” that the rents start from 10 thousand pounds and reach 95 thousand for large furnished apartments, noting that the owners in these areas raise the prices in an exaggerated manner to foreign tenants, as they are vital, upscale areas and close to government departments.

New decrease

The Director of the JLL Office Egypt, Ayman Sami, expected a decrease in rental prices during the first quarter of 2025, compared to the last quarter of 2024, which witnessed a significant increase in rents of about 108%, due to this previous jump to the significant increase in the prices of selling real estate units, which prompted some owners to raise rental prices to compensate for costs.

But Sami explained to “Business” that several factors will lead to a decline in rents at the beginning of this year, most notably the departure of a number of foreign residents, who were contributing to raising the demand, as well as continued inflation rates, the decline in the purchasing power of citizens, and the low bank interest rate, which causes some owners to provide rental facilities to maintain the occupancy of their units.

Arabic Source Net