In the smaller towns we went through, most of the houses looked like this on the top stories. It looked like either: a) there was a construction boom, or b) nobody finishes what they have started.
The reason for this is that typically families live together. When a son gets married, he and his wife move in with the parents. So the houses are left unfinished at the top so that when a son gets married and more people are going to live in the house, an addition can be built on the top floor.
Another explanation is that Egyptians do not like banks. If they had enough money to qualify for a loan, they would have enough money to pay for the house directly. Further, in times of very high inflation, it made no sense to hold your assets as cash since that diminished in value. Every time you have any extra money, buy to have the next piece of your house completed.
The reason for this is that typically families live together. When a son gets married, he and his wife move in with the parents. So the houses are left unfinished at the top so that when a son gets married and more people are going to live in the house, an addition can be built on the top floor.
Another explanation is that Egyptians do not like banks. If they had enough money to qualify for a loan, they would have enough money to pay for the house directly. Further, in times of very high inflation, it made no sense to hold your assets as cash since that diminished in value. Every time you have any extra money, buy to have the next piece of your house completed.
1 comment:
funny, when we were in Peru it was the same thing. The explanation there was that you don't pay taxes until your house is finished, net no one finished their house.
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