Real Estate Agents in Israel
At iKonnect, we are ‘real estate people’. The constantly changing and rapidly expanding world of Israeli property is an exciting landscape to us, and our greatest goal is to help you find your new home or investment with as little difficulty as possible. In Israel especially, the value of a good real estate agent goes well beyond the standard job specification.
Foreign buyers: do you really need a real estate agent?
The short answer is absolutely yes!
The long answer is that the Israeli property market – and the Israeli system in general – is wrapped top to bottom in bureaucracy and twists and turns, as well as details or customs that only an insider could know.
Do you know, for example, what property tax you’re expected to pay? It will vary on your nationality, residency, status, and whether you’ve owned a property before – and these factors could add or reduce the tax cost by a few percentages. Have you ever looked for a property and found yourself wishing the price was just a little lower? An experienced estate agent could tell you not only what the property is worth in their professional opinion, but also where you could haggle the price to – nobody expects to pay the asking price in Israel.
These are only two examples out of many that illustrate how a real estate agent with a knowledge of the local market can help to save you time and money – two things often in short supply when you’re trying to buy.
Customer service
Customer service standards in Israel are different. Linking up with a real estate agency – especially if that agency was founded by or is run by Americans – helps bridge the gap.
Aside from providing you with the best service, you’ll also be relieved to be able to communicate your needs and concerns in English. It’s true that many Israelis speak English to a communicable standard, but being able to speak or write in a professional capacity is much more rare.
iKonnect started when its founders – Americans new to Israel – noticed the differences in business practices, and formed a network to help their friends adapt to them. Three decades on, these founders are no longer new to Israel, and carry with them a cornucopia of experience and knowledge of the local real estate market.
Contacts
It’s not just who you are – it’s also who you know. Your knowledge of available apartments and houses will come from the Internet. The Internet shows only a small pool of properties, and what you see first will be influenced by an algorithm that doesn’t know you. A real estate agent will be aware of new, great quality housing before it’s even been built.
Word of mouth is a powerful tool in Israel, and professionals keep an ear to the ground for news on new housing projects. Moreover, those who are known in the industry and have good contacts may also be approached with upcoming building complexes that could be your next home or investment.
Even the savviest buyers, armed with lawyers and professional property appraisers, will be disadvantaged by a lack of personal contacts and longtime experience in the industry. To ensure you’re seeing the full breadth of the properties you could buy, consult a real estate agent.
A personal touch
Only you know what you need. Are you looking for a family home? How important is an Anglophone community to you? Do you keep Shabbat? Are you looking for an affordable investment that will support you into retirement?
All of these questions will drastically change where you can and should buy. An insider’s knowledge is a great tool for opening up new options, but it’s also important that those options take your identity and needs into account. The only thing worse than having no property at all is buying and being responsible for the wrong property for you.
For this reason, there’s nothing that can beat a face-to-face meeting with a real-life person, who knows your name, your lifestyle and your preferences. No matter who you are, there is a place for you in Israel – get in touch with us to help you find it.
