Property in Germany: buying and support
Berlin, Munich and beyond: no restrictions for foreigners, but transaction costs are among Europe's highest.
Why Germany
No nationality restriction
Anyone can buy, non-residents included — the purchase is not tied to citizenship or residency.
Europe's largest economy
A high share of rental housing and steady demand in the big cities.
A reliable land register
A notarial procedure with a mandatory notary and a reliable land register protect the deal.
Honestly, about costs: among the highest in Europe
Total transaction costs — acquisition tax, notary fees, land-register charges — run noticeably above the European average. They must be calculated per federal state.
Honestly, about residency: a purchase does not grant it
Residency is granted on grounds unrelated to the purchase: work, study, family reunification, or entrepreneurship.
Smaller budget — we'll source it
Tell us the amount and the goal, and we'll come back with options from developers and partners that are not in the catalogue.
Send a requestHow the purchase works
- 1
We map your goal
Goal and city — Berlin, Munich and other major cities differ in demand and cost structure.
- 2
We check the land register
Owner, encumbrances, mortgages and easements — not all of them are obvious from a listing.
- 3
The notary drafts the contract
The contract draft is prepared by the notary — a party independent of both sides.
- 4
A mandatory review period
The law grants time to review the draft contract before signing.
- 5
Notarisation
The contract is notarised — the deal can run on a power of attorney.
- 6
Title registration
We enter the buyer's note in the land register, complete payment and finish registering the title.
Frequently asked questions
Can a foreigner buy property in Germany?+
Yes, there are no restrictions by nationality or residence. Residents and non-residents, individuals and companies may all buy, with no permit procedures.
Why are transaction costs so high?+
They combine real estate transfer tax at a rate set by the federal state, notarial services, land register fees and agency commission. In total this sits well above the European average and lengthens the payback horizon.
Does buying property grant residency in Germany?+
No. A purchase is not a basis for a residence permit or visa. Status is obtained on other grounds: work, study, family reunification or entrepreneurship.
Why is there a mandatory period before signing?+
The law gives the buyer time to review the draft notarial contract before signing. It is a protective measure that rules out signing a complex document without an opportunity to study it.
What is checked in the land register?+
The owner, mortgages, easements and third-party rights. The last two are usually invisible in a listing but materially affect how the property can be used, so the extract is studied before the contract is signed.
How difficult is letting property in Germany?+
The law strongly protects tenants: limits apply to rent increases and termination follows a strict procedure. That makes income stable but constrains management flexibility and shapes the exit scenario.
Will a bank lend to a non-resident?+
German banks lend to non-residents but require a larger down payment and proven income. Terms depend on the bank, your country of residence and the applicant's profile.
Do you have property in Germany?+
Yes, our catalogue includes listings, among them in Berlin and Munich. We will match to budget and purpose and model total transaction costs for the specific federal state.
Go deeper
Property prices in Germany 2026: price per m² by city and the real cost of buying
Prices are flat in nominal terms and falling in real terms, from about EUR 3,200 per m² in Leipzig to well over EUR 7,000 in Munich. Add 9-12% for transfer tax, notary and broker.
Rental yield in Germany 2026: gross vs net returns in Berlin, Munich, Hamburg and Leipzig
Germany is a capital-preservation market, not a high-yield one: gross yields sit at about 3-4% and net returns are lower. Here is where the gap comes from and which cities still make sense.
Germany golden visa: there isn't one, and the residence routes that actually exist
Germany has no residence-by-investment programme, and buying property gives no right to live there. The real routes are self-employment under section 21, the Opportunity Card and the EU Blue Card.
Getting a mortgage in Germany as a non-resident: deposit, rates, fixing periods and costs
German banks do lend to foreigners without a German income, but expect a much larger deposit than residents need. What the bank will ask for, how fixed-rate periods work, and what the purchase really costs.
Selling property in Germany: the 10-year rule, the self-use exemption and tax for non-residents
Germany has no separate capital gains tax on homes: a sale inside ten years is taxed as income, and after that it is usually tax-free. Here is how the clock, the exemption and the €1,000 threshold work.
New build or resale in Germany: costs, payment protection and energy rules compared
Buying from a developer and buying a finished home look alike on paper, but the transfer-tax base, the payment schedule and the energy-law exposure differ. A practical decision guide.
Short-term rental rules in Germany: what buyers need to know city by city
Germany has no single national short-term-rental law — Berlin, Munich, Hamburg and Cologne each set their own registration rules and limits, and Berlin's fines reach €500,000.
Germany has no digital nomad visa — here's the route remote workers actually use
Germany never built a dedicated remote-worker visa like Spain or Portugal. The freelance residence permit is the closest real route — and it works differently than you'd expect.
What expats really value about living in Germany (and what frustrates them)
Germany scored poorly in the 2026 Expat Insider survey overall, but specific things — working hours, job security, infrastructure — score far better. An honest look at both sides.
Abandoned houses in Germany: cheap Fachwerk homes in the depopulated east
No €1-euro scheme here, but genuinely cheap derelict Fachwerk houses exist in eastern Germany's depopulated villages — alongside Europe's most developed renovation subsidy system.
Where to buy property in Germany: best cities by budget and goal
From Munich's premium prices to Leipzig's strong yields — a city-by-city guide to where German property actually makes sense for different buyers.
Buying resale property in Germany: an 8-step due diligence checklist
A German purchase runs through a mandatory notary and a land-register priority notice. Eight checks to make before you sign and pay.
Investing in German property: 5 key risks and how to manage them
Transfer tax varies by state, rent control caps new leases, and buying an apartment means buying into its building's finances. Five risks to weigh before you invest in German property.
Buying property in Germany: a complete guide
A stable market: notarial process, transfer tax by state, mortgages and tenant-protected rental.
German home prices still rise in nominal terms but fall in real terms
According to IamExpat, citing the GREIX index, apartment prices in Germany were up 0.4% year on year in the second quarter of 2026, but after inflation all segments were down.
A country-market estimate, not our own stock
Overview
Germany places no restrictions on buying property by nationality: anyone may buy, including non-residents. The decisive factor in the calculation is transaction cost, which in total sits well above the European average.
Why buy here
No restrictions by nationality or residence: non-residents buy on general terms. Europe's largest economy, with a high share of rented housing and steady demand in the major cities. A notarial process with mandatory notary involvement and a reliable land register.
Taxes, costs and yield
Benchmarks for taxes, purchase and holding costs and rental yield. Exact figures depend on the property and your situation.
Rental yield benchmark
3–5%
On purchase, real estate transfer tax at a rate set by the federal state. Annually, land tax.
Total transaction costs in Germany sit well above the European average and comprise: — real estate transfer tax, at a rate set by the federal state and differing between them; — notarial services and land register fees; — agency commission. Annually the owner pays land tax; its calculation has been reformed, and the resulting amounts depend on the municipality and the property's characteristics. Exact rates for the specific state and property are confirmed by the notary.
1. Check the property in the land register: owner, encumbrances, mortgages, easements. 2. The notary prepares the draft contract. 3. A mandatory period to review the draft before signing. 4. Notarial execution of the contract. 5. Entry of a priority notice in the land register, payment, and subsequent registration of title. The deal can be done under power of attorney.
German banks lend to non-residents, but with a larger down payment and proven income.
Buying property in Germany does not grant residency and is not a basis for a visa. Status is obtained on grounds unrelated to a purchase: work, study, family reunification or entrepreneurship.
German law traditionally gives tenants strong protection: limits on rent increases and the procedure for terminating a tenancy shape the exit scenario more than in most other markets. High entry costs mean a longer payback horizon — worth weighing against markets where a transaction costs 3–5%.
What to bear in mind: — transaction costs are high and differ between federal states — calculate for the specific state rather than from averages; — tenant protection limits flexibility in managing the property; — the land register is checked not only for mortgages but for easements and third-party rights, which are not always apparent from a listing; — there is no residency programme tied to buying property in Germany. Checked in September 2026. Thresholds, rates and programme terms change — confirm the current requirements with a lawyer in the country before you buy.
Request a selection in Germany
Figures are indicative, change over time and depend on the specific property and your circumstances. Obtain independent legal, tax and financial advice before any purchase.
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