Chany · Jerusalem

Your representative in Jerusalem

Buying a home in Jerusalem from abroad?

I check the price, run the renovation and set up the home, on your side only.

Chana (Chany) Kushelevsky · buying and renovating in Israel since 2007

Tell me where things stand. I’ll tell you where to start, and what it will cost.

A listing, a budget, or a house you already own. One message is enough.

I take nothing from the seller.

Listing prices are asking prices.

What homes actually sold for is recorded in a government database, in Hebrew.

A garden apartment in Rehavia was listed at NIS 47,766 per square meter. Nine of the ten recorded sales on that street closed below that.

You’ll know what the street actually sold for before you say a number.

Rehavia · garden apartmentNIS per m²
Asking price in the listing 47,766
Most recent recorded sale on the street, January 2025 43,873
The difference across 150 m² nearly NIS 584,000
NIS 3,893 per m², about 8%. Homes on the same street still differ in floor, condition and parking, so the report lists each recorded sale with its details, not one number. Source: recorded sales in the Israeli government’s real-estate database.
Chana (Chany) Kushelevsky

About me

I’m Chany. Since 2007 I have bought, renovated and sold property in Israel with my own money, and guided families from abroad who trusted me with theirs.

I know what a renovation really costs because I have paid for my own, and I know what it means to be responsible for someone else’s.

I work with a small number of families at a time, from Jerusalem, during New York business hours.

Three stages, one person

From the first price check to the day you move in.

You can start at any stage. Tell me where things stand, and I’ll tell you which ones you need.

1

Price check

I compare the listing with recorded sales on the same street, and show you the gap from the asking price and what buying will cost you.

You receiveA short report in English within two business days.
Fee
  • One property$150
  • Three properties$400

Paid in advance. Credited against my fee if you continue.

2

Renovating

I represent you with the contractor: scope of work, competing quotes from registered contractors (usually three), supervision, and payments by milestone.

You receiveA video update every week while work is on site, and every decision brought to you with one recommendation.
Fee

7% of the contractor’s signed price, minimum NIS 20,000.

Fixed before work starts. It does not rise if costs do. If you add work, we agree its fee in writing first. Part at planning, the rest by milestone.

3

Setting up

Furniture, linens, dishes, the kitchen kashered, the pantry stocked. You pay for purchases directly. The first Shabbat meal is already in the fridge.

You receiveA home ready to live in.
Fee
  • Apartment, up to 4 roomsNIS 15,000
  • 5–6 roomsNIS 22,000
  • House or largerfrom NIS 30,000

Larger homes are quoted after a walkthrough. Half at signing, half at handover.

All fees are set in writing before I start and do not change during the work. Plus VAT.

How it works

  1. 1Tell me where things stand.
  2. 2We speak for fifteen minutes, at a time that suits you.
  3. 3You get a short written plan: which stages you need, and a fixed fee for each. You decide.

What I do

  • Price checks from recorded sales
  • Renovation: scope, quotes, supervision, reporting
  • Setting up the home

What your lawyer does

  • The purchase contract
  • Legal and title checks
  • Holding funds in trust, where needed
  • Purchase tax and tax questions, with your lawyer or accountant

Licensed professionals, when needed

  • A formal appraisal, by a licensed appraiser
  • Structure and safety, by an engineer
  • Plans and permits, by an architect

You pay contractors and suppliers directly, or through your lawyer’s trust account.

What I don’t do

  • I never work for sellers, and I take nothing from them.
  • I take nothing from contractors or suppliers. Any discount I negotiate goes to you.
  • I don’t hold client funds.
  • I don’t manage short-term rentals.

Questions

Can I give the report to my bank?
No. It’s a price survey of recorded sales, for your decision only. It isn’t an official opinion of value, and it doesn’t cover planning or building rights.
Do I have to continue after the report?
No. The report is yours either way.
We already bought. Can you still help?
Yes. Renovating and setting up are for owners.
We already have a broker. Can you still work with us?
Yes. I stay on your side only, and we agree in writing who does what.
What if something goes wrong during the renovation?
You hear from me the same working day: what happened, what it costs, and one recommendation. Structural or safety questions go to a licensed engineer.
Where do you work?
Jerusalem and the towns around it where families from abroad buy, such as Beit Shemesh. I don’t work in Tel Aviv or the north.
How do I pay?
By card or bank transfer. You receive an Israeli tax invoice. Fees are quoted plus VAT, which generally applies to work on property in Israel, including for clients abroad.
When can I reach you?
Weekdays, including New York business hours.
Will you talk about us to others?
No. I don’t talk about my other clients, and I won’t talk about you.

Tell me where things stand.

WhatsApp+972-58-411-9090
OfficeJerusalem. Meetings by appointment.

Families I’ve worked with can ask me to keep an eye on the house between visits.

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