Know how to buy a home in Israel — and what to buy. Free tools to check the numbers yourself, honest guidance on where to live and invest, and one team for everything else: attorneys, a mortgage broker, and vetted new-construction projects.
A home in Israel is one of the biggest decisions your family will make, from thousands of miles away. Our job is to make you a confident buyer first. When you're ready, we make buying simple.
Free webinars and calls on the process, the costs, and how Israeli law protects buyers, in plain English.
We identify the areas worth living and investing in, and show you the reasoning, not just the answer.
Free tools to test the numbers, compare areas against your priorities, and see what to verify before signing.
When you're ready: attorneys, a mortgage broker, and vetted new-construction projects, all in one place.
Want help filling them in? Book a call and we'll go through them with you.
Enter a price in dollars and your situation to see the down payment, taxes, and fees you'll need in cash, in dollars and shekels. Defaults are typical estimates: replace them with real quotes as you get them. Nothing is saved or sent.
Banks lend against the lower of price and appraisal. Appraisals often come in below the price, and you cover the gap in cash.
Up to 75% for your situation. Your bank may approve less depending on income.
Depends on the price and your status: a first home, an oleh's benefits, or an additional home are taxed differently, and the brackets change every January. Your attorney or the Israel Tax Authority's purchase-tax simulator gives the exact figure in shekels; enter its dollar value here. We'll calculate it with you on a call.
Usually none when buying new from the developer
Ask your bank or broker
A professional check for defects
An educational estimate, not financial, tax, or legal advice. Israeli costs are paid in shekels, so the dollar amounts move with the exchange rate. Loan limits shown are typical maximums; your bank decides based on your income and circumstances. Always confirm figures with a qualified mortgage broker and attorney before you commit.
Decide how much each factor matters to your family, then rate up to three areas you're considering from 1 (poor) to 5 (excellent). The scores show which fits your priorities best.
| What matters | How much | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Community & synagoguesThe kind of community you want around you | ||||
| Schools & educationOptions for your children's ages and needs | ||||
| Commute & transportWork, family, and getting around without a car | ||||
| Fits the budgetPrices you can afford for the size you need | ||||
| Lifestyle & amenitiesParks, shops, healthcare, things to do | ||||
| Future developmentPlanned infrastructure and how the area is changing | ||||
| Rental demandWho would rent here, if you rent it out | ||||
| Fit with your priorities | —Not rated yet | —Not rated yet | —Not rated yet | |
Ratings are yours: base them on visits, research, and conversations. Nothing is saved or sent. On a consultation call, we'll walk through the areas we know well and why.
Enter your own figures in dollars. Calculations run in your browser; nothing is saved or sent.
Contract price of the apartment
Purchase tax, legal fees, other closing costs
Based on comparable rentals you've researched
Management, maintenance, insurance, vacancy allowance
Gross yield
—
Annual rent ÷ purchase price
Net yield
—
Net annual income ÷ total invested
A simplified, pre-tax estimate for education only. It excludes financing, index linkage, currency effects, and appreciation, and is not investment advice.
Enter the price in dollars and the payment schedule from your contract or offer. Each payment is shown in dollars and in shekels at today's rate. Nothing is saved or sent.
Israeli contracts are priced in shekels; we convert for you.
| Payment | % of price | Dollars | Shekels | Remove |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | — | |||
| — | — | |||
| — | — | |||
| Total | — | — | — |
Payments in Israeli pre-sales are often linked to a construction-cost index, so later payments may be higher than shown. Each payment is made in shekels, so its dollar cost depends on the rate on the day you pay: plan for a range, not one rate. Educational estimate only.
Work through this with your attorney before you sign. Your progress is remembered in this browser only.
0 of 13 checked
A general checklist, not legal advice.
The capital, in Jerusalem stone.
You've decided to come home. Now you need the right home, in the right place, for the right reasons.
Buy now as an investment and a first step toward Israel, on a timeline that suits your family.
We identify the areas worth your attention, explain the reasoning, and help you run the numbers on any unit.
Attorneys we work with who represent you, not the developer: contract, specification, guarantees, and registration.
Help comparing Israeli bank offers as a foreign resident or new oleh, from approval in principle to signing.
Projects we've checked before we show them to you: the developer, the location, the guarantees, and the terms.
General information, not legal advice. For further reading, see Nefesh B'Nefesh's guide to purchasing an apartment in Israel (opens in a new tab).
Decide what the home is for (living, investing, or both) and budget for more than the price: purchase tax, legal fees, upgrades, and furnishing.
If you're financing, the bank's approval in principle (ishur ekroni) comes first. Buyers living in North America are usually asked for tax returns and credit history.
Community, schools, commute, future development, demand. Compare the areas you're considering with the area fit finder.
Compare developers, locations within the area, specifications, and payment terms. Visit if you can, or tour remotely with us.
Your attorney confirms land rights, zoning, and permits. An engineer or architect can review the plans and specification. Ask for layout changes early.
Developers often take a reservation fee to hold a unit while the contract is prepared. Speak to your attorney before signing any preliminary document (zichron devarim).
Negotiate price and terms, then sign with your attorney beside you. A warning note (he'arat azhara) is registered to record your right to the apartment.
The bank completes the loan once there's a signed contract. Payments follow the contract's schedule, each one secured as the law requires.
Purchase tax (mas rechisha) is reported and paid within the legal deadline after signing. Municipal tax (arnona) and the building fee (va'ad bayit) start once you take possession.
Inspect the apartment carefully at handover and report defects within the legal periods. Ownership is registered in your name once the building is registered, which can take time.
The developer's lawyer represents the developer. Through our team you'll work with an Israeli real-estate attorney who represents you, reviewing the contract, the specification, and the guarantees on your behalf. Use the before-you-sign checklist to follow along.
Please note: this section is a general, educational overview and is not legal advice. Laws change, and how they apply depends on the project, the contract, and your circumstances. Consult a licensed Israeli attorney before making any decision.
A shul, a circle of friends, or a group of families who want to build their next chapter side by side. We help you find an area and a project that can serve the whole group.
Parents, grown children, siblings: close enough to share Shabbat, with each household in its own home. We help coordinate units that work for every generation.
Want to bring your community home?
Tell us who's involved and what you're looking for. We'll set up a call with the organizers to map out the options.
Free live webinar · Online
A clear, practical introduction for families planning Aliyah and for buyers taking a first step through investment. No sales pitch — just the knowledge you need to decide well.
What we'll cover
Register and we'll email you the date, time, and join link for the next live session.
Reserve your free seat
Takes less than a minute.
In person · Miami, Florida
An evening in person to learn how buying new construction in Israel works, ask your questions face to face, and meet others on the same journey.
Be the first to know
Leave your details and we'll notify you as soon as the date and venue are confirmed.
Homeward Israel helps families in North America buy homes in Israel, starting with knowledge. We teach how the process works, help you find the right area, and give you the tools to check every number yourself.
When you're ready, we're a one-stop shop: Israeli real-estate attorneys, a mortgage broker, and vetted new-construction projects bought pre-sale with the builder's guarantee. One team, from your first question to your keys.
Every conversation should leave you knowing more, whether or not you ever buy through us.
We give you the tools to check our numbers and our advice yourself.
We explain the risks as clearly as the advantages, and we'll tell you when something isn't the right fit.
Yes. The upfront cash calculator, area fit finder, rental yield estimator, payment planner, and before-you-sign checklist are free to use, with no sign-up. They run in your browser and nothing you enter is sent to us.
It depends on what you need the home for: living, investing, or both. On a consultation call or webinar, we'll share the areas we're focused on and the reasoning behind them, then you can compare them against your own priorities with the area fit finder.
Before we show you a new-construction project, we check it: the developer, the location, the guarantees that secure buyers' payments, and the contract terms. You and your own attorney still review everything before you sign.
No. Non-residents can buy property in Israel. Many of the people we work with buy now as an investment and a first step, and decide about Aliyah later. Tax treatment and financing can differ depending on your status, so we'll help you understand what applies to you and point you to the right professionals.
Pre-sale means buying an apartment in a new project before construction is complete — often early in the process. Developers offer pre-sale pricing to early buyers, which is typically discounted compared with buying later. In exchange, you wait for the building to be completed and pay according to a schedule set out in your contract.
Israeli law requires developers selling apartments before delivery to secure buyers' payments — most commonly through a bank guarantee, or another security the law permits. In many projects, payments are made through payment vouchers into a bank-supervised project account. See our Buyer Protections overview above, and always have your own Israeli attorney review the specifics. This is general information, not legal advice.
Yes. The developer's attorney represents the developer. You need a licensed Israeli real-estate attorney who represents you, reviewing the contract, the technical specification, and the guarantees before you sign. We work with attorneys we can introduce you to, or you can use your own.
Israeli banks do lend to foreign residents and to new immigrants, but eligibility, terms, and financing limits depend on your residency status and circumstances. Our mortgage broker can help you compare offers and get approval in principle before you sign.
New immigrants may be eligible for certain benefits connected to buying a home — for example, a potential reduction in purchase tax within defined time windows and conditions. Benefits and rules change, so we walk you through the current picture and recommend confirming your eligibility with the relevant authorities and a qualified advisor.
Yes, and we encourage it when possible. If you can't travel right away, we can walk you through the plans, the specification, and the neighborhood remotely, and help you plan a visit.
Yes. We help communities and extended families find projects that can accommodate several buyers and coordinate the process. Each household signs its own contract and receives its own legal protections.
We'll explain our arrangement with our developer partner openly on your consultation call, so you know exactly how we work before you decide anything. Educational resources like our webinars are free.
No. Everything here is general and educational. Please consult a licensed Israeli attorney and qualified tax and financial professionals about your specific situation before making any decision.
What to expect
Prefer email?
hello@homewardisrael.com
