About Sela
Sela is the independent advisor for Americans buying property in Israel. One firm, one client, one fee — paid only by you.
Why Sela exists
The American Jewish community has been buying property in Israel for decades. The friction has never been legal — Americans can absolutely buy in Israel, from America, with no change in citizenship or residency. The friction has always been informational. The Israeli side of the table has the comparable sales memorized. The contract templates are read every week. The Madad indexation clauses, the mas rechisha brackets, the realistic delivery timelines for each contractor — all of it is muscle memory. The American buyer is encountering each of these for the first time, often translated, often filtered, often through a friendly intermediary who is paid by someone else.
That asymmetry is not anyone's fault. The broker showing the apartment is doing their job. The contractor's sales office is doing its job. The lawyer is doing the legal work the law requires of them. None of those roles are wrong. They are simply not your role. The fourth chair — the seat that belongs only to the buyer — has historically been empty for the American buying from abroad. Sela exists to fill it.
How we are paid
One arrangement. The buyer pays us directly, on a flat fee, never on a percentage of the purchase price. We do not take referral fees from contractors. We do not take kickbacks from sales offices. We do not split a brokerage commission with anyone. We do not accept payment from lawyers, mortgage advisors, or banks in the value chain.
This is the structural reason the advice can be honest. If our income scaled with how expensive the apartment you bought was, our incentives would silently bend. They don't, because they can't. Our whole job is to help you pay less, walk away from the wrong deal, and recognize the right one. The fee structure is the thing that makes that job possible.
Who Sela is for
Small “someday maybe” investors. You're thinking about an apartment in Israel as an investment, a future second home, or a place to land if life changes. You're not a real estate professional. You don't speak Hebrew. You've never bought property abroad. You want someone independent in the room before you sign anything.
Committed olim with a real aliyah plan. You are moving — within a year, within five years — and the apartment you buy is the apartment you will live in. You want help making sure your once-in-a-lifetime purchase isn't decided by whoever happened to be holding the brochure at the right shul event.
If you're a seasoned Israeli investor, an Israeli expat, or buying as part of an organized community bloc, you probably already have your people. We're built for the buyer who does not.
Talk to us
If you have a specific deal in front of you or you're a year or two out and want to know what to do now to be ready then, the 30-minute consultation is the right door.