Real Estate Agencies in Jerusalem
Real Estate Agencies in Jerusalem
If you are looking for real estate agencies in Jerusalem, here is how brokerage works in Israel, what agents may charge, and how to choose a firm that can represent you when you are not in the country.
Official market data — Jerusalem (Israel CBS, 2026)
Average apartment price in Jerusalem: ₪3,089,000 (change vs. H1 2025: 0%)
National average: ₪2,392,000 in H1 2026 (+3.9% vs. H1 2025); the CBS housing price index for February–March 2026 was down 1.2% year on year
Average monthly rent in Jerusalem: ₪5,280 (CBS, Q1 2026)
Purchase tax for a foreign resident or investor: 8% up to ₪6,055,070 and 10% above; bank financing for non-residents is capped at 50% of the property value (up to 75% for an Israeli resident buying a single home)
Source: Israel Central Bureau of Statistics — average apartment prices for the first half of 2026 (published 15 September 2026), the housing price index (published 15 May 2026) and the Q1 2026 rent survey. These are city-wide averages; the actual price depends on the neighborhood, size, floor and condition. Before any decision we show you real transactions recorded with the Israel Tax Authority in the area you are considering.
This page explains how agents and agencies work in Israel, what they charge, what a licensed agent must do, and how Kobi Elkayam Real Estate works with clients who are not in the country.
Jerusalem at a glance
Jerusalem is Israel's capital and largest city, spread over hills at roughly 800 metres above sea level, with a dry, cool climate and a municipal by-law that requires stone-clad facades – which gives even new buildings their distinctive look.
The city's housing market is shaped by its communities: religious and secular neighbourhoods sit side by side, and a large share of central apartments are owned by diaspora families from North America, France and the United Kingdom who visit for holidays and festivals.
Getting around:The light rail crosses the city from Pisgat Ze'ev to Mount Herzl, the high-speed railway reaches Ben Gurion Airport and Tel Aviv from Yitzhak Navon station in under an hour, and Highway 1 connects to the coast.
How real estate agents work in Israel
Real-estate brokerage in Israel is a licensed profession: agents must pass the Ministry of Justice examination and hold a licence, and a fee is only enforceable if you signed a written brokerage agreement identifying the property. There is no multiple-listing service, so agents hold their own listings and often co-operate case by case – which is why a buyer or tenant usually works with several agents, or with one agency that sources across the market.
Fees –buyers and sellers each customarily pay their own agent a percentage of the price plus VAT; tenants and landlords each customarily pay about one month's rent plus VAT
Exclusivity –sellers often sign an exclusive listing for a fixed period; buyers rarely do
Dual representation –one agent may represent both sides; ask who the agent is acting for
Lawyers –agents do not draft contracts; each side's lawyer does, and the buyer's lawyer runs due diligence
Language –English-speaking agents are common in Jerusalem, but contracts are in Hebrew and should be translated
Kobi Elkayam Real Estate is a Tel Aviv-based agency and developer that works with international clients in English, French and Hebrew. Because the group is also active as a developer and in complex deals, we see opportunities in Jerusalem before they reach the open market, and we bring a lawyer, tax adviser and mortgage broker to the table from the start.
Neighbourhoods to know in Jerusalem
Before you compare individual listings, decide which part of Jerusalem suits you. The main areas are:
Rehavia, Talbieh and the city centre –garden neighbourhoods from the 1920s and 1930s, walking distance to the Old City, the Knesset and the Great Synagogue
German Colony, Baka and Old Katamon –Templer and Arab-style stone houses along Emek Refaim and Derech Beit Lechem, cafés and the First Station
Mamilla and the King David area –the luxury quarter between Jaffa Gate and the centre – David's Village, Mamilla Mall and hotel residences
Nachlaot and Mahane Yehuda –nineteenth-century courtyard neighbourhoods next to the market, popular with students and artists
Arnona, Talpiot and Malha –newer southern neighbourhoods with larger apartments and easier parking
Har Nof, Ramot and Ramat Eshkol –family neighbourhoods with strong Anglo and religious communities
Ein Kerem and the western hills –village houses, artists and the Hadassah medical centre
Housing stock and who buys in Jerusalem
What you will find on the market: historic stone houses in the German Colony, Baka and Nachlaot, 1970s ring-neighbourhood blocks with large family apartments, and a wave of new luxury projects and towers around the centre and the entrance to the city.
Who you will be competing with: religious and traditional families from the United States, the United Kingdom and France, diaspora buyers who want a home near the Old City for holidays, students at the Hebrew University and the yeshivot, and investors who rent to them.
Many central apartments trade between overseas owners and are marketed in English; the same apartment can look very different in price depending on whether it has an elevator, parking, a safe room and a stone-restored facade.
How Kobi Elkayam Real Estate helps
Kobi Elkayam Real Estate Ltd is part of the Elkayam Group, a Tel Aviv family business whose roots go back to 1945 and is now in its third generation. The group is active as a developer – in urban renewal, combination deals and complex transactions – and as a brokerage for international clients, working in English, French and Hebrew from its offices at 37 Rival Street, Tel Aviv.
Search and shortlisting in Jerusalem –agency, private and off-market sources, screened in person
Video and in-person viewings –timed to your visits to Israel
Negotiation –against verified transaction data, through your lawyer
Professional team –introductions to real-estate lawyers, tax advisers, mortgage brokers and appraisers who work with overseas clients
Developer projects and complex deals –access to the group's own projects and to combination and urban-renewal opportunities
After the purchase –management, letting and renovation partners so the property works while you are abroad
Can a foreigner buy real estate in Jerusalem?
Yes. Non-residents can buy freely in Israel and hold the property in their own name. You will need an Israeli lawyer, a tax file number for the purchase-tax filing and a way to transfer funds in shekels; a notarised power of attorney lets your lawyer sign if you cannot be in Israel.
What does a real estate agent charge in Israel?
For a purchase or sale, each side customarily pays its own agent a percentage of the price plus VAT; for a rental, each side customarily pays about one month's rent plus VAT. A fee is only enforceable if you signed a written brokerage agreement naming the property, and the agent must hold a licence.
Do I need an agent if I have a lawyer?
They do different jobs. The lawyer checks title, planning and the contract; the agent finds the property, verifies the facts on the ground, negotiates and coordinates. From abroad, the agent is also your eyes – viewings, video, neighbourhood knowledge and access to off-market stock.
Can one agent represent both the buyer and the seller?
Yes, dual representation is legal and common in Israel, provided the agent discloses it. Ask explicitly who the agent is acting for, and rely on your own lawyer for the contract.
Related guides
Talk to us about a purchase in Jerusalem.Call +972-53-658-4252, write to support@kobielkayamrealestateltd.com, orleave your detailsand a member of the team will get back to you in English, French or Hebrew.