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Short Summary
Main recommendation: Be patient, flexible, and gratitude-focused when buying and building a home in Israel, since the process of buying "on paper" and waiting for construction can take years. The host and her family spent about three years searching for a home, then roughly two years waiting for their apartment to be built, and she expresses gratitude despite the process being sometimes embarrassing and inconvenient.
Key Points
- Buying in Israel often means purchasing "on paper," where you buy according to plans before the building is constructed, so you must wait for completion.
- The family rented for years and looked at about twenty properties and projects, nearly buying four or five, before finally purchasing an apartment on paper.
- Projects can stall due to construction issues, financial considerations, buyers or sellers pulling out, and delays.
- Some buildings allow customization within reason, such as moving plumbing a few feet, so buyers should check that their specifications were met during construction.
- A neighboring apartment unexpectedly came up for sale just before move-in, and buying it added expense and required cutting back on other finishes like window treatments and light fixtures.
Details Worth Noting
- Concrete instructions: After closing on an apartment in Israel, begin immediately with your plumbing plan, electrical plans, and tile selection. The host contracted a builder/designer, Mark Brown, principal at Metropolitan Israel, whose firm designs, builds, and furnishes homes.
- Concrete instructions: Visit the site regularly during construction to verify specifications, such as checking that tiles are not laid upside down.
- Concrete instructions: Consider natural stone like travertine for flooring, which the host describes as warm, natural, and suitable for an indoor/outdoor feel.
- Concrete instructions: Plan storage for smaller spaces; the host used affordable IKEA racks for clothes and other storage.
- The host notes that adding a neighboring apartment required trading off window treatments, light fixtures, and some doors and closets.
- Standard new construction in Israel may come with bare bulbs hanging from the ceiling, so budget for light fixtures.
Bottom Line
Buying a home in Israel through "on paper" construction demands long-term patience and planning, but the host's experience suggests that keeping perspective and gratitude makes the wait bearable.
