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....