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House viewing tips

The house viewing is certainly one of the most important phases when buying and selling a house. For prospective buyers, it provides the opportunity to get an accurate impression of the property, while giving the owner the opportunity to find the right buyer. It is therefore all the more important that this part of the property sale is carefully prepared and carried out. In the following we therefore explain the most important aspects of a house viewing and what buyers and sellers need to be aware of.

  • 6 min read
  • 07.08.2025
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The energy performance certificate - an important document for selling a house

If you want to sell your house or apartment, an up-to-date energy performance certificate, which provides information about the energy efficiency of your property, is one of the most important documents of all. Since the Energy Saving Ordinance (EnEV) of 2014, such an energy certificate is mandatory if you want to sell your Sell your property want to sell your property. The most important questions about the energy certificate are explained below.

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Market value vs. sales price: what's the difference?

Before a property can be sold, you need to find out what its financial value is. This is where the market value comes into play: various methods can be used to determine the objective value of a property. The market value thus forms the basis for the selling price of a property and is based on the price that can be achieved in the ordinary course of business at the time of the determination, taking into account all relevant factors such as location, condition and building materials used. This value is determined without taking into account personal or unusual circumstances and takes into account legal circumstances and actual characteristics. In simple terms, the market value represents the most likely selling price.

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A house with pool

Many people dream of having a house with a pool. But what kind of pool is most suitable? An outdoor pool in your own garden for the summer is appealing because of the low acquisition costs. An indoor pool that can be used all year round, perhaps even extending into an outdoor pool, costs a lot more, as does a heated and covered outdoor pool. Is this investment worthwhile? How much does it cost to set up and maintain your own wellness area? Does every pool increase the value of the property?

  • 8 min read
  • 18.08.2022
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Why commission is worthwhile when selling with Engel & Völkers

The commission when selling with Engel & Völkers represents the compensation for the services rendered by our real estate agents. Property sellers often have questions about this, for example when it comes to the exact scope of the services. Also the question of Amount of the brokerage fee and how exactly it is made up are also frequent topics for property sellers. In this guide, we would therefore like to briefly and concisely answer the most important questions about commission when selling with Engel & Völkers and show why working with an estate agent is worthwhile.

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Building on someone else's land: 7 frequently asked questions about hereditary building rights

Are you planning to build a property? Then building on someone else's land is an option available to you as a builder. Ownership, finances and rights of use are regulated by the so-called heritable building right. In this article, we answer 7 questions on the subject that you may frequently encounter.

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The particularities of lease and leasehold agreements

Lease agreements generally provide for the transfer of leased property for a fixed or indefinite period of time. In this type of contract there is a user, the lessee, who pays a fee, in this case called "rent", to the lessor. The contractual relationship is similar in structure to a rental agreement. However, a rental agreement only allows the tenant to use the rented property, while a lease agreement also authorises the lessee to "extract the fruits of the land".

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House sale documents: These are the documents you need

If you want to sell your house successfully, you need documents on all the important features of your property. Obtaining these documents is certainly one of the biggest challenges for owners. Countless documents are related to a building, but by no means all of them are necessary to successfully sell a property. On the other hand, the absence of certain documents, such as the energy certificate, is punishable by severe fines. In addition, many owners do not know for sure how and from which authorities they can obtain the necessary documents. In the following, we therefore present the most important documents for selling a house and show you how our real estate agents can help you obtain them.

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Floor plan: Everything important about planning, creation, and interpretation

A meaningful floor plan is the foundation of every property. Whether you as an owner want to sell your property, renovate it, or simply document it – a professional floor plan visualizes room layout, proportions, and usage possibilities at a glance. In this guide, you'll learn what makes a floor plan, how you can create floor plan and draw floor plan yourself, and which details are important.

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Agreement on the Building Energy Act: What will be important for Hamburg property owners

As one of the most polarising topics in the political discourse, the amendment to the Building Energy Act energy law is also occupying the owners of houses, flats and other properties in Hamburg Obligation to retrofit for older heating systems in favour of the heating transition in Germany was debated in the media and in public, and it took a long time for the coalition parties to reach a consensus. In mid-June 2023, an internal government Agreement has now been reached, which is considered a promising basis for adoption in the Bundestag. In this article, your estate agent for the north-east of Hamburg, Engel & Völkers Alstertal, would like to summarise for you the changes that the so-called "Heating Act" will bring for owners of houses and flats and why this is particularly important in Hamburg can be expected to be implemented more quickly than at federal level. Find out more now!

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Selling a house on an annuity basis

The annuity-based house sale is an alternative to the traditional house sale, which usually ends with the buyer paying the seller the negotiated sum for the property and being registered as the new owner in the land register. With an annuity-based sale, on the other hand, the sale price is not paid in one go, but in instalments. The advantages and disadvantages of this type of property sale are explained below.

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Engel & Völkers Germany

Vancouverstraße 2a

20457 Hamburg, Germany

Tel: +49 40 361310