Quick answer
Important
1. The complete buying journey
Treat financing and due diligence as parallel work. A bank valuation does not replace a technical inspection, and the notary’s neutrality does not replace advice for one party.
Search and budget
Compare the total acquisition cost, not only the listing price.
Financing review
Obtain realistic lender feedback and document available equity.
Check the property
Review legal, technical, energy and apartment-association documents.
Contract and notary
Read the draft early, ask questions and obtain independent advice where needed.
Tax, payment and transfer
Follow the notary’s maturity notice, pay transfer tax and complete Grundbuch steps.
Handover and ownership
Document keys, meters and condition; budget ongoing taxes, insurance and maintenance.
2. Choose the guide you need
Each stage has its own guide because purchase law, lending, acquisition costs, ownership and letting create different decisions.
| Guide | Use it for |
|---|---|
| Buying property | Process, foreigners, notary, Grundbuch and due diligence |
| Buying costs | Transfer tax by state and total cash requirement |
| Mortgage | Equity, interest, repayment and lender checks |
| Owning property | Grundsteuer, insurance, maintenance and WEG costs |
| Renting out property | Tenancy rules, deposits, operating costs and rental tax |
3. Frequently asked questions
Generally yes, but financing can be harder and ownership does not create immigration rights.
No. Ownership and immigration status are separate.
No. Transfer tax, notary, land register and possible agent and financing costs must be budgeted.
Official information
Rules and amounts change. Always verify current requirements using official sources.
Buying property and the notarial process, opens in a new tab
Federal Chamber of Notaries · not a government authority
Neutral information about notarisation, the purchase contract and land-register safeguards.
Real-estate transfer tax, opens in a new tab
Federal Ministry of Finance
Official federal overview of Grunderwerbsteuer and the states’ power to set their rates.
Real-estate financing for consumers, opens in a new tab
Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin)
Independent information on mortgage offers, effective interest, repayment and affordability risks.
Related guides
Amounts and legal requirements can change. We verify this information against official sources and show when each figure was last checked, but always confirm important requirements with the responsible authority before you apply.
Einfach Germany is an independent information platform and is not affiliated with the German government.