Luxury Homes in Green: Gardens and Parks (in the city)

The first impressions of Israel people remember is “the green”. It surprises Europeans and Americans, who come from wet climate, to see so much green foliage in a semi-arid environment. Israel's history explains the obsession with making the land green. So today, one of the luxuries in living is having a private garden or living close to a public garden. The ultimate luxury is a private garden, no matter how small. From a few large pots on a balcony to a piece of land enough for one large fruit tree. All the way to living at the edge of a public garden (similar to American obsession of building at the edge of a private golf course.)

Luxury properties in Israel are not measured strictly by the property build and design cost. The location and surrounding area are also a component in luxury value. Sometimes the two go together. Yet, in some situations, a small or old property can have a high value by offering a great (i.e. green) location. A small-old two bedroom apartment on Yehoshua park (Ha'Yarkon) in north Tel Aviv, is more valuable than a bigger one on a quiet street in just a few streets away. A first floor apartment with a private garden can be more desirable than one on the fourth floor (in most central Israel cities.) Sometimes, private gardens are used by kindergarten or after school businesses. This use makes sense in terms of higher value. Yet, other properties simply offer a small private green spot to sit at an end of the day. Just below a private garden come large green balconies. In large apartments, especially in new buildings, large balconies are turned into small gardens with large pots for trees and bushes. Today there are even new construction designed with strong built-in pots and drip irrigation or even shared building “hanging gardens”. These are less common, yet still add value to a property.

Next in the value hierarchy to a private green area are public and community parks. Apartments and small homes next to public parks also have high value to residents, it's not "just yours" but at least it's green. Public parks, usually means quiet areas and well maintained green views. In better neighborhoods, new construction usually also includes green areas in between high rise construction. In older neighborhoods, mostly surrounding Tel Aviv proper (Ramat Gan, Givatay'im, Hetzeliya, Petach Tivka), dense apartment construction also included green areas between apartment blocks and even between buildings. For the most part, these areas are maintained in good shape only in the better towns and neighborhoods.

Last come small private homes in agricultural villages (moshavim) and kibbutzims (collective settlements). These have been alternatives to living in cities which have standard commercial and community services (i.e shops, schools, and clinics). Agricultural communities can be in close proximity to cities but usually do not offer any commercial or community services. This means traveling by car for everything from school to medical appointments. This class of properties offers green private gardens and proximity to agricultural areas. Don't be surprised to live next to a peanut field or to hear a rooster crowing at first light. But the distance from daily needs takes away from the desirability and the value of these properties. Here you will find a unique (some say strange) blend if residents which value quiet green surroundings above daily creature comforts. Although, families seeking green living with less money also make the trade-off between green surroundings and daily services convenience.  

So if you come to Israel and want to invest in a luxury apartment, don't forget the “green factor”. You can have fine urban living with a small yard and your own fruit tree. This is something unique to the Israeli living culture: combining American suburbia calm and central Paris plush. The green factor can also indicate the quality of an apartment, sometimes hinting at luxury construction and finish. Getting a feel of how luxury value goes with proximity to green spaces is not difficult, examples of specific properties (will be given in the future) is helpful to the uninitiated.