Your Guide to Renting an Apartment in Tel Aviv: Step 1

Welcome to Tel Aviv. Tel Aviv earned itself some impressive titles over the past few years due to its invigorating lifestyle, unique Bauhaus architecture, it’s 24/7 culture and of course it’s famous coastline; from places to see and things to do, it’s probably one of the best and most exciting residential destinations on the planet today.

As the city continues to boom, so does the rental market, and un-like the rest of Israel, the rental market in Tel Aviv has its own pace and price. Although the city offers a selection of newly listed apartments almost on a daily basis, rumor has it that it is often easier to buy a home in Tel Aviv than it is to rent one (!)

Make no mistake, finding and securing a rental in Tel Aviv can be a challenging process, which is why we are here to help to make it as easy and enjoyable as possible.

Read on to find learn more and make sure to take notes on our most valuable tips on renting in Tel Aviv.

Good luck!

Steps 1-3

Give yourself a good 2 months

Preparation is key. Those who are familiar with the Tel Aviv rental market know that in order to increase their chances of securing an apartment, they must come prepared. Begin your search online and work your way to find an agent to guide you. Real estate agents are valuable resources to navigating the process, and can provide you with a whole lot of information ahead of time, so when the time comes, you are ready to make an informed decision.

The best time to start looking for your new apartment is about a month and a half to two months before you need to move. Don’t wait for any ‘last minute deals’; you don’t want to end up with an apartment you don’t like simply because you’re running out of time. Vacant apartments are available immediately while occupied apartments are usually listed 30-45 days prior to vacancy. Don’t expect for vacant apartments to “wait” for your move-in date. A week to ten days is considered more than a reasonable time to expect the lease to commence, no longer. So, if you’re planning on moving in a one months’ time, be prepared to either pay for vacant days or risk your chances on losing the apartment.

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Know your budget

Knowing how much you can spend on an apartment from start is good, building up a price range, is better. That way you know what to expect in case you need to compromise. Give yourself some leeway as there are additional monthly charges that need to be taken into consideration. Stick to your budget as best as you can so if your maximum budget is 8k p/month, you are probably looking at a 7k – 7.5k apartment.

Additional Charges – When building up a price range, there are two additional monthly expenses to take into account – ‘Va’ad Bait’ (The building’s monthly maintenance fee) and Arnona (The municipality tax). The ‘Va’ad Bait’ is based on how well the building is maintained and if there’s an elevator and/or underground parking. In towers snd fully serviced complexes around the city, monthly management fees are much higher than standard due to the amenities these complexes offer.

The ‘Arnona’ is charged based on the location / neighborhood and the surface area of the apartment. The ‘Arnona’ on an average 2BR apartment in Central Tel Aviv can range between 450 – 700 NIS for every two months, and is billed every two months along with water and electricity.

You can’t have it all

Technically you can, but realistically we are normally restricted to a budget. Ask yourself some key questions – What’s important to you? What would you like to have? What do you MUST have? And most importantly – how much are you willing to compromise and what are you willing to compromise on? Be realistic, fair and precise when answering these questions, and understand that things are different here to what you are accustomed to.

Next –> Find an agent and adapt yourself to your new location.