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Early repayment penalty: 5 questions on selling a house before the fixed-interest period expires

Almost every property owner who wants to sell his or her house before the fixed-interest period expires has to pay a so-called early repayment penalty. However, this topic often raises questions among home sellers: What is the early repayment penalty for? How high is it? And is it possible to avoid it? If you are considering selling your home before the end of the fixed-interest period, you should find out in advance what costs an early termination of the loan agreement may entail. In the following, we explain the most important questions about early repayment fees.

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Brokerage contract for the sale of a house - Everything about the exclusive commission, content, right of cancellation

There are a number of good reasons why you should commission a real estate agent and conclude a real estate agent's contract in the process. The brokerage fee, the scope of services and other modalities are regulated in such a document. What exactly the brokerage contract contains, what types of brokerage contracts there are and whether you can revoke it are explained below.

An exclusive luxury property in north-east Hamburg serves as an example of the premium marketing of villas and estates in the Alster Valley and the Walddörfer.

Marketing exclusive properties for owners with the highest standards

Would you like to market your property in the north-eastern area of Hamburg to the highest standard? As a seasoned partner in the premium segment, we provide discreet, personalised support and facilitate access to a select network of buyers. You can trust in our expertise and benefit from a brokerage service that understands and meets your requirements.

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Real estate commission – Everything you need to know about brokerage fees 2026

The real estate commission—also known as the brokerage fee or agent’s fee—is the compensation for the intermediary or proof-of-opportunity services provided by a real estate agent. Anyone looking to buy or sell property will quickly face these core questions: Who pays the agent when selling a house? How high are the fees when buying? And when is the payment due—after the notary appointment or earlier?

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Transferring property as a gift: what you need to know

Many people decide to gift their property—such as a residence or a plot of land—to their relatives during their lifetime, rather than bequeathing it. But how does the gifting of a property work? What tax-free allowances apply to gift tax? And what costs are involved? We aim to answer these questions for you in detail here.

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What is the best heating system to install when renovating an old building?

When renovating an old building, it is also important to consider the heating system. There is no clear-cut answer as to which new heating system is the best for an old building. The local and structural conditions have just as much influence on the choice of heating system as the costs and the legal regulations. While heating systems with storage tanks need plenty of space, solar thermal energy needs a sunny roof, preferably facing south, in order to achieve its full potential. Some homeowners want to save costs during renovation and therefore only replace the heating system as a single measure. If the insulation is not sufficient and there is no underfloor heating, a heat pump is not always the best choice. But it is precisely these heating systems that use renewable energies and are thus on the federal government's priority list. The subsidy programmes for the purchase of new heating systems are correspondingly generous. But when choosing a new heating system for an old building, there are other interesting alternatives.

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House sale documents: obligation, costs, validity

An up-to-date energy performance certificate for house sales, which provides information on the energy status of a property, is one of the essential documents. Since the Energy Saving Ordinance (EnEV) of 2014, such an energy certificate is mandatory when you sell your property. In the following, we explain the most important questions about the energy certificate. You can also find more information on the topic of energy efficiency in our guide to energy-efficient refurbishment.

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Private subletting - what is permissible and what is not?

You want to sublet your apartment? Whenever a contract is signed, the signatories should be aware of the applicable legal situation in order to avoid any subsequent disputes resulting from inadequate knowledge of the law. This also applies to subletting your own four walls. We would like to inform you about the most important legal principles by answering frequently asked questions.

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Engel & Völkers Germany

Vancouverstraße 2a

20457 Hamburg, Germany

Tel: +49 40 361310