In February, 10.6 thousand apartments were purchased, similar to the level recorded in February last year and a decrease of 8% compared to last January. After deducting sales from the government subsidy, the number of transactions was 9.8 thousand, a moderate increase of less than 2% compared to February last year and a decrease of 2% compared to the previous month. In the last three months (December 2021-February 2022), since the purchase tax was imposed on investors, the rapid growth rate of total free market transactions has slowed down.
The contractors’ sales in February amounted to 3.5 thousand apartments, of which 800 apartments were sold as part of the “price per occupant”. Compared to February last year, contractors’ sales fell by 5% and in the free market alone the rate of decline is 6%. Compared to the previous month, contractors’ sales fell by 21%, against the background of a sharp decline in “price per occupant” sales. In the free market, this rate of decline was 6%.
Purchases of “first apartment” in February amounted to 5.2 thousand apartments, an increase of 18% compared to February last year and a decrease of 11% compared to the previous month. After deducting the government-subsidized purchases, the purchases of young couples in the free market amounted to 4.4 thousand apartments, a significant increase of 22% compared to February last year and an increase of 3% compared to the previous month.
The total number of transactions in second-hand apartments in February was 7.2 thousand apartments, an increase of 5% compared to February last year and without a significant change compared to the previous month. In a geographical segmentation, the peripheral areas, especially in BS and Haifa, continue to stand out, with a significant increase in the number of transactions compared to February last year. For significant declining rates in the previous two months as well, this is the only area where there has been a decline in second-hand transactions for three consecutive months, both in comparison with each month and the corresponding year and in the previous month.