You found the place to get up-to-date information, tools, and advice for helping you make sound decisions throughout the process of buying, building and maintaining a home in Israel. All this is brought to you by our editor, professional in-house staff and selected experts in their respective fields.
Why it may be the right time to buy property in Israel despite a low dollar-shekel rate
The dollar-shekel rate reached a historic low last week. Most foreigners automatically assume that this will make it more difficult to buy a home in Israel, yet there are several ways to reduce the impact of the exchange rate on a property purchase. Those who buy a new property now can pay just 20% of... Read more
Which cities in Israel will be transformed by urban renewal?
A recent analysis found that the vast majority of urban renewal projects in Israel are planned and implemented only in the center of the country — in Tel Aviv and its neighboring cities, where land values justify undertaking such projects. The city expected to have the most extensive urban renewal is Bat Yam, which is... Read more
Will home prices in Israel continue to rise in 2021?
Money is cheap, investment buyers are back, and construction rates are steadily declining. All signs indicate that 2021 will be a year of continued rising home prices in Israel, unless the Covid-19 pandemic changes everything, once again. Anyone who has followed the Israel real estate scene in recent years knows that the residential market is... Read more
Mabat ha’Shuk December 2020 — a selection of real estate deals that took place in Israel
Despite a quasi-lockdown, the holiday of Chanuka, and another lockdown, many deals, of all different sizes, closed around the country as the year 2020 came to a close. The following is a selection of real estate deals that took place during the month of December 2020. The idea is to give our readers a general idea... Read more
Buying a pre-owned home in Israel: What will our attorney do during the negotiation process?
When purchasing a second-hand home in Israel, it is customary for the purchaser’s attorney to conduct negotiations with the vendor’s attorney by discussion, exchange of correspondence, and drafts of the contract of sale which reflect each party’s concept of how the transaction should be structured. The following is a selection of some of the more critical issues that a purchaser’s attorney will address during the process of a second-hand transaction: Read more
Non-homeowners in Israel eligible to receive NIS 100,000 grant toward apartment purchase in the periphery
The grant will be given to first-time homebuyers purchasing apartments of up to NIS 700,00 located in remote towns and cities in the periphery, including Tiberias, Nahariya, and Eilat. Since the 2021 budget has not yet been approved, the implementation of the program will be limited in scope. Financial commentators warn that it may lead... Read more
Israel mortgage guidelines have changed: What was the Bank of Israel thinking?
By Dani Schecter It’s been quite a month. Started off with a family vacation trip of a lifetime to Dubai, followed by my 40th birthday celebration. My wife got me an awesome watch, and my folks got me a super cool bike, my kids gave me lots of hugs and kisses, and other fun times... Read more
How will the upcoming elections in Israel impact the residential real estate market?
Going to the polls for the fourth time in two years will likely have a significant impact on the Israeli residential real estate market. The political instability increases the chances that the housing prices will continue to rise while making it more difficult than usual for the government to respond. Additionally, a major reform that... Read more
Urban Renewal Projects: the future of residential construction in Israel
The troubling combination of a shortage of building plots and a rapidly increasing population has led to a steady rise in the number of urban renewal projects in Israel over the past decade. Today, 20% of all new residential projects in Israel are either the demolition of old structures followed by new construction in its... Read more
Dramatic move as Bank of Israel increases component of mortgage linked to prime interest rate
This week, the Bank of Israel announced the raising of the restriction on the prime interest track in mortgage lending. Until now, borrowers have been limited to taking up to a third of their loan linked to the prime rate, which is considered to be the cheapest lending rate. Experts in the Israeli residential real... Read more