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Getting a Mortgage for Buying an Apartment in Israel — Everything You Need to Know

Meir Shua
Meir Shua

There are many stages in purchasing an apartment in Israel. One important stage is getting a mortgage that will allow you to leverage your equity and achieve the amount of money needed for buying the property. There are various types of mortgages, and the type that you choose will determine how much money you will return to the bank at the end of the day.

Our firm, which has branches in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, specializes in real-estate and land law. We provide our clients with legal advice and representation in a variety of areas, such as real-estate transaction negotiations, land taxation, rental contracts, registration of land rights, and mortgages.

This article brings you valuable information that will help you understand the process of taking a mortgage and will provide you with the tools to choose the best mortgage option for yourself.

During the process of taking a mortgage you will encounter many technical terms that are foreign to you, and we recommend that you take a look at our mortgage glossary to become familiar with the various aspects of the process.

getting a mortgage in Israel

WHAT IS A MORTGAGE?

A mortgage is a long-term loan given by the mortgage bank, which enables the buyer to reach the amount of money necessary to buy or renovate an apartment. The mortgage is composed of the principal and the interest that is paid to the bank in return for the loan. The interest rate may change depending on the prime interest rate, the consumer price index (CPI), and other factors that the mortgage bank includes when approving the mortgage.

Most apartment buyers in Israel need a mortgage loan. In the approval process, the bank conducts various checks regarding the lender’s financial situation and requests various documents to prove the lender’s income and financial stability, after which the bank decides whether to approve the mortgage.

FOR WHAT PURPOSES ARE MORTGAGES APPROVED?

As stated above, mortgage loans are usually needed for buying an apartment, but many people take a mortgage to renovate their home, buy a lot, buy commercial property, and so on.

A person who already owns a home may receive a mortgage loan for certain purposes if they need the money. They may request a regular loan, but, if they are eligible for a mortgage loan, this will allow them to receive a larger amount of money under much more convenient conditions.

Importantly, a relatively new rule of the Bank of Israel prevents the possibility of mortgaging existing property for the purpose of buying an additional flat.

WHAT TYPES OF MORTGAGE LOANS EXIST?

When negotiating with the mortgage bank, you should know what your options are. The various types of mortgages include different monthly return payment plans, as well as different amounts of return according to your choice and ability. Note that the amount of payment that you return monthly depends on the original amount of the loan and on the maximal length of time that the bank approves for returning the loan, which is usually no more than 30 years for young loaners and a shorter time for older loaners.

The types of loans are as follows:

  1. A fixed index-linked loan: In this type of loan, the interest rate is fixed – for example, 4.5% linked to the CPI. But the return rate also depends on the CPI. In the case of a currency inflation leading to a rise in the CPI, the return rate will increase, as well.
  2. A fixed loan that is not linked to the index: In this type of loan, you will be required to pay a fixed price throughout the mortgage return period. Even if the CPI rises significantly, and even if the interest rate that is set by the Bank of Israel increases and leads to a rise in the prime rate interest, you will still pay the same fixed amount.
  3. An anchor loan: In your agreement with the bank, you agreed to a fixed interest rate—which may only change at a predetermined time, if the situation changes. For example: If you have received a loan at a prime interest rate of 1%+ and the prime rate is 2.5%, the interest rate will be an unchanging 3.5%. After a certain period that you have agreed upon with the bank, the bank may change the interest rate if the prime rate has since increased. This loan is not index-linked.
  4. A prime loan: In this type of loan, the interest rate is composed of the prime rate + an interest rate set by the bank. This loan is not index-linked, but it may change if the Bank of Israel increases the prime interest rate. For example: In 2022, following the inflation, the Bank of Israel dramatically increased the interest rate, and anyone who took a prime loan that included the Bank of Israel’s interest rate experienced a significant increase in the monthly mortgage return payments.
    The prime mortgage cannot be more than a third of the total sum.
  5. A loan linked to a foreign currency: In this type of loan, the return rate depends on the foreign currency of your choice, in addition to an interest rate set by the bank. For example: If you choose a 3.5% Euro-linked loan and the Euro loses its value compared to the Israeli shekel, your monthly return rate will decrease.

HOW DO YOU REQUEST A MORTGAGE?

When you ask the bank for a mortgage, usually via a mortgage broker of your choice, you must submit various documents that are needed to prove your financial stability, as well as documents for registering the mortgage in the land registry (Tabu). The request is submitted after receiving initial approval and opening a file.

When taking a mortgage, you are advised to choose a professional mortgage broker who will save you a lot of money by recommending the option with the most convenient interest rate under your circumstances. If you don’t have a broker to represent you, you may submit your request online via the website of the mortgage bank or directly at the bank branch.

The required documents are a sale contract; bank statements; pay slips; a power of attorney authorizing the bank to register your mortgage; a certificate signed by the seller that confirms his having received the money, as well as the seller’s bank information; a commitment to register the mortgage, authenticated by a lawyer; an appraiser’s evaluation of the property’s value; and additional documents, as required by the bank.

APPROVAL AND REGISTRATION OF THE MORTGAGE:

After you submit your request for a mortgage, the bank will examine the documents and decide whether to approve your request and under what conditions. After the approval, a procedure will begin for registering the mortgage and transferring the money by the mortgage bank directly into the account of the seller under the conditions of the sale contract.

CANCELING AND REFINANCING YOUR MORTGAGE:

After you complete your return payments for the mortgage loan, you must submit a request to cancel it. The request must be submitted to the real-estate registrar, who will then eliminate the warning note that gives the bank certain rights over the property. You must also submit a request to the Registrar of Pledges to cancel your pledge, and the Registrar will then cancel the original registration of the mortgage loan. Canceling the mortgage registration is the responsibility of the mortgage bank, but it is recommended that you make sure this is done.

You may also refinance your mortgage to improve the current loan conditions. In other words, if you have taken a mortgage for your apartment and have later received a better offer in terms of the interest rate and the number of payments, you have the option of refinancing your mortgage, which is a similar process to canceling the mortgage and taking a new one.

If you wish to enter such a procedure, we recommend reading our article on mortgage refinancing, which will provide you with answers to a variety of questions on the topic, as well as a detailed explanation about the procedure.

IN SUMMARY:

As recommended above, before taking a mortgage you should choose a professional mortgage broker who will help you choose the cheapest mortgage option. It is important to know that the gaps between the various mortgage options may reach tens of thousands of Israeli shekels.

If you are planning to purchase a flat and need advice on the matter or on any other matter related to real estate, contact Decker, Pex, Levi today. We have branches in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv and we specialize in Israeli civil law. If you have any further questions, I and my colleagues will be happy to help.

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