Buying an apartment in Israel, step by step

The steps, in order

1. 1

   Set your budget and financing

   Banks generally lend up to 75% for a first home, 70% for a replacement home and 50% for an investment or a foreign resident. A mortgage broker (yoets mashkanta) compares banks and gets you an approval in principle.

   Find a broker
2. 2

   Search and compare

   Filter by city, budget and rooms, then compare with the price-per-m² map. Listings come straight from owners.

   See the price map
3. 3

   Check the price and the property

   Estimate the property online, visit, then have the Tabu extract (ownership, mortgages, liens), building permit and any debts checked.

   Estimate a property
4. 4

   Sign with a lawyer

   In Israel, the lawyer drafts or checks the contract, secures staged payments and registers the purchase at the Tabu. Choose one before you commit.

   Find a lawyer
5. 5

   Declare the purchase tax (mas rechisha)

   The purchase is reported to the tax authority within 30 days. The rate depends on your situation: single home, investment, and reduced rates for new immigrants, under conditions. Your lawyer handles it.

   Read our articles
6. 6

   Get the keys

   Home insurance (required by the bank for a mortgage), movers, cleaning, small works: all these professionals are on Yad le Yad.

   Vedere i professionisti

These guides give general pointers. For your specific situation, get advice from a lawyer or qualified professional.