When Petach Tikva was founded in 1876, the story goes that the decisive factor which convinced the pioneers to build their settlement in that particular spot was the fact that they could hear the song of birds perched in the nearby trees.
First impressions are important.
If you have ever had to spend time in a waiting room before an appointment with a doctor, lawyer, dentist, or any other professional and found it an annoying or unpleasant experience, your attitude might well have been different if the surroundings had been more appealing. As the concept of long-term rentals is almost unknown in Israel, movers here have a lucrative profession. There are always plenty of large display ads for their services in the newspapers, and people are often confused as to which criteria to compare and what exactly they should expect. One look at the recent death and destruction in Turkey and Greece has set Israelis thinking about this country's ability to withstand an earthquake of serious magnitude. Like those people who think they can be authors because they know the alphabet, there are those who figure they can be real estate agents because they know of a house up for sale.