Buying a Property in Germany – 6 Best Reasons for Foreigners

with 6 Comments

Like it short and on the spot?
6 Reasons for buying a property in Germany.

Buying a property in Germany

 


1. The main reason for buying a property in Germany may be the still low real estate price, even in prospering areas like Munich, Berlin or Hamburg. Especially when you compare the price/sqm to other major cities in the world or in Europe, there is plenty of space for doubling or even tripling in the nearer future.
2. The market especially for apartments between 57 to 140 sqm is very narrow
3. Demographic change in Germany leads to more 1-2 person households. Pressure on the price of matching properties increases permanently.
4. Financing in Germany is more lucrative than in nearly any other country in the world. With actual mortgages between 1.15% to 2.50% for classical rented apartments or houses you pay less than you earn!!
5. There is no other country in the world, providing as lucrative possibilities for tax deduction. After buying a property in Germany the taxes are quite low. Take a look at our article Property Taxes in Germany. You even can deduct between 2% per year and 80% (as a kind of depreciation) for 50 or 12 years after buying an apartment.
6. Special actual situation: According to the latest study from October 2018 there was a need of additional 375.000 to 450.000 apartments which should have been build in 2018 – so the market will narrow even more in the next years. The past and actual problem with 100´s of 1.000 of refugees coming to Germany each year (in 2016 it were between 950.000 and 1.300.000 according to the government) the need for apartments increased rapidly – again.

Conclusion

On the spot – buying a property in Germany can be the right decision. Reasons: Low prices in comparison to other cities in Europe. Too little numbers of newly build apartments according to the needed numbers.

Demographic change leads to a higher demand for apartments (more and more single or two-people households). Historical cheap interest make financing more lucrative. High tax deduction possible. The refugees coming to Europe and Germany narrow the market even more!

Our Conclusion is simple! If you find similar/better conditions somewhere in the world for your investment property strategy then buy in that market. And please let us know. Every family office, everyone who really wants to diversify his real estate portfolio and every institution looking for a solid conservative investment, should at least consider: Buying a property in Germany – NOW. There will never be a better time for your investment!


Valuable insights in the market
for buying a property in Germany
– Background –


The last two years have shown one clear fact

The takeover boom on the market for investment real estate was no bursting bubble at all. No wonder! The extremely low interest rate policy of the European Central Bank (ECB) has decreased mortgage rates by half over the last few years. It also attracts institutional investors to put their money in real estate rather than in fixed income securities. Finally, insurers and pension funds must not only invest as safe as possible, but also profitable.

Therefore they have to invest the amounts paid by their customers contributions. What could be more appropriate for foreign investors then investing in German real estate? The booming, largest economy in the euro zone and by far the healthiest. With so much cheaper property prices compared to other major cities in Europe like London, Paris, Madrid or Mailand.

German Cities begin to recapture top spots in all international rankings

The described situation has driven huge amounts of money spent in the German market. Over the past few years, the transaction volume in the entire German market has increased. Especially in the cities of Leipzig, Munich, Berlin, Hamburg, Frankfurt, Münster, Freiburg, Augsburg, (and many, many more) the price of investment properties only knows one direction – upwards.

To be honest the price in cities like Munich, Hamburg and Frankfurt has become quite competitive. But even in these cities we see prices for investment properties increase two-figures per year. What distinguishes the majority of other German real estate strongholds from these cities, is the fact that the local extreme high demand has clearly decoupled from the rental activity.

Solid financing with low mortgages. Big plus for buying real estate in Germany.

Mortgages in Germany _ Trend
Mortgages in Germany

Financing in Germany is more lucrative than in nearly any other country in the world. With actual interests between 1.25% to 2.50% for classical rented apartments or houses. This means you pay less than you earn! This leads to a rapid increase number of people buying their own apartments as it becomes more affordable.

Foreigners buying a property in Germany, often get higher rental returns than the amount they have to pay for mortgage including redemption. This leads to higher deals, as the amount of money they have to spend on their own often comes down to the closing costs. (Or additional 10%) In the past foreigners buying a property in Germany often had to spend 20%-40% of the property price. Just to make it – a good Deal!

Demographic Change of Germany – Building too little numbers of new apartments

The last few years the construction of new apartments has increased. BUT – compared to the increased demand of new apartments, the numbers are as low as last, about twenty years ago. The number of apartments needed to  be newly build in Germany outnumbered the real constructed number of apartments as high as 375.000 up to 450.000 apartments.

As in the past there were living 3-4 people in one apartment / household the demographic change leads so more and more 1 or two people per apartment. This let´s the demand explode. Especially in good city locations there is nearly no free-flow of rental apartments in these cities which lets the price rise and rise.

Source: statistisches Bundesamt

Note: German government allows high Tax deduction for investors buying a property in Germany. To get a good overview on property taxes and possibilities of tax deduction you can check our article: Property Taxes in Germany

Foreigners recognize buying a property in Germany is lucrative. The Asians are here – Americans and Russians either

According to all these facts it is no surprise, that more and more foreigners are looking for an opportunity to buy a property in Germany.

Especially from Asia and Russia huge sums of money flow to Germany. Back in the years 2006/2007 a lot of international investors were looking for more short term investments on different markets. Today a lot of these investors are looking for long-term success based on conservative analysis. Often lucrative properties or bundled properties in good location are their first choice today.

For example Samsung bought properties in Germany for 450 million euros last year. A Korean pension fund bought for 100´s of million euros real estates in the same year. If conservative Korean companies in search of stable returns invest in the german real estate market, others follow quickly. So called opportunistic investors who go into more risk – such as Blackstone invested EUR 350 million.


What to do next?


Choose your Language: German, English, Chinese or Russian. If you come from a foreign country and it is hard for you to speak German or English – Just send us an E-Mail and leave a short Info. We will contact you in your native language:  E-Mail with Your preferred Language! by clicking here

Let us talk – Take action today! If you speak English or German just feel free to call us

Contact Us


Questions and Feedback


What are your questions after this article?  What are your experiences buying a property in Germany? Please leave us a comment below – we appreciate it!  Tell us what you liked or even what you would like us to add to this article or our site.

Looking forward to our exchange. If you just want to be inspired by some of our reference properties we sold in Germany feel free to take a look. Inspire Me! 

6 Responses

  1. Priyanka Patel
    | Reply

    Hey Hartmut, my father is looking to invest in the property abroad and after reading your article I think owning a property in Germany will be a wise choice. There are so many good reasons to but a property in Germany and most important of all is that the prices of houses are still low. Thanks for sharing this resourceful information.

    • Hartmut Obst
      | Reply

      Dear Priyanka,

      thanks for your kind words. We are happy that we can help. If you are seeking for a good investment opportunity in German real estate, just contact us via e-mail with your information and we will reach out shortly.

      Have a great wee,
      Hartmut Obst
      – Financial Services –

  2. Janice Yeo
    | Reply

    I m foreigner wanting to buy property in Germany. What’s the best city for investment appreciation and yield. Frankfurt Munich Berlin Hamburg?
    Going to Germany end August. Are you property broker? Can you help us?

  3. Tim
    | Reply

    Hello, as an American I see that I should be able to purchase a house in Germany, but are there major limitations to living in that house? I was born In Germany, but to American parents.

  4. Phani Lingam
    | Reply

    Can you provide more details about the possible tax deductions when a person buys and lives in the property?

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.