Purchase, sale and lease of apartments in Israel

The Israeli law, especially the Land statute of 1970, considers land ownership in Israel, including vacant land, buildings and apartments, a premier property right that requires strict registration and preservation.

For this reason, Israel has developed a registration system of land rights, which is constitutive. The registry is the creator of ownership.

Each parcel of land is defined by its position. It is a part of a large block that has a unique number. The parcel itself also has a unique number of its own. In the case of a tenement, the house is defined as a condominium and each apartment receives it’s unique number, a sub-parcel number. The combination of the block, parcel and sub-parcel number creates a unique identifier for each real estate property in Israel.

The department of Justice operates a Registration Office in which all ownerships are registered. The registration is public record and everyone can apply for a statement for a small fee.

In Israel, real estate property transactions require a binding document – an agreement – in writing.

In a real estate contract, you will find an exact identifier for the property. That allows for a peace of mind from a buyer’s side since at least identifying the land and its owner is not an issue.

After the conclusion of the transaction, the new owner’s rights are registered under his name at the land registration office.