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.
To give a mortgage, the bank needs security: a right over the apartment that will let it collect the debt if the loan is not repaid. This right is registered wherever the rights to the apartment are registered.
Three possible places
- The Land Registry Office (Tabu) – most older apartments. The bank registers a mortgage on the property.
- The Israel Land Authority – when the land is owned by the state and the rights have not been registered in the Tabu. An undertaking to register a mortgage is recorded.
- A housing company – in new buildings not yet registered in the Tabu. The registration is made in the company's books.
Warning note
Until the mortgage is finally registered, a warning note (הערת אזהרה) is usually registered in favor of the bank (and in your favor as buyers). It prevents conflicting transactions in the property.
Why does it matter to you?
- Registration delays may delay the transfer of money from the bank.
- Registration problems (building violations, unsettled inheritances, earlier liens) can stop the mortgage.
- In an apartment from a contractor – final registration can take years. Buying from a contractor
Elia's tip: Ask your lawyer to check the property's registration status before signing the contract. A registration problem discovered late can delay the whole deal.
More: lawyer fees when 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.