Real estate commission in Germany, deposit, down payments and side cost (2024)

FAQs

What is the commission for real estate agents in Germany? ›

It can range from 0% - 7,14% of the property price. The fee is now, in nearly all cases, shared equally between buyer and seller. The table below exhibits the real estate commission depending on the state in Germany.

Most homebuyers in Germany choose fixed-rate mortgages for a fixed rate of 10 years. Many buyers in Germany will need to pay a downpayment, with 20% being a common amount; Non-residents may need to pay a larger deposit. Average house prices for single-family and duplex homes (approx.)

Closing costs can be high on German property: Notary fees (Notar) = 2% Property Purchase Tax (Grunderwerbsteuer) = 3.5-6.5% dependent on area. Estate Agent fees (Makler) = 3 to 6% plus VAT dependent on area.

If you don't live and work in Germany, you might need a deposit of at least 40% of the property's value. Some banks will require you to earn a minimum amount per year to get a mortgage (for example, €20,000), and lenders will usually require that your mortgage repayments won't be more than 35% of your monthly income.

The purchase fees for property in Germany are as follows: Notary fee: 1.50 % - 2,00 % Property transfer tax: 3,50 % - 6,50 % Real estate commission: 0,00 % - 3,57 %

What percent commission do most real estate agents charge? The typical commission under the current model has been somewhere between 5 and 6 percent of a home's purchase price, which is then split evenly between the agent representing the buyer and the agent representing the seller.

If you qualify as a permanent resident and worker (and are therefore a taxpayer) in Germany, you can apply for a mortgage to cover up to 100% of the property value. In theory, some banks even go the extra mile and offer financing with no down payment.

Conventional loan: 3 percent down payment

Keep in mind, too, that to avoid PMI, you'll need to put down at least 20 percent. If you can't afford that high of a down payment, though, know you won't pay PMI forever. Once you reach 20 percent equity in your home, you can request that your lender remove PMI from your bill.

Traditionally, a mortgage down payment is at least 5% of a home's sale price. House down payments are often, but not always, part of the normal homebuying process. If a buyer put 10-20% down, they may be more committed to the home and less likely to default.

In Germany, more than 75 % of people go into negotiations before buying real estate. More than 55% of negotiators in Germany are successful — in some locations, the rate is even significantly higher.

Is it expensive to own a house in Germany? ›

The Immowelt platform reports that in 2023, the average cost of a finished house is 2,971 euros per square meter. In Hamburg, housing will cost you 5,781 € per m², while in Munich, it's as high as 10,420 € per m².

The time between first visit of the house and finally taking over the keys is a process which can take anywhere between four weeks and several months – depending upon how fast buyer & seller can come to an agreement, how fast you get financing in place and how long the court takes to change the land register.

Germany (49.1%) and Switzerland (42.2%) have by far the lowest rate of home ownership in Europe, due to the high cost of housing. This is far lower than in Italy (74.3%), France (63.4%), Spain (76%) and the UK (65.2%), according to Trading Economics.

The good news is that property tax rates in Germany are generally low, typically ranging from 0.26% to 1%. However, the specific rate for a particular property will vary depending on the location, the type of property, and the value of the property.

The Representation of the European Commission in Germany is a representation of the European Commission with the head office located in Berlin. There are two more regional representation offices in Bonn and Munich.

The Estate Agents industry has 87,041 employees in Germany in 2023.

There are 332 real estate agents found in Germany. Get in touch with a Germany real estate agent who can help you find the home of your dreams in Germany.

Legal Situation in Germany

Contrary to the requirements in the United States of America, no official license is required to be a real estate agent in Germany. However, you need an official permit to work as a freelance real estate broker according to § 34c of the German Trade Regulations (GewO).