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Israeli Real Estate Terms and You

Meir Shua
Meir Shua

Are you planning on investing in Israeli real estate? Land purchase in the Holy Land involves a whole parcel of complicated terms and conditions that foreign investors may find confusing. In this article, a real estate attorney will go over the most basic Israeli Real Estate Terms you may encounter when attempting to purchase land in Israel.

Israel Land Authority (ILA):

The government body which regulates, and manages all lands belonging to the State of Israel. It directly administers all Jewish National Fund and Israeli State-owned lands, which constitute 93% of the land in Israel.

Israeli Real Estate Terms and You

Privately Owned Land:

The other seven percent of the land in Israel, which is owned by neither the Jewish National Fund nor the State.

Registry:

Registering an individual’s name with rights to a specific property or home at the Israel Land Authority (see below) which constitutes legal proof as far ownership of the rights of the real estate property in question is concerned.

Israel Land Authority

The authority which registers and facilitates the transfer of residential and land rights. It also handles rezoning of land, permits for building additions, as well as leases of agricultural land.

Land Registration Bureau:

The local physical registry (offices) of the Israel Land Authority, where registry is performed by an attorney. Registration in the land registry extract (the “Tabu”) at the local bureau is the only legally guaranteed form of Land registration in Israel.

Warning Mark:

A note at the Land Registration Bureau marking a commitment by a current individual owner of the rights to a certain property to make a change or refrain for making a change in their relationship to the property, often registered in favor of another person. In other words, this a often a commitment to sell or refrain from selling a property under certain conditions.

Escrow:

The period of time between agreeing to the terms of a sale and the signing of a contract to buy the property. This is the period during which investigation of the property generally takes place.

Purchase Tax:

Tax paid to the Israel government for buying a property, calculated relative to the value of the property.

Arnona:

Local municipal tax, calculated relative to the size and location of the property. Generally paid on a monthly basis by whoever has use of the property, rather than by the owner alone.

Block:

The largest categorization size in the land registry, approximately equal to a city block. A registry block is made up of smaller “parcels”.

Parcel:

The second-largest categorization size in the land registry. Approximately the size of an apartment building. A parcel is made up of sub-parcels.

Subparcel:

The smallest categorization, about the size of a single apartment.

Contact an Israeli real estate lawyer:

If you need help understanding the terms of an Israel real estate agreement or want an expert’s help in drafting and amending the terms of a real estate investment in Israel, our law office in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem is at your service. Contact us for help:

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