Tiberias and Jerusalem Lead in Multiple-Property Investors in Early 2026

New data from the Israeli Ministry of Finance's Chief Economist Department reveals that Tiberias, Safed, and Jerusalem top the list for investors owning three or more properties during the first five months of 2026. The analysis shows a significant geographic shift in heavy investor activity compared to previous years, with a notable decline in such investors in the Lower Galilee, Haifa, and Tel Aviv regions.

According to Galit Ben Naim, Senior Deputy Chief Economist at the Ministry of Finance, the proportion of heavy investors, those holding at least three properties, has dropped to about 20% of all property purchases in early 2026. This equates to approximately 1,200 transactions over five months, or around 240 per month, marking a more than one-third decrease from 2024 when heavy investors accounted for roughly 30% of purchases, or about 4,500 properties annually.

The 2024 heavy investor landscape was dominated by Tel Aviv, where they made up one-third of investors, followed by Haifa and Beersheba at about 30%. By 2026, their share in Tel Aviv fell to 20%, Haifa’s to 16%, and Beersheba’s to 20%. In contrast, the Tiberias tax region, encompassing Upper Galilee and the Galilee Finger, now sees nearly 25% of investors classified as heavy, with Jerusalem close behind at 23%. Within Tiberias, 45% of investor purchases were by heavy investors, and Safed also showed high levels of such activity.

The data suggests that heavy investor activity is concentrated in cities with large Haredi (ultra-Orthodox Jewish) populations, a demographic historically associated with owning multiple properties. Politically, representatives of this community have been vocal opponents of increasing taxes on investors, resisting permanent hikes in purchase tax and agreeing only to temporary measures for coalition reasons.

This shift in investor geography and behavior reflects broader changes in Israel’s real estate market and investor strategies in 2026.