56:{"categoryID":6,"categoryName":"Business","friendlyURL":"/business","languageCode":"en","showAsCategoryLink":true} 57:{"categoryID":6,"subCategoryID":13,"subCategoryName":"Commentary","friendlyURL":"/","showAsCategoryLink":true} 58:{"imageID":0,"imageName":"","friendlyURL":"","photographName":"","languageID":1,"languageCode":"en","imageRemarks":"","imageAltText":"","imagePhotographName":"","isCloudinary":true,"imageWidth":"","imageHeight":""} 5a:{"reporterName":"ASHER MEIR"} 59:["$5a"] 5d:{"position":0,"content":"Housing prices are a thorny problem in Israel. Price rises have been so consistent in recent years that many economists expressed concern of a price bubble – of the kind that wrought havoc in the US and many European countries. Ultimately, a Bank of Israel study concluded that there are no signs of a bubble."} 5e:{"position":1,"content":"Even so, prices are very high. A recent study publicized by the Taub Center shows that measured in terms of local incomes, apartments in Israel are the most expensive among OECD countries. The price of housing was one of the main issues raised in this past summer’s economic protests."} 60:T44a,

In response to the concern over prices, the government and the central bank adopted a series of policy steps meant to increase supp

Ethics@work: Lower home prices are a mixed blessing

For most households, their home is their most valuable asset, indeed the main reservoir of net worth.