In Israel, A Realtor Rescues Refugees
By
Steve Lipman and Joel Leyden “It was a miracle no one was injured,” says Chaim Kaminer, a 59-year-old businessman. His home wasn’t damaged, “thanks God,” but his family’s psyche was. “It’s driving you crazy to stay all day in the shelter.” Kaminer closed his import business, loaded his wife and two young grandchildren and some personal belongings into a van and headed south, joining thousands of Israelis from the Katyushas’ line of fire who were bombed out of their residences or were simply unnerved by the constant attacks. Most are now housed with friends, or are staying in hotels. Some Israelis don’t have friends with enough space, or don’t have the shekels for a week or more in a hotel. Enter Liaura Zacharie. The Kaminers are among a few dozen Israelis who found new living quarters because of Zacharie, a Jerusalem realtor who has used her knowledge of available houses and apartments to offer temporary shelter to the suddenly homeless. Zacharie is hooking up North Americans who own apartments in Israel, now unoccupied, with Israelis who need a safe place to stay. Neither she nor the owners are charging for their service. (She can be reached at idealisrael @ gmail.com. or through her Website) “People want to help,” she says. “Of the [owners] I’ve asked, nobody has said no.” Chaim Kaminer, a native of Germany who came to Israel with his family in 1948, says his family is satisfied with the small, furnished house Zacharie found them in a residential area of Jaffa, near Tel Aviv. They’ll be there, he hopes, for no more than two weeks. “It’s very comfortable, but it’s not your house,” Kaminer says. Sometimes they watch the news on TV. “Which is not so comfortable.” Thousands of Israelis have left their homes in Nahariya, Kiryat Shomona, Metulla, Rosh Hanikra, Tiberius, Haifa, Nazareth and Afula for the center of the country. But these are the lucky ones that are able to escape Hezbollah cross-border terrorism. These Jewish and Israel Arab individuals and families either have family further south or have the monies to stay in Tel Aviv, Netanya, Jerusalem or Eilat hotels. In response to the Israel Anglo community and Olim making Aliya who are seeking apartments, flats and homes to buy, rent, sell or swap a new English speaking forum has been created in Yahoo groups. The English speaking Israel Anglo Homes provides an on-line, real-time community bulletin board dedicated exclusively to the Israel Anglo searching to rent, buy, sell or swap their real estate. Within a few weeks of the flat and apartment rental room being open nearly 500 members joined Israel Anglo Homes from Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Haifa, Ra'anana, New York, Boston, London, Ramat Gan and Eilat. Posting a home for rent or for sale is simple. One simply needs to go to Yahoo and click on "groups." Once inside Yahoo groups, perform a search for "Israel Homes", "Israel Rent", Israel Rental" or Israel Houses for Sale." Israel Anglo Homes - Rent, Sell or Buy will automatically appear in the top ten places. Those interesting in selling or renting a flat / apartment in Tel Aviv, Ra'anana, Haifa, Jerusalem, Eilat - anywhere in Israel are invited to use this list with no fee. Real estate agents can use this apartment and flat search community board but need to place the word AGENT in the subject line. When advertising a home, Israel Anglo Homes states to place the location followed by the word sale or rent after it in the subject line. For example - RA'ANANA - RENT - 3 rooms, furnished apartment. The Israel rent, rental, sales and buy site for apartments, flats and houses also provides valuable real estate advice. "Always have your contract reviewed by an attorney, act quickly as the best properties go fast," Israel Anglo Homes advises. "A landlord puts rent up half way through lease - if you're on a fixed term lease (e.g., 12 months), they legally can't do this. Read your contract. Landlord keeps deposit - don't withhold your final month's rent - this is breaking terms of your contract, and you risk prosecution. Always pay a deposit using a check, bankers draft or credit card so you have proof. Ask your landlord for a receipt, written confirmation of what is covered. Landlord turns up uninvited - don't let him in - reasonable notice is required for inspection. Under law, landlords can't prevent your friends from visiting." The Israel rental and sales site for rent apartments and homes for sale in Israel states: "You can only be kicked out of your flat, apartment or house if the owner wants to come back and live in the property; you're over two months arrears with your rent. A landlord can also ask the court to consider eviction if: you've broken the terms of your contract; you're consistently late in paying the rent." One final tip in renting and selling real estate in Israel is: "remember - rent may not include paying city taxes. And do not waive the Israel Rental Protection Law." But apartments and homes for rent or for sale in Israel is just one option. House swapping has become a popular way for travelers to vacation inexpensively, meet new people, and get an inside look at different cultures. Word of mouth is pass ; the growing industry of Web sites dedicated to the subject all proclaim that "everyone" is doing it. The on-line Israel message boards are full of posts from people looking to trade apartments with someone in New York, London, and other American and European hotspots. For example, a quick search on Yahoo groups Israel Anglo Homes, yields American Jews searching for a swap during the High Holy Days, Israel couples looking to vacation in Europe, and singles looking to relocate to small US cities for a temporary work assignment. It can also be a great cultural experience, giving you a more authentic glimpse at the culture of another city than staying at a hotel with other tourists. Israel Anglo Homes also provides an interactive place where buyers and sellers can ask questions about selling or renting. Making Aliya and finding a home to rent in Tel Aviv, Rehovot, Rishon, Ra'anana, Herzlia, Jerusalem, Haifa or Eilat. Real estate agents, brokers and attorneys are encouraged to use Israel Anglo Homes - rent, sell, buy as a resource for rentals, holiday apartments and long term leases. Who is renting and buying apartments and homes in Israel? The Central Bureau of Statistics forecast that Israel's population passed the 7 million mark during February 2006, reaching 7,006,000. The statistics revealed that 76% of Israel's population is Jewish (5.32 million), 20% Arab (1.4 million), and 4% (300,000) were of other religious denominations most of which have family ties to the Jewish people. Based on its population, Israel is now larger than Denmark and Slovakia (which each populations of 5.5 million), Ireland and Lithuania (3.9 million people each), Finland (5.2 million) and Norway (4.5 million). Who makes the final decision? A new survey reveals that in 64 percent of apartment purchases by couples in the past few months, the woman was the one who made the final decision to buy the flat. The survey was conducted by the Association of Contractors and Builders in Israel (ACBI) among 32 large and medium-sized construction companies in Israel ahead of International Woman's Day, which took place last week. The survey also reveals that one of the main considerations when choosing the new apartment's location is its proximity the home of the woman's parents (73 percent). The availability of education institutions and an accompanying service system, such as group activities for children, were also at the top of the considerations (65 percent), as well as the availability of community services near the neighborhood (63 percent). ACBI President Aharon Cohen said that "buying an apartment, flat or house is the most significant economic transaction carried out by a family throughout its life, and different parameters are examined as part of the decision." "The decision to purchase or rent an apartment, flat or house entails finance arrangements and practical considerations, as well as an answer to the personal needs of the consumers and each of the family members," he added. According to Cohen, the survey reveals that women's considerations involve practicality, with the main consideration on the agenda being the apartment's geographical proximity to the woman's parents' house. The survey also revealed that the economic component was a dominant consideration both among men and women. 'There has always been a high turnover of Anglos seeking apartments, flats and home for rent or to buy," said one Israel real estate agent. "Americans, English and South African immigrants come on Aliyah not knowing what to expect. They don't read the Israel Hebrew language newspapers nor know how to negotiate within Israel culture. Many seeking to rent or buy apartments, flats or homes are often burned. They may think that they have an apartment secured after sharing a friendly handshake with a potential landlord and after they have reviewed the Israel apartment lease and are ready to sign, find out the apartment or house in Israel has already been taken by another." The Israel real estate agent adds: "many who come from the US, UK, New Zealand, Australia or South Africa seeking an apartment or house, have no idea what the laws are and as a result are taken advantage of. Israel Anglo Homes provides a neutral and friendly place on the Internet where the Anglo can find their dream home in their own language.
Steve Lipman writes for the New York based Jewish Week.
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