Mortgage comparisons
Five choices that new immigrants ask about most, each answered in one sentence, a table and a short verdict. Rules come from the Bank of Israel; for current rates see the rates page.
Kalatz vs Prime: fixed or Prime-linked mortgage track in Israel
Kalatz keeps the same rate and payment for the whole term, but usually starts higher and can carry an early-repayment fee. Prime follows the Bank of Israel rate (plus 1.5, plus your margin): cheaper to leave, but the payment moves.
Fixed-rate vs variable-rate mortgage tracks in Israel
Fixed-rate tracks (Kalatz, Katz, Zakaut) keep their rate for the whole loan; variable-rate tracks (Prime, Matz, tracks that reset every 1 to 10 years) can change it. Bank of Israel rules require at most two thirds variable, so at least a third fixed.
Katz vs Kalatz: CPI-linked or unindexed fixed-rate track
Both keep the interest rate fixed. Kalatz is not linked to the Madad, so its payment never changes. Katz starts at a lower rate, but its balance and payment rise with inflation, so you carry the inflation risk.
Israeli mortgage vs French prêt immobilier: the key differences
An Israeli mashkanta is a mix of tracks (fixed, Prime, CPI-linked) with a legal cap on the variable part; a French prêt immobilier is usually one fixed-rate loan, with a 35% debt-ratio and 25-year ceiling set by the HCSF.
Israeli mortgage vs US mortgage: the key differences
The standard US loan is one 30-year fixed-rate mortgage, usually repayable early at no cost. An Israeli mashkanta is a mix of tracks, often CPI-linked, and fixed tracks can carry an early-repayment fee.