Amitai Gazit, calcalist.co.il.

Between July 2018 and June 2019 increased by 6.4% in the quantity of units whose construction began, compared to 12 months prior to the period under review. According to figures published today (Thursday), the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS).

According to the data, in the year construction began on 51,890 dwellings, compared with 48,750 apartments whose construction began in the previous 12 months. A review of the CBS data also shows that completions rose slightly, by 2.1%, in the 12 months starting from July 2018, the construction of 50,380 dwellings, compared with 49,350 dwellings whose year earlier.

The increase in housing starts would have been higher were it not for a slowdown recorded in early 2019. The data show that in the first quarter of 2019 began slowing housing starts; Thus, in the last three quarters of 2018 were recorded on average each quarter Housing Starts of 12,830 apartments, in the first quarter of 2019 construction began on 12,030 dwellings only.

Tel Aviv District recorded the most construction starts, when 27% of apartments whose construction began located in this district. County shot up 84% in housing starts: 14,076 in the 12 months ending June 2019, compared with 7,650 in the previous 12 months. A significant increase in housing starts recorded in the last quarter of 2018, then began construction of 5113 apartments in the Tel Aviv, compared to 2,132 in the last quarter of 2017.

Tel Aviv city recorded the largest amount of construction starts between July 2018 and June this year; Thus, the construction of 4,700 apartments, a jump of 56% compared to the previous 12 months. It seems that the main reason is to give effect to programs covering the urban renewal in quarters 3 and 4 north of the city. If the upward trend in housing starts will continue the Tel Aviv area will have an effect on the price of the apartments, because the district is the heart of an area of ​​demand and price of the apartments which affects the price the rest of the country.

In contrast, central and northern province decreased by 20.4% and -20.5%, respectively number of housing starts, and the Jerusalem District decreased by 10.9%. This is data that might create a balancing effect and moderating growth in the construction area of ​​Tel Aviv.

Geographic distribution also affects the style of the building: According to CBS data, out of all the apartments in new buildings that began construction in the last 12 months, 23.3% were in buildings with 2-1 apartments. While the northern district building apartments or two-story high the national average and is approximately -61.2%, the Tel Aviv District significantly smaller proportion they constitute only 3.8% of the apartments whose construction began.