Afridar, Ashkelon.
The Honest Guide from the Tel Aviv Property Index
Afridar is where modern Ashkelon began, and English has been heard on its streets from the start. Today it is a busy, central and ageing neighbourhood on the brink of a large redevelopment. It rewards buyers who understand old buildings and the renewal process, and it punishes those who do not.
Where it is
Afridar sits in the west of Ashkelon, close to the beaches and the Marina. The Afridar commercial centre is one of the city's historic hubs, and the city's main services are close by.
Ashkelon itself is about 50 km south of Tel Aviv. The train takes roughly 50 minutes, the car about 40 outside rush hour.
It is the most central of the neighbourhoods Anglo buyers usually consider. Shops, schools, the sea and public transport are all within easy reach.
A South African foundation
Afridar was founded in 1951 by South African Jews, through a development company backed by the South African Zionist movement. It was planned as a garden neighbourhood, with low buildings, green spaces and a clear centre.
Academic work on its planning describes a South African vision meeting the hard realities of a young, poor state. Budgets were tight and plans changed. Even so, the leafy, low-density feel survives in parts today.
South African and later British immigrants shaped the neighbourhood's early life. That heritage is one reason Ashkelon still has an organised English-speaking community.
The city grew around Afridar over the following decades. Newer districts such as Barnea, Agamim and the Marina now take most of the new building and much of the attention.
That has left Afridar with a split personality. Its location is still among the best in Ashkelon, but much of its housing belongs to another era. The renewal plan is the city's attempt to close that gap.
What it is actually like today
Afridar is lively and practical rather than polished. It has a commercial centre, local shops, schools and easy access to the beach.
Much of the housing is old. Many of the original blocks are three or four storeys, often without lifts, and some are showing their age. The best streets are green and pleasant; the weakest feel tired.
Newer buildings have appeared around the edges, and prices vary sharply by street and building. Two flats a few minutes apart can be very different propositions.
For older residents and families without two cars, the location is the point. Groceries, pharmacies, clinics, banks and the beach can often be reached on foot.
The trade-off is maintenance. Old buildings mean old pipes, old roofs and house committees that may not have saved for repairs. Ask to see the committee's accounts before you make an offer.
Old buildings and the missing safe room
Ashkelon lies within about 15 km of Gaza and has taken rocket fire in every recent conflict. In Afridar the issue is sharper, because much of the stock predates the safe-room rules of the 1990s.
Many older flats have no mamad. Residents rely on shared building shelters, stairwells or public shelters. Reports put the number of Ashkelon residents without adequate protection at around 40,000.
The State Comptroller's January 2026 report found that ₪50 million allocated for private safe rooms in the city had produced almost no construction. Do not assume a subsidy or a scheme will fix a particular building soon.
The renewal: real, large and slow
In July 2026 the national housing committee (the VATMAL) approved for deposit a major urban-renewal plan for Afridar. It covers about 58 dunams, replacing 402 existing homes with around 2,240 new ones.
The plan provides for 24 buildings of 9 to 32 storeys, with retail, public buildings and new green space. It is led by the municipality with several renewal developers.
Deposit is an important step, but it is not a building permit. Objections, approvals, signatures and relocation all take time. Realistically, residents of affected blocks should think in years, not months.
For a buyer, a flat in a block inside the plan is a bet on that timetable. The upside is a new, larger home with a safe room. The downside is years of uncertainty, and a flat that is harder to mortgage or sell in the meantime.
TAMA 38 expired in most of the country on 18 May 2026. Existing projects continue only where a valid permit exists. New single-building renewal now runs through the Shaked Alternative (Planning and Building Law amendments 136 and 139) or through pinui-binui.
The tax credit, and the discount we won't sell you
From January 2026, Ashkelon residents of at least 12 months get a 7% income-tax credit on annual earnings up to ₪146,640. The law passed its final readings in March 2026 as a temporary measure for 2026 to 2029.
It is worth roughly ₪10,000 a year per earner at the ceiling. For a working couple, that is meaningful.
But we won't sell you the discount. The credit is temporary and could change. Buy in Afridar because the flat and the neighbourhood work for you.
Who lives here
Afridar is mixed. There are long-standing families, many older residents and a steady flow of younger buyers looking for a central address.
It has the deepest English-speaking roots in the city. The English Speakers of Ashkelon (ESOA) organise social, cultural and practical support, and the municipality has a coordinator for English-speaking olim.
Community listings show several synagogues in and around the neighbourhood. Ask ESOA which have English-speaking members before you choose a street.
For olim, the English-speaking network is a genuine advantage. Few places in the south offer that depth of history and support within walking distance.
Renting first
Afridar is a good place to rent while you learn the city. Its central position means you can manage much of daily life on foot, and there is a steady supply of older flats to let.
Rents reflect the building. A tired third-floor walk-up without a lift or safe room will cost less, but you will pay for it in other ways. Ask about the shelter before you ask about the kitchen.
Since the 2017 amendments to the Tenancy and Borrowing Law 5731-1971, the landlord must deliver a flat fit to live in and fix defects within set times. The security deposit is capped at the lower of three months' rent or a third of the total rent.
If you rent in a block within the renewal plan, check how long the lease can realistically run. A signed demolition timetable can end a tenancy sooner than you expect.
Prices and what you get
Afridar is one of Ashkelon's most traded neighbourhoods, and its prices sit slightly above the city average per square metre. The fuller neighbourhood record, updated to 10 August 2026, shows a median of ₪1,650,000 at ₪17,156/m² across 727 deals.
| Neighbourhood | Median price | ₪/m² | Registered deals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Afridar | ₪1,600,000 | ₪17,007 | 673 |
| Barnea (core) | ₪1,670,000 | ₪15,789 | 99 |
| Agamim (The Lakes) | ₪1,700,000 | ₪16,907 | 469 |
| Marina | ₪2,270,000 | ₪23,152 | 343 |
| Ashkelon (city) | ₪1,550,000 | ₪16,667 | 7,573 |
Registered sales, Jan 2023 – Aug 2026
Recent registered sales in Afridar include:
- A 4-room, 109 m² flat on Tzfania for ₪2,350,000 (August 2026).
- A 5-room, 118 m² flat on HaSena for ₪1,800,000 (July 2026).
- A 3-room, 80 m² flat on Tzadok Doron for ₪1,570,000 (July 2026).
- A 2-room, 61 m² flat on HaTayasim for ₪1,050,000 (July 2026).
The spread tells the story. Around ₪1.0m to ₪1.6m buys a smaller or older flat. Newer or better-placed homes in the same neighbourhood reach ₪2m and more.
The honest risk is the building, not the postcode. An old flat without a mamad or a lift may be hard to resell if renewal stalls. The CBS showed the South district down 0.5% year on year in April–May 2026.
Buying here: what to check before you sign
Renewal status of the specific building.Ask whether the block falls within the VATMAL plan or another scheme. Check with the municipality's renewal authority and read any signed developer agreement. A signed deal changes what you are buying.
Protection.Confirm whether the flat has a mamad or a floor shelter (mamak). If not, locate the nearest shelter and time the walk. With young children or elderly parents, this matters more than the view.
Purchase tax.At the Afridar median of ₪1,600,000, a single home pays no purchase tax. An oleh under Regulation 12A also pays nothing at this price. An additional home or foreign resident pays 8%, about ₪128,000.
The Tabu and old registrations.Older buildings can have messy titles. Check the registry extract for liens and cautions, the registered size, and whether roof or garden rights are attached to particular flats.
Building condition.Commission an engineer's survey. Look at the roof, damp, the pipes and the stairwell. Ask about the house committee's funds and any planned levies.
Mortgage limits.Directive 329 caps a first home at 75% loan-to-value, a replacement at 70% and an additional home at 50%. Banks may be cautious on old buildings earmarked for demolition. Prime currently stands at 5%.
Who it suits
Works well for
- Olim who want the city's most established English-speaking roots nearby.
Harder to recommend for
- Families who need a mamad inside the flat and will not compromise.
- Buyers who want a new building without maintenance surprises.
- Anyone hoping renewal will pay off within two or three years.
- Commuters who need a short daily run to Tel Aviv.
The verdict
Afridar is Ashkelon's heart, with real history and a genuine Anglo heritage. It is central, close to the sea and full of everyday life.
It is also old, and much of its housing lacks the protection that matters in this city. The approved renewal plan is a genuine prize, but a slow one.
Choose the building first and the neighbourhood second. In Afridar, a good block is a fine home, and a bad one is a long wait.
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