Please note: advisory meetings and the service itself are provided in Hebrew only. These guides are here so you can read and understand the topic in your own language.
The lawyer is one of the most important players in a real estate deal. They protect you in the contract and make sure the apartment you are buying is really clean.
What does the lawyer do?
- Checking the property – registration, liens, notes, building violations. Registering a mortgage
- Negotiating and drafting the contract – payment schedule, handover date, conditions.
- Reporting to the Tax Authority – purchase tax, and also handling the seller's tax aspects.
- Registration – warning note, transfer of rights, registration of the mortgage.
- Coordination with the bank – documents, undertakings and letters of intent.
How much does it cost?
The fee in a second-hand deal is usually around 0.5%–1% of the apartment price + VAT (18%), and some lawyers charge a fixed amount. When buying from a contractor, the contractor often charges the buyers a fee for its own lawyer, in an amount capped by law, and it is worth having a lawyer of your own as well.
How to choose
- Real estate experience – not every lawyer does this day to day.
- Availability – a deal comes with time pressure.
- Transparent pricing – what is included and what is not (fees, registration).
Elia's tip: Do not choose a lawyer by price alone. A mistake in the contract can cost many times more than the difference in fees.
More: all the costs of buying an apartment.
This article is general information and is not personal advice or a commitment. Rules, interest rates and taxes change from time to time, so check the current situation and your own figures before any decision.