Don't Let the Finishes Finish You Off! - 5 Tips when Buying in a New Development in Israel

When buying an apartment in a new development in Israel, a sigh of relief is usually heard once the building's shell is standing tall and proud. You can finally see the bricks and mortar that you have been pouring your hard-earned cash in to, assuming that you are about to reach the finish line and move in to your new home.

In actual fact, this is the point where the "fun" really begins. The finishes. Choosing every internal feature of your home and hoping and demanding that the builder applies them properly can not only be taxing physically, but financially and emotionally too.

So this month, together with our colleagues at Meatzvim Project Management (www.meatzvim.com), we bring you 5 practical tips to help you finish your building project before it finishes you.

1. Find an interior designer that you trust

Your designer should share your taste and style, and actually listen to you. Make sure you hire someone who is available and able to invest time into your project. You want to avoid someone who is juggling too many jobs at once.

Your contract with the designer should state the number of times he/she will accompany you to the various stores and suppliers to make your choices. Often interior designers will have pre-agreements with various stores to ensure you get a better deal. Make the most of it.

2. Hire a personal supervisor

There will always be issues and errors along the way but you can save yourself the aggravation by having someone else handle the problems instead of you.

A supervisor with experience can differentiate between a real problem and a minor problem that can be resolved easily.

I was recently in an apartment where they had just finished the interior walls, and noticed that the builder had sliced a wall down the middle, knocking half a wall down. I called over the builder to ask for an explanation and it turned out that he had cut a wall in the wrong apartment. Aggravation - yes, Problem - not really. I simply explained to him how to rebuild the wall in a quick and painless way.

3. Watch your expenses

Building /renovating can get pricey. However, it should not finish you off financially.

Ensure you have the basic infrastructure in place before splurging on the luxuries. It is worth investing on the infrastructure now, since you can’t do it later (or if you do, it will cost you several times more) – but luxuries, can wait.

For example. A recent client was building an apartment and wanted to install underfloor heating. The cost of the system was 70,000 Shekel, which was beyond his budget at this stage. We advised him to install the infrastructure now (i.e. the piping under the tiles) and in a year or two, when he would be able to afford it, he can put in the rest of the system. He took the advice, and paid 14,000 Shekel to prepare the pipes. Further down the line he will be able to install the rest of the system.

4. Educate yourself

The finishing stage of the construction involves a lot of decision making. To make informed and wise decisions you need to understand what your options are, and how the process works.

Search online, use tools like pinterest, look at pictures, read up about products, get educated and familiar with the entire building project. Speak to people and hear what they have to say. The more informed you are the better your home will turn out.

5. Have fun

As frustrating as construction projects might be, try to enjoy the journey towards building your home in Israel. Ride the ups and downs of the process, but don’t let the stress and aggravation follow you into your new home.

With the right support and guidance when needed, you can even enjoy the experience!

IAL Real Estate specializes in helping clients find and buy apartments in new projects in Israel, holding their hand along the entire process from purchase to receiving the keys. Get in touch now and see how we can help you with your new apartment in Israel!