Engel & VölkersEngel & Völkers

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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.

  • 6 min read
Visit Early repayment penalty: 5 questions on selling a house before the fixed-interest period expires
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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.

  • 3 min read
  • 30.01.2026
Visit Transferring property as a gift: what you need to know
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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.

  • 9 min read
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Engel & Völkers Germany

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20457 Hamburg, Germany

Tel: +49 40 361310