Building Your Future in Ramat Beit Shemesh

Sep 29

6 min read

Updated: Oct 1

By Michal Rosenberg

Beit Shemesh and Ramat Beit Shemesh (RBS) are familiar to anyone considering aliyah and life in Israel, but the city continues to evolve in ways that may surprise even those who know it well. What began as a developing community has grown into one of Israel’s largest and most established destinations for English-speaking families, with neighborhoods offering distinct communities, schools, amenities and lifestyles.

Yigal Realty has been there since the beginning, opening their offices in 1999 with the Rotshtein Heights development, when the community was just getting started. Meir Dombey, a partner in Yigal Realty, has watched that evolution firsthand over 17 years in the business. Representing more than seven developments throughout Beit Shemesh and RBS, Dombey works with families to help them navigate not only the real estate market, but the many decisions that come with choosing where, and how, they want to live in Israel.

What made the company focus specifically on the observant and religious communities there?

Yigal Brezman, my partner, started the company almost 30 years ago, when Ramat Beit Shemesh Alef was just getting started and was among the first offices there. He was one of the pioneers in bringing religious families to the area and helping establish the community that exists there today.

Over the years, we’ve expanded our reach and currently represent more than seven projects around Beit Shemesh and RBS, each one with its own character and community: Neve Amim, Eucalyptus, Olmaya, Eucalyptus, Karat (D3), and Marom.

How has Ramat Beit Shemesh changed since you first started?

In my experience, one of the biggest changes I’ve seen is that people aren’t just looking for an apartment; They’re looking for a community.

At Yigal Reality, we are proud to be building communities. It’s clear from some of the projects we’ve sold, that the people fit together. They enjoy living there and sharing similar values and lifestyles as their neighbors.

I like to say, any kind of color kippah you wear, we have a development for you. That’s what gives people the confidence to come to us. It’s important to understand the nuances of the communities—the people, the shuls, etc. We know the character of our projects and we listen to what a family is looking for so we can direct them to the place where they will feel most comfortable.

What are American buyers looking for today when they consider purchasing a home in Israel?

Most of the American buyers we deal with are either in the process of making aliyah or buying a home that they or a family member will eventually live in. It’s much less about having an investment in Israel.

That’s why I see us as also being aliyah advisers. A meeting with a family can last two or three hours, and sometimes half of that time isn’t even about real estate. We discuss schools, jobs, infrastructure, the differences between RBS and other cities, and what life there will actually look like.

What makes Ramat Beit Shemesh particularly attractive to American families?

The infrastructure for American families is phenomenal. There are large English-speaking communities in close proximity to one another, and schools that offer different approaches and programs specifically for olim.

RBS provides a very soft landing for American families. There is a lot of English being spoken and many people who have gone through the same process and can offer advice. The majority of doctors are English speakers so it eliminates the worry about any communication or misunderstandings.

There are schools for every kind of hashkafa, and kids adapt quickly. There are many English speaking children in the schools ready to help them, so new olim have a built-in support system.

How does Yigal Realty help American buyers who are purchasing from abroad?

A few years ago, we opened a fully-staffed office in Teaneck, New Jersey. I think we are the only company to have that kind of presence in the tri-state area, but we saw how valuable it is to have that face-to-face relationship with American buyers. It’s very hard to establish over the phone.

The idea came about during COVID, when I got stuck in the United States and couldn’t fly back to Israel. I realized how much more effective it was to meet people in their homes, sit down with them and present the information in person. Getting to know them helped me see which community to recommend to them.

Today I spend roughly half my time in the United States and half in Israel, and we have offices and staff in both places.

Would you say you deal more with presales or preexisting apartments?

About 90% of our business is presales. Most of our buyers aren’t moving tomorrow. They’re thinking about aliyah a few years from now, so the timeline of a presale works for them. If you wait until you arrive in Israel, the price may be higher. When you buy in advance, you can lock in today’s price and spread out the payments.

With some projects, you may put down 10% today and pay more as the construction progresses. That makes it much more manageable than having to present the entire amount when buying a completed home.

There’s also the advantage of buying new construction. Buyers can make changes and upgrades during the building process instead of buying an existing apartment and then having to renovate it.

Tell us about the trend of groups making aliyah together.

I’ve increasingly seen groups of friends or families decide they’re going to make aliyah together. Sometimes parents want to be close to their children; sometimes friends want to live near each other.

If five families want to move together, it’s extremely difficult to find five existing apartments that are all suitable and close to one another. In a new project with 200 or 300 apartments, it’s much easier. One family can buy one apartment, another can buy one a few buildings away, and they’re all still close.

It also makes the transition easier for children. If a child arrives in Israel with five friends they already know, it’s a very different experience than arriving alone.

What are some of the biggest financial challenges facing American buyers today?

The dollar is one of the biggest concerns. People see the exchange rate and think, “Maybe this isn’t the right time to buy.”

We’ve worked on financial solutions with banks to ease the process. Financing options for American buyers used to be limited to 50%, but the banks are now being more flexible and allowing Americans to be able to finance 75% like Israeli buyers can. That makes a huge difference, since the amount of money you need to have available is dramatically lower.

Another tool we’ve developed is locking the dollar at a higher rate. If we can guarantee the dollar at 3.5, the fluctuation doesn’t impact a buyer’s financing, which makes it more attractive.

And in general, mortgage rates in Israel are better than in the States, and they are consistently going down.

Ramat Beit Shemesh has grown tremendously. Where do you see the city going from here?

It’s going to continue growing significantly. Its accessible location, right in the center of the country with no nearby Arab villages, makes it very attractive.

There are currently about 185,000 residents, and government plans envision the city growing to roughly 500,000 over the next decade. It’s also a very young city. About 46% of the population is under 14 years old.

It already has many many parks, schools, and recreation and shopping and there is a tremendous amount of infrastructure being planned:

→ Transportation: extending the light rail to Beit Shemesh

→ Healthcare: building a branch of Hadassah Hospital in the area

→ Recreational facilities: new pools and sports facilities for basketball, baseball, etc.

→ Shopping, offices and hotels

How do newer neighborhoods in Ramat Beit Shemesh differ from older ones?

The newer neighborhoods are being planned with much more infrastructure from the beginning. The challenge is that the infrastructure doesn’t always arrive at the same time as the residents. A developer can build the apartments, but a shopping center needs enough people living there before stores can succeed.

New projects in both Beit Shemesh and RBS—from marketing to buyers getting the keys—take about three to four years. It used to be under three years, but with the war unsettling so many industries, builders are reluctant to guarantee that timeline.

What have you learned about what families really need when deciding to live in Israel?

They need more than a house. They need to know about the types of schools. They need to know that they can find a shul and a community that fits them. They need to know where they’ll shop, how they’ll get around and whether they’ll have people around them who understand what they’re going through.

That’s why I don’t see our job as simply selling apartments. Our job is to understand the family, understand the community and help put the two together. When we get that right, we’re helping them build that life and there’s nothing more satisfying than seeing them succeed here.