The new checklist for buying an apartment during a pandemic

In a reality where we understand that we may reach additional lockdown periods in the future, it is important to find an apartment that suits the family's character and can allow for different living scenarios and a comfortable long-term stay.

We have prepared for you the list of new criteria for examining a new apartment before purchasing, in the post-Corona era:

• Dynamic spaces – The ability of a home space to adapt itself to rest, play or work will allow all members of the household to enjoy the existing space. It is important to check the size of the private rooms in the house and how they can be organized to meet several functions at the same time. After Corona, it is equally important to treat the private spaces of the house as well as the public ones, so it is important to check that the size and shape of each room will adapt to changing situations in the long term.

• Storage is the name of the game - during periods of lockdown, we prefer to avoid leaving the house, so it is recommended to think about and check the storage potential of the new apartment, whether there is room to store dry food, cosmetics and toiletries, whether there is room for an additional freezer, and how wasted spaces can be utilized as storage solutions.

• Natural light as a depression preventer – large windows that bring the outside in, flood the rooms with plenty of natural light and allow you to enjoy the sunlight will improve the living experience for everyone.

• Air directions – A well-ventilated apartment, with a balcony or small garden, helps improve the feeling of suffocation that arises when spending a lot of time at home without respite. Fresh air and vegetation help bring movement and vitality to the home and also improve the air quality that affects the health of all the residents of the house.

• The kitchen as the central machine of the home – If in the past takeaway was an integral part of many people's daily routine and frequent visits to restaurants, today the reality has changed and the importance of the home kitchen has become clear and important to everyone. No longer a tiny and cramped kitchen, or a showcase kitchen where only the microwave is used, it is important to examine the design and shape of the kitchen to ensure that it can meet the needs of daily cooking in a convenient and efficient way.

• The 100m range - the environment in which the apartment is located is no less important than the apartment itself, especially when there is a possibility that our range of movement will be limited again in the future. Proximity to public parks, small shopping centers, street shops and diverse services close to the house are an integral part of an urban fabric that contributes to and improves the quality of life when moving to a new home. In the same breath, it is important to examine the neighbors and the relationship that exists in the building or neighborhood, a community fabric and mutual guarantee between neighbors is a force that cannot be challenged in challenging times.

If you are looking for an apartment for investment purposes, it is worth examining additional parameters to ensure that you can reap the benefits of your launch:

• The nature of the population in the city – It is important to check the average age of the population renting apartments in the desired city, as well as its nature. Areas characterized by apartments of young sharers can find themselves without tenants in cases of stricter restrictions where a younger population is more vulnerable to job losses.

• Apartment size – According to the Central Bureau of Statistics, the average family size in Israel is 3.71 people per household, so if you prefer stable tenants with families, be sure to find apartments with a number of rooms that will suit the average family in Israel. 3-4 room apartments are the most suitable and will meet the needs of a variety of families.