Bright living room with a yellow sofa, blue chairs, and a large white bookshelf filled with records and books. A wooden table and chairs are nearby.

Apartment, penthouse, loft ... What are the different types of apartments?

Not all apartments are the same: If you are planning to move and buy a property, you should familiarize yourself with the different types of apartments and their characteristic features by now at the latest. A spacious apartment, a loft in a former factory where artists run their studios, a penthouse apartment in the heart of a trendy metropolis or would you prefer a 3-room apartment by a park? The choice could be easier. Your real estate agent Engel & Völkers Germany presents the different types of apartments to make your purchase decision easier.

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Second home tax Hamburg - What does a second home in Hamburg cost?

If you use a second home in the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg, the tax office for transfer taxes and real estate may ask you to pay the second home tax in Hamburg. The tax applies to holiday homes, student flats or secondary residences for other purposes. Even a caravan on a permanent pitch can be a second home subject to registration. In Germany, the local authorities themselves determine whether they levy tax on the use of secondary residences, who is liable to pay tax and how much tax is payable. Find out whether your second home on the housing market in Hamburg is subject to the Hamburg Second Home Tax (HmbZWSt). With Engel & Völkers Hamburg Elbe you will find fantastic flats as a capital investment, main residence or secondary residence.

The image shows the impressive architecture with its undulating glass roof, reminiscent of water waves or sails. The lower third of the building consists of a sturdy red brick base, reminiscent of the former quay warehouse building. The Elbe River can be seen in the foreground.

Hamburg's perhaps most exclusive flat in the Elbphilharmonie

Since their completion, the condominiums in the Elbphilharmonie have undoubtedly been among Hamburg's most sought-after real estate properties. Almost all available flats in the concert hall at Hamburg's harbour, which opened in January 2017, were marketed within a short time. But even if you are not one of the new owners of the luxurious flats, you can still experience the incomparable living flair of these unique properties. Engel & Völkers Hamburg Projektvermarktung invites you to take a tour of one of Hamburg's most exclusive flats in the Elbphilharmonie:

Traditional white cottage with dark thatched roof and green shutters nestled in coastal grass dunes overlooking blue ocean under dramatic cloudy sky

Buy a Seaside Home with Engel & Völkers

A house or villa in a frontline coastal position - the most coveted of locations - is more than just an exceptional home; it is a guaranteed escape from the pace of city life and the daily routine. Furthermore, the opportunity to „share" your property in such a sought-after destination through holiday rentals makes the purchase of such a home a highly profitable real estate investment.

Luftaufnahme einer Stadtlandschaft mit dicht gedrängten Gebäuden, von Bäumen gesäumten Straßen und einem markanten Turm im Hintergrund unter einem teilweise bewölkten Himmel

Calculate your Hamburg property tax in a few easy steps

Hamburg has used its own property tax model since 2025. Here we explain what this means for you and how high your tax burden is likely to be, including the formula and a practical example.

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Straight to your dream flat: With these tips, you can successfully apply for a rental offer

In tight housing markets such as Hamburg, where there are often several interested parties applying for a single rental offer for a flat, landlords are often free to choose the tenant of their choice. Especially if you have found your dream property to rent, for example in Hamburg Eimsbüttel, a convincing application is particularly helpful for the final acceptance. The following tips from your real estate agent Engel & Völkers Hamburg Elbe will help you to appear as confident and evident as possible in the application process for your new flat in Hamburg Eimsbüttel.

A bright and inviting living room with a gray sofa, wooden furniture, and a variety of potted plants. A hanging plant in the foreground adds depth, while bookshelves and natural light from the window create a warm, homely atmosphere.

What is Micro Living and why is it called the urban living concept of the future?

A look at the current market trends reveals that the large conurbations are still immensely popular as places to live. After all, their extensive offer of jobs, entertainment and general infrastructure fits perfectly with the modern 24-hour lifestyle.

Cobblestone street with cafés and timber-framed homes in Harburg’s old town – attractive residential and mixed-use location

Jork - the paradise in the Old Land

Less than 35 kilometers separate Jork in Lower Saxony from Hamburg city center. Between Stade and Hamburg Harburg, the small municipality with just over 12,000 inhabitants is picturesquely situated on the southern bank of the Elbe. Covering an impressive 62.26 square kilometers, the heart of the Altes Land offers plenty of space for fruit trees, but also for families, couples or singles and their properties. The romantic village has a lot to offer its residents and visitors. At first glance, time seems to have stood still a little in Jork. Charming half-timbered houses adorn the center of Jork and the banks of the Elbe as well as the various districts along the Este. There are no traffic jams or dense population in Jork. As the center of the largest fruit-growing region in Europe, Jork consists of seemingly endless rows of fruit trees. There are said to be around 20,000,000 trees that produce the famous apples as well as other trees that bear delicious fruit. The seven districts are generously spread out in between, where it is still possible to live comfortably and with plenty of open space.

Panoramic view of Kiel with a cruise ship docked, historic buildings, and a green-roofed church spire under a clear blue sky.

Standard land value in Kiel

If you want to find out about land prices in the various locations in the city, the standard land value for Kiel is a good guide. The digital standard land value map shows the different standard land value zones can be viewed. This gives property sellers and prospective buyers an initial impression of the different land prices with the help of the standard land value in Kiel. As the standard land value always refers to a reference property of a certain size, the stated standard land value for another property must be converted accordingly.

Traditional Alpine chalet with wooden construction and flower boxes perched on hillside surrounded by vibrant yellow wildflowers, overlooking dramatic snow-capped mountain peaks and green valley under clear blue sky

Yield calculation for holiday properties

Holiday properties are attractive capital investments that have become very popular. Ideal for partial owner-occupation, as a retirement property or financial provision in old age, holiday properties are usually more suitable than many other financial investments. An accurate yield calculation for holiday properties is necessary, however, because not every in-demand holiday property is equally lucrative as an investment. Apart from the location, amenities and size of the holiday properties, investors are therefore primarily interested in the financial aspects of the investment. How much return can you achieve with a holiday property? We show you what options there are for calculating the return on a holiday property and how you can determine it yourself.

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Engel & Völkers Germany

Vancouverstraße 2a

20457 Hamburg, Germany

Tel: +49 40 361310