Buying a home

A good Article from Arutz - 7 about steps to but a home

http://www.israelnationalnews.com/Special/Real.aspx/125015

Digging out!

Montreal Dec. 16 .... why am I still here??

Montreal Dec 3rd. 10:05 am or reason for Aliyah #47

"Nuff said

Sunset from Neve Daniel

(courtesy M.Berger)

How to buy a house in Israel

After a long, long process I though I would post my top 10 tips on how to purchase property in Israel from abroad. For any more information, please email.. and ill try to help.....

here we go.....

1) Be realistic about time frame

- Likely won’t be able to finalize purchase on a 10-14 day trip.
- Get everything set up to purchase from abroad, this is your mission.



2) Steps that must be taken prior to purchase ( i.e things to do on the trip that will et you purchase from abroad)

- Sign over Power of Attorney to your lawyer
- Mortgage broker – start application prior to trip
- Open a bank account- not necessarily bank you will have mortgage with
- Meet your engineer / property inspector
- Meet Vaad Klitah of yishuv, ask them if there are any preconditions to buy

3) Don’t underestimate amount you will need for a downpayment
- Expect down payments of 35-40% (especially over the “Green Line”)
- Unlike in the US/ Canada, its more downpayment that limits you

4) Understanding the sequence of events
- Putting an offer
- Contract negotiations
- Pre approval on mortgage BEFORE signing contract
- Inspection by engineer before signing contract
- Sign contract.. once you do tehre is no turning back


5) Specify how long from signing until the bank makes the payment
- Normally 30 days… try to double it!
- There is alot of paper work etc...



6) Property evaluation….
- Even after a written pre approval bank, there is a clause that they will only give you percentage based evaluator
- Get this done early (before signing if possible)
- Or have stipulation in contract

7 Be wary about buying into a project
- Many people have done it
- Most people find it extremely demanding doing it from there
- Benefit of payment in steps
- More for do it yourself type


8) Put aside money for fees…

a. Lawyers fee
b. Mortgage broker fees
c. maas rechisha
d. cost of inspection
e. cost of evaluation
f. cost of opening Tik for mortgage
g. property insurance ( requires credit rating, now from Canada as well)


9) Try meet people, email before trip…. To get a sense if they are people that fit your personality, you will be dependent on them!!

10) Rights lost: ( not so significant anymore)

- Maas rechisha reduction ( unless purchase within year)

- Government mortgage


Hope this helps.......

Beautiful Quebec

Anyone following the news here in Quebec, and the "reasonable accommodation" issue, knows that the issue of ani-semitism has once again become socially acceptable.

Recently in a small community just an hour north of Montreal , where many Chassidic Jews have set up their country homes, the "locals" have become quite agressive in their xenophobia. its not tha tI think they were ever not anti semitic, but they are certainly more vocal.. here is an quote from the town hall meeting... published in todays Montreal Gazette....

"Lise Provencher, of St. Jérôme, said immigrants are "buying their way in" to Quebec and that Jews are the worst because they're "the most powerful. ... It's always been said that the Jews are the trampoline of money in the world." After she spoke, the crowd applauded."

She did not say Hassidic Jews or orthodox Jews... just Jews.... and everyone applauds......

my reaction to this.... please see the last 2 posts and pictures below........
Its history... the cycle just repeats itself...... and peopel are still blind.....

for full story
http://www.canada.com/montrealgazette/news/story.html?id=21f1fe81-efc9-4d66-a608-afd1abf3dde1

Our House.. is a very very very nice house

We Signed on a house!!

Can't believe it...... we are very excited .. ( and adequately nervous)......

now on to the Mortgage signing......

yes, you must have a signed contract to get the mortgage... .. B'H for pre -approvals in writing!

The Mortgage

Here is how the Mortgage process has been so far...

Leumi: we will give you 70% and you only have to put 20% down to start

Me: Great!

Leumi: ummm.. no we really mean we will give you 60% and you have to put 40% down

Me: WHAAAT!

Leumi: ummmm we really mean we will give you 65% and you only have to put 20% down.

Me: Better but you promised me 70%!

Leumi: umm actually we can give you 65% and you really need to put 35% down.

Me: WHAT! #@#$##!!!!

Leumi: sorry.. This exhibit is closed........

Me: Bank Tefachot .. hello?

Tefachot: Thank you for applying, we will give you an answer in 48 hours.

Me ( 1 week later): Tefachot.. hello? hello?

... and all my friends here in Montreal are getting 95% mortgage approved in 12 hours... ..
AAAAARGH!

It's been a while!

Wow… it’s been a long time since my last post… things have been pretty hectic here with Pesach and all.

Got back from Kuujuaq ok… then went straight into Pesach mode. Work has been pretty busy as I have less then 3 months left to my fellowship.

The big news is that we booked our tickets for our summer trip! We will be coming G-D willing from Jul 4-17th. We will be visiting a few communities ( Neve Daniel, Rosh Tzurim, Maale Adumim, Neve Tzuf) with the intention of finding something to purchase. If we can’t find something to buy, ill be back at the end of the winter to find a rental….

Anyway, pretty excited about the trip and a bit nervous…. I really hope we find our place…

Rosh Tzurim

Back from Cuba, had a great time.... the weather was amazing.... it was just very relaxing......


ok.. back to buisness. Im usually pretty good at finding things on the 'net and can usually find what im looking for, except with Rosh Tzurim, one of the yishuvim in the gush that we are planning on visiting. I Just cant find any pictures of the yishuv.
If anyone out there is reading and has any, please send them over to almostaliyah@gmail.com.. Thanks!

Maale Adumim

The first place we ever conisdered in Israel was Maale Adumim. i'll never forget the first time driving into the city... it is truly amazing. Driving throuh the different neighborhoods you cant help but be amazed at the cleanliness and beauty.... all this and only 10 minutes from Jerusalem on a great new highway!

Mitzpe Nevo was the community we were most interested in, a dati Leumi community within a larger mixed city. We have continued to hear so many good things about maale adumim and mitzpe nevo, with an emphasis on the warmth of the community... Oh and mitzpe nevo has a great Carlebach minyan as well!

The major iss ue for us was financial... we were initially interested in the new project in Mitzpe Nevo , but it is a bit out of our price range. If for the approximate price we could get a "second hand" home .. that would be a major consideration.. the only issue is there are very few ( if any) homes available as people dont want to leave!!!!

Anyway, if anyone has any leads in the home department ..... please feel free...... we will be in Israel B'H in July and would love to visit again........

Communities 2

Shavuah tov....

after that long post about communities, ill try to narrow it down to the top contenders...

To preface, i must say that we are looking for a community that:
- driving distance to Jerusalem
- Warm, friendly community
- down to earth people
- dati with Torah values but tolerant of others



1) Neve Daniel / Elazar:

Both in the gush, both very expensive. weare a bit concerned about the "warmth" in Neve Daniel.

2) Rosh Tzurim:

Looks like a good fit. New housing, green spaces, close to Jerusalem.

3) Neve Tzuf:

Looks amazing. many services, forest, pool! but we cant buy a home straight off and it is a distance to Jerusalem.

B'H we are planning the next trip for July... Hopefully we will find our place

Communities

We have spent much of the last 2 years looking at various communities around Jerusalem where I will be working. After 2 trips, here are the top choices....


1) Neve Daniel:

http://www.nbn.org.il/social/community/community_gush.htm#neve

http://www.gush-etzion.org.il/nevedaniel.asp

PRO'S:

- Proximity to Jerusalem
- Nice view
- We now know some people there
- Good size yishuv, good english services, good
schools in the gush
- has makolet , bakery, pizza, hardware store
- many minyanim ( including carlebach)
- english shiurim

CON'S
- Prices
- Seperation (topographicaly) of new / old yishuv
- some anglo Israeli- tensions
- not "warm" yishuv ( NO one said shabbat shalom to us
in shul!)
- 20,000$ yishuv entrance fee, must take test

2) ELAZAR

http://www.nbn.org.il/social/community/community_gush.htm#elazar

http://www.gush-etzion.org.il/elazar.asp

PRO'S
- good size yishuv
- good relations / mix of anglo israeli
- considered a more "warm" community
-english services, shiurim, schools of the gush
- proximity to jerusalem


CON'S
- Expensive
- lack of housing
- only 1 central shul
- 15,000$ yishuv entrance fee, must take test

3) Zayit in Efrat

http://www.nbn.org.il/social/community/community_efrat.htm

http://www.zayit.com/new/

PRO'S

- proximity to jerusalem
-good mix anglo / israeli
-many english shiurim
-many minyanim
- all the shopping services of efrat
-more affordable housing
- smaller sub section of large efrat city
- no entrance fee, no test


CON'S
- not the most "green" place
- lack of warmth ( i emailed their chat list asking
for info / aliyah questions.. out of the 100 families
or more i got back a measly FOUR replies!! suggestive
of the lack of a real yishuv type feeling, lack of
caring ( not one of the 4 invited us for shabbat to
check it out)

3) Neve Tzuf

http://www.nevetzuf-halamish.com/

http://www.nbn.org.il/social/community/community_neve_tzuf.htm

http://www.nevetzuf-halamish.com/PDF_Files/Neve_Tzuf_FAQ.pdf

PRO'S

- Beautiful yishuv
- Pool!, Forest, stables
- warm, caring, hospitable community
- afordable rentals
- good climate
-good schools, many serives on yishuv
- heterogeneous dati mix
- no yishuv entrance fee, no test
- 5 min to modiin whee there is a TEREM i can do some
shifts
- 15% anglo
- good school used to english kids

CON'S

- 45 min to jerusalem
-most young couples israeli ( few anglo)
-many shiurim but all in hebrew
- schools have less anglo resources compared with gush
- lack of housing ( as per person i spoke with, its
a real issue, the yishuv is almost full!)
- not a free market ( i.e its more of an old school
experience, cannot just come buy a home like all the
other places, need to live in small rental for a year
before acceptance)

4) Alon Shvut

Like Neve Daniel, expensive, and big lack of housing. In the gush so proximity to Jerusalem. Har etzion Yeshivah on the yishuv.


5) Rosh Tzurim
http://www.gush-etzion.org.il/rosh_tzurim.asp

Looks like a good option for us.
small yishuv / kibbutz in the gush. Down to earth, friendly people. Finishing up a new housing project that is more affordable then other places in the gush.

Keeping in mind as well.....

Tekoa: New road not completed yet.. "outside wall"
Maaleh Adumim: Expensive housing, basically a city...


Thats all for now.... it gets exhausting

Shabbat Shalom

We Are Back...

After a six month hiatus.... we are back!
My last attempt at blogging was cut short due to unforseen circumstances... but im glad to say, im ready to give it another go!
Just a short post tonight, Im on call in the Intensive Care Unit and it's pretty busy and the pager is bound to beep again in the next 10 seconds.

With this Blog I hope to share my experiences as we commence our Aliyah journey. We will G-D willing be making Aliyah 1 year from Pesach and there is much to do and discuss..... here we go ........( again)