Seller

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.

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.

Smart homes, smarter value

How smart technology increases your property's worth

Tips and tricks for a successful sale of flats

Here you can find out everything you need to know about selling your condominium.

Real estate speculation tax: Deadlines, rates & tax-optimization

Selling a property can be a significant financial milestone, yet the tax implications often catch sellers off guard. In Germany, the speculation tax on real estate (Spekulationssteuer) is a critical factor for any private seller. If you divest a property within the statutory speculation period and realize a profit, that gain may be subject to taxation.

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.

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.

Positive news from the residential real estate market

The growth trend in Hamburg's residential property market continues: after inflation and construction interest rates rose as a result of the pandemic years and buyers tended to be cautious, a normalisation trend has now set in. We are seeing increasing momentum, particularly in the continuously developing markets of north-east Hamburg, namely in Alstertal, the Walddörfer, Rahlstedt and Marienthal.

The Individual Renovation Roadmap (iSFP): What it contains, who benefits, and who issues it.

Buying Holiday Homes in Germany: What are the Prices?

The real estate consultants at Engel & Völkers provide expert guidance for the purchase of holiday properties. As an international real estate network with over 1,100 locations in 35 countries, our local agents offer extensive knowledge of the residential and vacation markets in nearly every major holiday region.

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.

Selling an inherited house: tax considerations

Find out what tax applies when you sell an inherited house and when a tax-free sale is possible!