Moving to Israel – Finding an Apartment

If you are planning on moving to Israel, finding an apartment might seem like a daunting task.

Don’t worry, I have your back!

Here are some super-valuable steps you should follow to help you find an apartment in Israel much, much faster.

1st – Determine your budget

Before you move to Israel and start your apartment search, you need to know how much you can actually afford to pay for rent.

As I’m sure you already know, rent in Israel can be very, very expensive depending on where you live.

This means you will need to count up your savings and income and check your actual budget – not including buying furniture, setting up water and gas and power, and the cost of moving your personal items from point “a” to point “b”.

An additional tip you can try to follow is to make sure you are not paying more than 30-35% of your income on monthly rent.

This will help you to narrow down your search and ensure that you can afford the cost of rent – without hurting your ability to possibly save some money.

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2nd – Research Different Neighborhoods in Israel and Decide Where You Want to Live

Israel has many, many different cities with a variety of different neighborhoods that you might want to move to.

Key thing: They all have apartments you can rent. Here are the names of a couple of popular cities to live in: Jerusalem, Tel Aviv-Yafo, Haifa, Rishon LeZion, Petah Tikva, Netanya, and Holon

Do the research to find the best neighborhoods that meet your needs, such as proximity to public transportation, schools, and places to work.

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3rd – Start to Check / Use the Available Online Resources

You can find apartment listings on a variety of website.

For Example : Yad2 (make sure you use Google Translate when searching as this website is in Hebrew only), WinWin, Yango, and various Facebook groups.

These websites / sources will all allow you to filter by location, price range, and of course – you can also see photos of the apartments.

I suggest you check the above websites everyday as the best apartments go very quickly!

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4th – Go See the Apartment(s)

Before you move in, inspect the potential apartment and keep your eyes out for any damages or issues.

This will help you to avoid getting a bad apartment and having any disputes with the landlord to ask for repairs.

**Pro tip – Check the apartment once during the day and once during the night to see how the neighborhood and neighbors might behave at different times.

5th – Read, and Reread, and Review the Contract

Before you move into any apartment, ask to have a copy of the contract… prior to the contract signing meeting.

This way you can make sure you are aware and agree with all of the terms within.

You should use Google translate, or a trusted friend to help you with understanding the Hebrew.

You will want to check for early lease cancelation options, down payment options, and potential maintenance / repair liability and responsibility guarantees – in the contract you plan to sign.

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In Conclusion…

Finding an apartment in Israel might be a challenging process, but if you follow the steps above – you will make the process easier and less stressful.

Take your time to find an apartment that meets your needs and budget, and be sure to ask questions and review the lease agreement carefully.

Good Luck!