Israeli Cities Offer Affordable Housing Amidst Rising Prices Elsewhere
Translated & summarized from Ice by baba
Cities like Harish and Kiryat Gat are offering more affordable housing options for families priced out of major Israeli urban centers. Harish has seen a recent drop in prices for second-hand apartments, with deals including large balconies for around 1.35 to 1.47 million shekels. Despite affordability, some apartments in Harish remain unsold, possibly due to traffic or location. Other cities like Lod, Ramla, and Beersheba also show varied apartment prices, with a 4-room apartment in Beersheba selling for 900,000 shekels.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Harish and Kiryat Gat are becoming affordable alternatives for families priced out of Israeli cities.
- Harish is experiencing a trend of decreasing prices for relatively new second-hand apartments.
- A 4-room apartment with a large balcony in Harish sold for 1.35 million shekels.
- Despite lower prices, some apartments in Harish remain unsold, potentially due to traffic or location.
- A 4-room apartment in Beersheba sold for 900,000 shekels, while a larger one sold for 1.76 million shekels.
Cities like Harish and Kiryat Gat are becoming increasingly popular destinations for families priced out of more expensive areas in Israel. Residents who cannot afford homes in cities like Hadera or nearby rural communities are moving to Harish, often finding apartments at half the price. Kiryat Gat, particularly its new Karmey Gat neighborhood, is attracting families from Jerusalem, Modi'in, and southern cities with high housing costs.
Recently, there has been a noticeable trend of decreasing apartment prices in Harish, especially for relatively new second-hand units. Homeowners looking to upgrade are selling their current properties at lower prices. For example, a 105-square-meter, 5-room apartment with a 32-square-meter balcony, on the first floor of a five-story building, sold for 1.47 million shekels. Another 100-square-meter, 4-room apartment with a 26-square-meter balcony on the first floor sold for 1.35 million shekels. These deals highlight the availability of large balconies at competitive prices, even compared to cities like Ofakim and Netivot.
Despite Harish offering a more affordable solution for many couples, some apartments remain unsold, referred to as 'ghost apartments.' This suggests that even lower prices may not fully compensate for factors such as traffic arrangements within the town and its proximity to the Green Line. In Kiryat Gat, a 93-square-meter, 3.5-room apartment on the first floor sold for 1.2 million shekels, though it lacked a reinforced safe room (Mamad).
Other recent transactions include a 91-square-meter, 4-room apartment in Lod for 1.295 million shekels, a 70-square-meter, 3-room apartment in Lod for 1.2 million shekels, and a 68-square-meter, 3-room apartment in Lod with a Mamad for 1.275 million shekels. In Ramla, a 82-square-meter, 4-room garden apartment with a 25-square-meter garden sold for 1.43 million shekels. Beersheba saw a 90-square-meter, 4-room apartment sell for 900,000 shekels, while a larger 176-square-meter, 4-room apartment with a balcony sold for 1.76 million shekels.
