It is common knowledge in Israel that property owners and mostly contractors marketing new real estate developments are inflating the property size , showing larger numbers than the actual size of the property. Don’t be alarmed since this is common practice . Project specifications usually show gross values that include a portion of the common space on the apartment floor and a percentage of all other public spaces that are not privately owned (staircases, unusable space, building storage, parking, etc.)

The differences in the actual figures between what you are told and what you can actually measure with a measuring tape can be as high as 25%.

The Israeli standard 975 explains 2 different measuring values:

effective size (shetach-efectivi) which includes floor space, space under internal walls and 50% of the space under joint walls. In most cases this size will be used for the title / deed when registering the property at the tabu.

Nominal size (shetach-nominali) commonly names “bruto” also includes common spaces that are not includes in the actual apartments. The “extra” space is a percentage of the total common space proportional to the size of the apartment.

The different equations can certainly make you think that an apartment is bigger than it actually is, so be aware and carefully check the actual square meters of the apartment on the contract floor plans (tochnit hoze mecher).

Most developers have a floor plan for viewing, just be sure to ask if it is the floor plan that is attached to the sale contract.