Housing Prices Drive Young Couples Back to Israeli Periphery as Deals Surge
Soaring housing costs in central Israel are pushing young families toward the periphery, where affordable apartments trade at a fraction of central prices despite lacking protected spaces.
Rising housing prices in central Israel are driving many young couples and former residents to return to the periphery, where apartments cost a fraction of the prices in cities like Tel Aviv or Haifa. While a three-room older apartment in the center can easily reach 3.5 million NIS, similar properties in northern and southern cities are offered at significantly lower prices.
Recent real estate transactions highlight this trend. Apartments lacking a protected space (mamad) trade at steep discounts as buyers increasingly prioritize safety, yet their affordability ranging from 600,000 to 850,000 NIS attracts young families entering the housing market.
Transactions recorded by RE/MAX over the weekend illustrate the stark regional price differences. In Nahariya, a 55-square-meter 2.5-room apartment on Zamenhof Street sold for 625,000 NIS. In Acre, a 70-square-meter three-room apartment on Jerusalem Street fetched 850,000 NIS. Beersheba saw a 76-square-meter three-room apartment on Bnei Or Street sold for 600,000 NIS, while an 83-square-meter four-room unit on Shlomo HaMelech Street went for 1.19 million NIS. In Karmiel, a 74-square-meter three-room apartment on Yechiam Street traded at 830,000 NIS.
Meanwhile, central and coastal markets command much higher valuations. In Holon, a 100-square-meter four-room apartment with a balcony on Yigal Yadin Street sold for 2.45 million NIS. Ashdod recorded the sale of a 128-square-meter four-room apartment with a protected space on Tel Hai Street for 2.14 million NIS. In Shoham, a 130-square-meter five-room apartment on HaEtrog Street reached 3.7 million NIS.
Additional deals in Harish, where prices per square meter range between 14,000 and 16,000 NIS, include a 111-square-meter garden apartment on HaAhdut Street sold for 1.45 million NIS, a 118-square-meter five-room unit for 1.65 million NIS, and a 77-square-meter three-room apartment for 1.21 million NIS.
Secondary market transactions reported by Anglo Saxon franchises further demonstrate market breadth. In Ramla, a 50-square-meter two-room apartment on Elazar Street sold for 1.25 million NIS. In Netanya, a 139-square-meter five-room apartment on Nitsa Boulevard fetched 3.4 million NIS. Haifa recorded a 95-square-meter 4.5-room apartment on Beit Lehem Street sold for 1.8 million NIS, and a 98-square-meter four-room apartment on HaTishbi Street traded at 1.645 million NIS. In Kiryat Gat, a 90-square-meter four-room apartment on Avnei HaChoshen Boulevard sold for 1.8 million NIS, while a similar unit on Lachish Boulevard went for 1.7 million NIS.
