Madlan Data Reveals Steep Costs for Israeli Homeowners Delaying Property Sales
Data from Madlan reveals that Israeli property sellers who fail to accept early offers face steep price cuts. Delaying a sale from two to six months can double required discounts, particularly in cities like Kiryat Ata and Hod HaSharon.
The shifting Israeli real estate market is reviving the golden rule of property sales: when the first serious buyer makes a realistic offer, sellers should close the deal. During the booming market of 2021 and early 2022, sellers could afford to wait for higher bids, confident that another buyer would appear the next day. Today, however, the landscape has shifted to a buyer's market, and serious purchasers are increasingly difficult to find.
Data published by Madlan highlights the financial risks of letting a property linger on the market. Properties that remain unsold after six months often require significantly steeper price cuts compared to those sold within the first two months. In several cities, the discount required after half a year doubles, turning a minor price adjustment into a substantial loss for the seller.
City-Specific Price Drops
Kiryat Ata and Hod HaSharon top the list of cities where discounts spike dramatically if a sale is delayed. In Kiryat Ata, the discount can reach up to 7.6% of the asking price over time. In Hod HaSharon, where average property values are significantly higher, the financial impact is even more pronounced. For a 4 million NIS apartment, the expected discount jumps from 132,000 NIS after two months to 256,000 NIS after six months—costing sellers an additional 124,000 NIS.
By contrast, cities like Petah Tikva show more moderate gaps, where a seller might increase a 99,000 NIS discount by roughly 48,000 NIS over the same period. Meanwhile, Hod HaSharon maintains one of the fastest average selling times in the country, with a median of 61 days on the market.
Other cities exhibit stable pricing adjustments over time. In Nahariya, Ramla, and Be'er Ya'akov, the percentage gap between a two-month and six-month sale hovers around 2.5%. Hadera and Rishon LeZion record even lower gaps of 1.7% to 1.8%, with average total discounts resting between 3.1% and 3.6%.
