What does a tabu extract show, and why do buyers need one before signing a contract in Israel?

The Israeli Land Registry (Tabu), maintained by the Ministry of Justice, is the authoritative record of all registered real estate interests in Israel. The registry operates under the Land Registration Ordinance 5729-1969 and records ownership, mortgages (mishkan), liens (shiabud), attachments (ikul), and easements (zchut mavar). A tabu extract captures the current state of all those entries for a specific parcel. It identifies the registered owner, the fraction of ownership — particularly relevant for jointly owned property — and any third-party rights that burden the title. For buyers, the extract is the starting point of all title and registration due diligence; purchasing without it is a significant legal risk.

Common discoveries that alter purchase terms or require pre-completion resolution include: a bank mortgage the seller has not disclosed, an attachment registered by a creditor in enforcement proceedings, a court-ordered restriction preventing transfer, or a co-owner whose consent to the sale has not yet been obtained. In older apartment buildings it is also worth checking for notations (haaroth) relating to TAMA 38 renovation rights or pinui-binui urban renewal agreements, which affect the property's future development value. Buyers relying on a real estate agent's assurances about clean title — without an independent title search — bear the full legal risk of undisclosed encumbrances. The extract should be re-ordered on the day of signing and again on the day of registration to confirm no new entries appeared between those dates.

From the full guide: Land Registry & Title Registration in Israel: The Complete Guide

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