This document is an overview of the housing sector of Egypt. This review of the Egyptian mortgage market makes clear, the Egyptian government has begun the process of building out the institutional capacity and infrastructure necessary to grow a sector that will bring broad economic and social benefits. Housing investment is a key component of economic development, both because housing is a basic social need and because private home ownership is often an important source of capital for entrepreneurship at the grass roots level. A fully functioning housing market, including clearly defined titles to privately owned property, is an important element in the construction of a dynamic market economy. Developing mortgage finance helps low- and middle-income citizens to acquire ownership of housing and enables these citizens to turn housing assets into a source for financing small business activities.