December 2018: sharp increase in the number of transactions in the real estate market

In December 2018, there was a sharp increase in the number of transactions in the real estate market, with a total of 10.9 thousand apartments purchased, up 25% compared to December 2017 and an increase of 18% compared to November 2018.
According to data published by the Ministry of Finance's chief economist, this is the highest monthly level in 33 months since March 2016.
The data shows another "record", according to which 1,500 of the transactions made last December were part of the sale of apartments and occupant price. This is "the highest level of sales in this program since it began operating," the review said.
In total, the real estate transactions totaled 99.4 thousand, similar to the level of sales in 2017. According to the Chief Economist's data, in all of 2018, 9,400 apartments were purchased in Israel as part of the occupant price plan (and a small number of apartments under an subsidized subsidy plan) , The total number of transactions in Israel was 90 thousand, and compared to 2017, this is a 4% decrease in sales.
The total number of new apartments sold in December 2018 was 3,800 - the highest level of sales since June 2015. Thus, the volume of sales of contractors in the free market stood at 2,300 this month, the highest level since September 2016.
"Compared to December last year, sales of contractors, both in the free market and in the inclusion of occupant price, increased by 25 percent and 32 percent, respectively," said the chief economist.
The increase in sales of contractors in the free market last December was concentrated in three areas of real estate taxation - the center, Rehovot and Hadera. "The sharp increase in contractors' sales in December was also reflected in the potential cash flow, which reached NIS 6.4 billion, the highest level since June 2015. This represents a real increase of 30% compared to December last year," the department said.