Carmei Gat
Carmei Gat was established in 2017 as a new neighborhood of Kiryat Gat. It is within easy commuting distance of Israel’s major cities: Ashkelon is 30 minutes by car, driving to Jerusalem takes 1 hour, Modiin 30 minutes, and Beit Shemesh 40 minutes.
There is already a train station five minutes away by car in Kiryat Gat, and a new station is being built within Carmei Gat. Today, Herzliya is 1 hour away by train, Tel Aviv is 35 minutes’ ride, and the train to Be’er Sheva takes 30 minutes.
Carmei Gat is great for young families. The schools include a mix of secular, modern orthodox public and modern orthodox Torani elementary schools. Recently, a new Torani school opened and it will soon have its own building. Other developments include a soccer stadium currently under construction, a large outdoor mall called Big Center in the middle of the neighborhood, and a massive park complete with a sports area and a man-made lake.
Carmei Gat already has a very warm and supportive Anglo community founded by Dati Leumi Torani families. It consists of a mixture of Israelis and Anglos (as English speakers from different countries are collectively known in Israel). The Ashkenazi synagogue has a rabbi and more than 200 English-speaking families, as well as Hebrew, French and Spanish speakers, with many communal activities organized during the week.
There are a lot of good things in Carmei Gat. The downtown area has abundant shops, supermarkets and cafes and is easily accessible on foot. The Kupat Cholim each have offices here and a new hospital is planned nearby. The new Ashdod Assuta Hospital is a just half an hour away and it is not difficult to get to Soroka Hospital in Beer Sheva by train or by car. It is also easy to drive to the coast at Ashkelon or Ashdod, and it’s a one-hour drive to Jerusalem.
Intel recently announced that an additional manufacturing facility will be built in Kiryat Gat, bringing more jobs to the area. However, many people in Carmei Gat commute by train to other cities for work, and there are even minyanim with a Sefer Torah on certain morning trains!
Deborah Michael, the area’s resident expert realtor, describes the real estate market in Carmei Gat. “There are currently around 7,500 housing units in Carmei Gat with plans for further expansion. Homes here include a mixture of single family houses, townhouses, triplex properties (including two garden apartments with a penthouse on top), boutique (lower) buildings and 20-floor towers. Prices for a regular 4-bedroom apartment are currently between 2-2.4 million NIS. Homes with gardens and penthouse apartments with outdoor space generally cost more. It is important to note that all the buildings in Carmei Gat are new and fully accessible, and they all have Shabbat elevators.”
Commenting on the demographic make-up of Carmei Gat, Deborah says: “While the Anglo community is primarily comprised of young families, we are actively involved in bringing more older families plus parents and grandparents to the neighborhood, in order to develop a diverse and mature Anglo population, similar to what already exists in other Israeli communities.“
To talk to Deborah about living in Carmei Gat or buying a home here, please contact deborah@shalombuyit.com
Success Stories
READ THE STORIES OF OUR HAPPY CLIENTS
Tel Aviv Vacation Home
A couple from Chicago, referred to Deborah by a previous client, wanted to buy a luxury vacation home in Tel Aviv. They spoke to Deborah on the phone and she sent them details of several attractive properties. They allocated one day of their short visit to Israel to touring Tel Aviv with Deborah, and they saw a billboard for a new project that was not on her list. They asked to visit, and Deborah tried to arrange a meeting with the project manager, but she was blocked by their exclusivity contract with other realtors. The more she told the client how hard she was trying hard to get into this VIP luxury project, the more the client wanted that project! Because Deborah doesn’t take “no” for an answer, she persisted in exploring various possible networking channels until she finally found her way past the stubborn gatekeeper and into the project. Once she got access, the rest of the buying process was performed virtually with help from Deborah’s recommended lawyers and mortgage brokers. Thanks to Deborah’s “chutzpah”, the client was able to purchase the Tel Aviv beachfront home of his dreams that he was originally told was off-limits!
Introducing Carmei Gat
Deborah met a couple at a wedding who were approaching retirement and visiting from the USA. She chatted with them about their desire to purchase a home in Israel, and she started to think how nicely they would fit into the Carmei Gat community. They had never heard of the city before. Next day, she set up a tour for them and guided them around the city. They decided to close on a six-room penthouse in a new build project. Deborah introduced them to a mortgage broker and a lawyer, assisting them to buy their new home virtually and guiding them through a smooth process. The couple have since hired an interior designer and are excited to design their new dream home in Israel, which will be ready for them to move into in two years.
Investing in Carmei Gat
A young couple who wanted to buy a home in Carmei Gat was referred to Deborah Michael. They were interested in already built homes. However, after considering their circumstances, Deborah showed them the plans for a project that was being built and they loved it. The payment terms were also more suitable to their situation. She concluded an excellent negotiation with the project developers and managed to secure a six-room penthouse apartment within their budget! Its price has already increased significantly since the time of their purchase, and the family is looking forward to moving into their newly built home in Carmei Gat.
Dream Home in Jerusalem
A newly referred client called Deborah to tell her that he would be visiting Israel for one day to tour and buy a luxurious vacation home. In that first phone call, Deborah managed to capture his dream. She then mobilized her network of Jerusalem realtors to find him the unique and stunning home that he wanted. She narrowed the options down to three top choices and arranged to view them all during his one-day Jerusalem tour. He loved two of the properties and decided to close on one of them. Deborah negotiated a great price and found a construction team to finish the buildout for a better price than he would have paid through the developer. All of this was done with the client living overseas. Deborah introduced competent, value-driven lawyers and mortgage brokers for him to choose from. After the sale, she continued to update him on the progress of the construction. When he was worried that the house wouldn’t be ready for the Chagim, Deborah reassured him and stayed in regular contact with the contractor to keep the project on target. She carried out multiple site visits as part of her service as his broker. (Deborah’s involvement with clients extends far beyond the signing of contracts!) Thanks to her, the client and his family flew in to enjoy their new home in Jerusalem for the Chagim!
Buying in Carmei Gat
A new client called Deborah from abroad for assistance buying a home in Carmei Gat, because she was referred by another happy client. She lives an active lifestyle and was looking for an affordable community. Deborah researched and visited a number of homes based upon their needs and desires, and organized a virtual live-streaming tour of the two properties that the client most liked the sound of. The client put in a bid on the house, and the lawyer that Deborah recommended handled the entire transaction without requiring the client to fly in. Deborah also referred the client to a reliable mortgage broker and recommended places to buy furniture. The client put her entire trust in Deborah and bought her home in Carmei Gat remotely, site unseen!
Aliyah to Carmei Gat
Carmei Gat is becoming known as a desirable place to live. A young woman from the U.S. asked Deborah to give her and her husband a tour of the city during their short visit to Israel. They got to know each other while driving around and Deborah listened carefully to their needs. Together they pinpointed the area in the new city that would suit them best, and Deborah introduced them to families living there. They stopped to daven Mincha and bought some fruit to snack on at the local grocery store. Within half an hour, Deborah arranged to visit a house in that neighborhood that was on the market, and it was perfect for their needs. Although they had to return to the U.S., Deborah negotiated on their behalf and closed the deal. Clients from abroad have no time to waste when they fly into Israel to choose a home. Deborah even found them an interior designer to match their tastes, who worked with them remotely to prepare everything so that they will be able to move into a gorgeous house when they make Aliyah!
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