Historically, apartments in Israel were small, damp and crowded. “Luxury” was a light fixture instead of a bare light bulb. Today, Israelis are working harder than ever throughout the day and into the night. They want their homes to be comfortable spaces to live and work, to reflect their success. Owners can customize apartments to...

Debbie Goldfischer of Buy-It In Israel will be joining the delegation of real estate representatives in the annual “Israel Property Exhibition” in London. The event will take place on Sunday 3 April, 2016 at Kinloss Synagogue, Finchley between 10.00am and 6.00pm.

Americans wishing to invest in residential real estate in Israel should consider both the US and the Israeli tax implications of their investment. While Israel imposes different taxes on foreign investment in Israeli real estate, the US has a policy of taxing its citizens on worldwide income and reserves the right to disregard most provisions...

With the operation of a Shabbat control mode, an elevator will stop automatically on a certain floor and its doors will open, hence allowing users to step in and out without having to press any buttons. Otherwise it would be prohibited to use an elevator on Shabbat because pressing the button to operate the elevator closes a circuit, which violates the prohibition of building on Shabbat, which is considered a form of labor.

When buying or renting a property in Israel it is important to find out if and how the building is maintained and the magnitude of the fees involved, before signing a contract. In Israel the maintenance or management of an apartment building is determined by a committee of homeowner representatives called Vaad Bayit or building committee.

The builder (‘kablan’) is showing me plans of new homes in Israel that I’m considering buying. The plans look great.  But does that mean that this home is right for me? The location is good; the price is within budget, and from what I can understand of his color brochure, the layout is practical.  It looks...

When buying property in Israel, one should bear in mind that there is a wide range of names given to the different types of homes which reflect both their form of structure and their degree of privacy.

Many foreign residents purchasing real estate in Israel are surprised by the prevalence of illegal extensions to the apartments they view prior to finding the property they will ultimately purchase. This phenomenon has its roots in many different factors, including the complicated and drawn out process for obtaining building rights and permits in Israel; the costs involved which can...

When dealing with real estate in Israel, the metric system is the standard system of measurement. The size of a property is recorded as either bruto (gross area) or netto (net area). The bruto includes common space such as elevator shaft, stairwell and area beneath walls. Netto is the actual living space of the property and does not include storage room (machsan), balcony (mirpeset), garden, parking area or garbage room.

Zev Shalev ז”ל was a dear friend, regular contributor, and professional advisor to Buyitinisrael.   For more than twenty-five years Zev was a residential space planner, primarily, although not exclusively, for the English-speaking, observant community in Israel and abroad.  His fields of specialization were creative space utilization in general, and planning kitchens and bathrooms in particular....