Neeman MortgagesMortgage advice · Jerusalem
Jerusalem · English-speaking families and overseas buyers · First call at no cost

A mortgage in Israel, handled by people who know the bankers, in a language you understand.

For more than 20 years Yehuda has brought Jerusalem families to the bank with a file built the way the bank needs to see it, submitted directly through bankers he has worked with for years. Ayala now runs the whole process for you: a first call, the document list for your specific case, submission and follow-up, by phone, email and WhatsApp, across time zones, until the money is in the account.

Book a first call How Israeli mortgages work
How we work
The same four lines we would put in writing
Who pays usOnly you. No bank commissions
The feeFixed, agreed before we start
First call and initial checkNo cost, no commitment
Where we stopWhen the funds are released
IndependentJerusalem
Who this is for

Buying in Jerusalem from abroad, or settling here

Buying for a child or for the familyParents abroad buying an apartment in Jerusalem for a son or daughter who lives here, or a family home for the holidays. The file is often split between two countries, and the bank needs it in one order.
Olim and new arrivalsIncome history abroad, a new job in Israel, savings in another currency. Each bank treats this differently, and the choice of bank matters more than the rate sheet. Whether your purchase counts as an Israeli citizen's only home, with the higher 75% ceiling, depends on your status at the time, and we check it first.
English-speaking families in JerusalemYou live here, you manage in Hebrew, and you would still rather have the mortgage explained properly in English, line by line, before you sign.
A file that was turned downA bank said no. In most cases the no was to the file as it was submitted, not to the family. We find out what stopped it and rebuild it for the right bank. Not every file can be turned around, and we say so in the first call.
The rules, in plain English

What the Bank of Israel allows, and what the banks actually do

Mortgages in Israel are governed by Bank of Israel directives that apply to every bank. These are the ones that shape most files. They are the framework, not advice for your case.

How much of the price the bank may finance. For an Israeli citizen's only home the bank may lend up to 75% of the property value, and for a replacement home (you commit to sell the one you have) 70%. Any other purchase is classed as an investment purchase with a 50% ceiling, and the Bank of Israel's own Q&A on the directive says this includes a foreign resident buying a first home in Israel: the "only home" and "replacement home" categories are defined for Israeli citizens only. The value is the lower of the purchase price and the appraisal. Within that ceiling, each bank's credit policy for non-residents differs, so we check the real number for your case before you count on it.

How much of your income may go to the payment. The directive forbids a payment-to-income ratio above 50% of net household income, after fixed obligations are deducted. Above 40% the bank must hold full risk weight against the loan, so in practice most banks stop around 40%, and many are more comfortable near a third. Income is counted only when it is documented; for non-residents the Bank of Israel allows banks to rely on signed tax returns filed in your home country.

Term and rate structure. The maximum term is 30 years. At least one third of the loan must be at a fixed rate (index-linked or not); up to two thirds may be at a variable rate, prime included. Whether a shekel or a foreign-currency structure suits you is a separate question we go through with you.

The approval in principle. Once the bank has your documents it must answer in writing within 5 business days (7 in exceptional cases, with an explanation). The rate in that approval is held for at least 24 days from the date it is issued, which is why we time it to the signing and do not pull it "to feel safe" months early. Every approval must show the same three standard baskets (all fixed; a third fixed, a third index-linked variable, a third prime; half fixed, half prime), so offers from different banks can be compared line by line.

Sources: Bank of Israel Proper Conduct of Banking Business Directive 329 (version 12, February 2026), sections 2, 5, 6, 7 and 8, and the Bank of Israel Q&A on Directive 329 (February 2026), questions 2.4 (foreign residents: investment classification, 50%) and 4.4 (foreign tax returns as proof of income); Directive 451 section 4c and the Bank of Israel mortgage transparency reform page (written answer within 5 business days, 7 in exceptional cases; rate held at least 24 days; three uniform baskets).

How it works

Six steps, and you do not chase anyone

  1. A first call, at no cost10 to 20 minutes with Ayala, on the phone or a video call in your time zone. What you are buying, roughly what the numbers are. If there is no way forward, you hear it on that call.
  2. Initial check and a fixed feeAyala goes through the numbers with Yehuda. You get an answer on whether and how, and a fixed fee for the file, before anything starts.
  3. Documents, in one listA list for your case: income abroad or in Israel, bank statements, identification, the source of your equity, the property. Sent by email or WhatsApp, in English, with what each item is for.
  4. Yehuda prices the file with the right banksNot every bank, the banks that fit this file, directly through bankers he has worked with for years.
  5. Approval in principle, comparedA written answer within 5 business days (7 in exceptional cases), the rate held for at least 24 days, compared on the same lines the Bank of Israel requires.
  6. Signing, and follow-up until the money movesAppraisal, insurance, registration, signing at the bank, often with a power of attorney if you are abroad. We stay on the file until the funds are released, not until the approval.
What we are, and what we are not

We are independent mortgage advisers. We are not a bank, we do not lend, and we take no commission from any bank, lender or insurer: you are the only one who pays us, so we work only for you. There is currently no state licence for mortgage advisers in Israel, and we do not claim one. We do not promise the lowest rate or a guaranteed approval. What we offer is a file in the right order, to the right bank, through a banker who knows our work.

Contact

Tell us about the purchase. Ayala will get back to you.

A few lines are enough: where you are based, what you are buying, roughly the price and your equity, and whether a bank has already said anything. Ayala replies on the next business day, by email, phone or WhatsApp, whichever you prefer.

Replies on Israeli business days. Messages sent over Shabbat are answered after it ends.

When you click "Send to Ayala", your details are stored in the site's database (Cloudflare, hosted in Western Europe) and passed to Ayala only, so that she can get back to you about the mortgage. Providing them is your choice; without a name and a way to reach you we cannot reply. They are not passed to any bank or third party without your consent, and you may ask to see, correct or delete them at any time. Privacy policy (Hebrew).