Selling property in Berlin: questions and answers

Each answer is the beginning of the detailed answer on the linked page, compiled on 11 October 2026; that page also states how up to date it is. The answers are intended for initial guidance and do not replace legal or tax advice in an individual case.

Sale and process

How does selling a property in Berlin work?

In five steps: valuation and asking price, documents and preparation, marketing, viewings and negotiation, and finally the notary and handover. After the notary appointment, the land registry enters a priority notice of conveyance (Auflassungsvormerkung); only then is the money paid.

In detail: Selling property in Berlin 2026: process and costs

How long does it take to sell a flat in Berlin?

There is no fixed timeframe. The asking price matters most, followed by location, condition and complete documents.

In detail: Estate agent in Berlin since 1995

What are the most common mistakes when selling a property?

In our experience, these above all: an inflated asking price, incomplete documents and too little reach in a private sale. Also missing energy performance certificate details in the listing, which can be an administrative offence under § 87 GModG.

In detail: Estate agent in Berlin since 1995

Which documents do I need to sell a freehold flat?

In addition to the land register extract, floor plans, living space calculation and energy certificate: the declaration of division, the collection of resolutions and the minutes of the last owners' meetings, the budget, the last annual statement and the asset report with the balance of the maintenance reserve. You get the owners' association documents from the property manager; you have a right of inspection (Section 18 para. 4 WEG).

In detail: Documents for selling a property in Berlin

Which documents do I need to sell a house in Berlin?

For every house: a current land register extract (Grundbuch), the cadastral map (Flurkarte), floor plans with a living space calculation and the energy performance certificate, which you present at the viewing at the latest (§ 80 para. 4 GModG, Building Modernisation Act). For a house, you also need information from the register of building encumbrances (Baulastenverzeichnis), documents from the building file such as the building permit, and information from the contaminated land register (Bodenbelastungskataster), which owners or their authorised representatives apply for.

In detail: Sell your house in Berlin: value and documents

How do I sell a plot of land in Berlin?

In five steps: clarify documents and building rights, assess the value, market the plot, have the purchase contract notarised (§ 311b para. 1 BGB, German Civil Code) and, after payment, have the buyer entered in the land register (Grundbuch). What counts for the price is what may be built on the plot.

In detail: Selling a plot in Berlin: process and documents

Does the energy certificate have to be in the advert?

If an energy certificate exists at the time of the advert, its key details belong in the advert (Section 87 GModG). You show the certificate itself to prospective buyers at the viewing at the latest and hand it over to the buyer after the purchase contract (Section 80 para. 4 GModG).

In detail: Documents for selling a property in Berlin

Can I sell without anyone noticing?

Yes. With discreet marketing, there is no public listing and no sign on the building; we only approach registered prospective buyers.

In detail: Selling property in Berlin

Can I sell my Berlin property without travelling to Germany?

Yes, if you are represented at the notary appointment. The notary notarises the purchase contract only in person, not by video.

In detail: Selling Berlin property while living abroad

How do I recognise a good estate agent in Berlin?

By information you can check: a licence under § 34c GewO (German Trade Regulation Act) and the supervisory authority in the legal notice (Impressum), a commission that is fixed in text form before you instruct the agent, and a price range with the calculation shown, based on purchase contracts from your area.

In detail: Finding an estate agent in Berlin: what to check

What does a sole agency agreement (Alleinauftrag) mean for the sale?

With a sole agency agreement, only one agent offers your property for the agreed period. The term, extension and termination are set out in the contract.

In detail: Finding an estate agent in Berlin: what to check

Valuation and price

Which method applies to my property?

The Real Estate Valuation Ordinance (ImmoWertV) permits the sales comparison, income and cost approaches, including several in combination. Which one fits depends on the type of property, market practice and the data available, and the choice must be justified (§ 6 ImmoWertV).

In detail: Valuation: comparison, income and cost value

How is the price of my flat determined?

The basis is purchase contracts concluded before a notary in the neighbourhood. Added to this are the standard land value (Bodenrichtwert), the floor, the condition and whether the flat is let; for owner-occupied flats, also the reserve of the owners' association and any renovation works already approved.

In detail: Sell your flat in Berlin: process, prices by district

What does a property valuation from BBI cost?

Nothing. The initial estimate via the form and the detailed estimate after the on-site appointment are free of charge and not tied to any instruction.

In detail: Property valuation Berlin: free, with workings

How accurate is a valuation without a viewing?

It gives a direction, not a reliable figure.

In detail: Property valuation Berlin: free, with workings

Is an estate agent's assessment a market value report (Verkehrswertgutachten)?

No. Market value reports are prepared by the valuation committee (Gutachterausschuss) on request (§ 193 BauGB, German Federal Building Code) or by valuation experts, for example publicly appointed ones.

In detail: Valuation: comparison, income and cost value

When do I need a market value report?

When an authority asks for reliable evidence. If an heir or the recipient of a gift wants to prove a lower value to the tax office, § 198 BewG (German Valuation Act) generally requires an expert report.

In detail: Property valuation Berlin: free, with workings

Where can I find the standard land value for my plot in Berlin?

In the standard land value information system BORIS Berlin of the Committee of Valuation Experts. The query is free of charge, as is the PDF printout.

In detail: Standard land value in Berlin: how to look it up and read it

Is the standard land value the value of my plot?

No. The standard land value applies to a notional, undeveloped reference plot with the typical features of the zone.

In detail: Standard land value in Berlin: how to look it up and read it

Can I value my property using the figures for the district?

For a rough idea, yes. For a reliable valuation, no.

In detail: Property prices in Berlin 2026 by district: market data

How much less does a property with a right of residence fetch?

That depends on the annual value of the right and its expected duration, i.e. for a lifelong right on the age of the beneficiary. A valuer calculates the discount for the individual case.

In detail: Selling property with a right of residence or usufruct

How is the value determined when a co-heir is paid out?

Ideally by someone who has nothing to gain from it, and using a method everyone agreed on beforehand. Whoever takes over the property wants a low value.

In detail: Property in a community of heirs

Costs, commission, tax

Who pays the agent's commission on a sale, the buyer or the seller?

When a flat or a detached house is sold to a private individual, the buyer and seller share the commission (§ 656c, § 656d BGB). The split does not apply to multi-family buildings, plots, commercial properties or buyers acting as a business.

In detail: Agent's commission in Berlin 2026: who pays how much?

How much is the agent's commission in Berlin?

In Berlin it is usually 7.14 per cent of the purchase price including VAT today, split into two equal halves of 3.57 per cent each. This figure is not set by any law; it has become established on the market.

In detail: Agent's commission in Berlin 2026: who pays how much?

Can I pass the commission on to the buyer?

Only in part. The buyer may take on at most half, and only pays once the seller has demonstrably paid their share (§ 656d BGB, German Civil Code).

In detail: Sell your flat at Lietzensee

Who pays the notary, the buyer or the seller?

Normally the buyer, namely for the appointment itself, the placeholder in the land register and the transfer into the buyer's name. The seller pays for having their old loans deleted from the land register.

In detail: Purchase costs in Berlin 2026: calculator and 6% tax

When is the sale of a property tax-free?

The gain is tax-free if more than ten years pass between purchase and sale. Or if you lived in the property yourself in the year of the sale and the two years before.

In detail: Selling property in Berlin 2026: process and costs

Does the notary appointment or the handover count for the ten-year holding period (Spekulationsfrist)?

What counts is the date of the purchase contract signed at the notary, both when buying and when selling. Neither the handover of the keys nor the entry in the land register (Grundbuch) plays a role.

In detail: Ten-year holding period explained

Do I have to report the sale to the tax office if it is tax-free?

The notary reports every property sale to the tax office anyway, as they are obliged to. Whether you have to declare anything in your own tax return depends on the case.

In detail: Ten-year holding period explained

Who pays the property tax in the year of sale?

Towards the tax office, the previous owner remains liable for the whole year of sale, because property tax is assessed on the circumstances as of 1 January. Who bears it economically is set out in the purchase contract.

In detail: Property tax when selling property in Berlin

Who pays the service charge between handover and entry in the land register?

Towards the owners' association it is usually the seller, because the seller remains registered until the transfer in the land register. If the purchase agreement states that the charges pass to the buyer on handover, the buyer reimburses these amounts to the seller.

In detail: Service charge and special levy when selling a flat

Who pays a special levy that was resolved before the sale?

Towards the association it is owed by whoever is the owner when the property manager calls it in. According to the Federal Court of Justice judgment of 15 December 2017 (V ZR 257/16), the buyer is also liable for a special levy resolved before the purchase that only becomes due afterwards.

In detail: Service charge and special levy when selling a flat

Do I get my share of the maintenance reserve back as the seller?

No. The reserve is the property of the association of flat owners and stays there.

In detail: Service charge and special levy when selling a flat

May I terminate my mortgage loan if I sell?

Yes. If the loan is secured by a land charge and the fixed-rate period is still running, you may terminate early if you have a legitimate interest and six months have passed since the loan was paid out.

In detail: Prepayment penalty when selling

Law and tenancy law

My flat is let. Can I still sell it?

Yes. If an apartment building is divided into individual owner-occupied flats, we check the notice periods in advance and whether the tenant has the right to buy the flat first (§ 577 BGB, German Civil Code).

In detail: Sell your flat in Wilmersdorf: agent on Kurfürstendamm

When does the termination protection period under § 577a BGB apply?

When a rented flat is converted into an owner-occupied flat after the tenant has moved in and is then sold. It protects the tenant from being given notice by the new owner because the owner wants to move in or to sell on more profitably.

In detail: Tenant's right of first refusal under § 577 BGB

Do I need the property manager's consent to sell?

Only if the declaration of division (Teilungserklärung) provides for it (§ 12 para. 1 WEG, Residential Property Act). In that case the purchase contract is not effective as long as consent is missing, and consent may only be refused for good cause (§ 12 paras. 2 and 3 WEG).

In detail: Sell your flat in Berlin: process, prices by district

May I sell a property in a social preservation area?

Yes. The sale itself does not require a permit under § 172 BauGB.

In detail: Berlin Milieuschutz areas: map and address check

Do Berlin's districts still have a right of first refusal in social preservation areas (Milieuschutz)?

The city's right of first refusal still exists. However, in 2021 the Federal Administrative Court severely restricted when it may be used.

In detail: Tenant's right of first refusal under § 577 BGB

May a flat stand empty until it is sold?

Up to three months without a permit. If it stands empty for longer, this constitutes misuse (§ 2 para. 1 no. 4 ZwVbG, Berlin Act on the Ban on Misuse of Residential Space).

In detail: Ban on misuse of residential space in Berlin: what applies when selling

Does the ban on misuse also apply to owner-occupied flats and houses?

Yes. Every space that is actually and legally suitable for permanent residential use is protected (§ 1 para. 3 ZwVbG), and this has applied throughout Berlin since 1 May 2014.

In detail: Ban on misuse of residential space in Berlin: what applies when selling

Does a permit for holiday letting pass to the buyer?

As a rule, no. The district office generally ties permits to the person, the space and the purpose; if the user changes, they expire (AV-ZwVb no. 10.4, Berlin's implementing regulations).

In detail: Ban on misuse of residential space in Berlin: what applies when selling

May I sell a property with a right of residence?

Yes. The owner can sell the property even without the consent of the beneficiary.

In detail: Selling property with a right of residence or usufruct

I have inherited a house. What needs to be clarified before the sale?

First the succession: the land registry only transfers the property into the heirs' names once the succession has been proven with a certificate of inheritance (Erbschein) or a notarial will. If there are several heirs, the house belongs to them jointly, and they can only decide on a sale together (§ 2040 BGB, German Civil Code).

In detail: Sell your house in Berlin: value and documents

Can my ex-partner block the sale?

If both of you are in the land register, a sale is only possible together. If you cannot agree, either of you can apply to the court to have the property auctioned.

In detail: Property and divorce: the four options

Do I remain liable for a contaminated site after the sale?

Towards the authorities, yes, if you sold after 1 March 1999 and knew or should have known of the contamination (§ 4 para. 6 BBodSchG, Federal Soil Protection Act). Towards the buyer, an exclusion of liability does not help if you fraudulently concealed a defect (§ 444 BGB, German Civil Code).

In detail: Contaminated land register Berlin: checking soil contamination

Investment property and packages

Is a multi-family building the same as a Zinshaus?

When selling, usually yes. Both words mean a let residential building with several flats.

In detail: Sell a multi-family building (Zinshaus) in Berlin

How do you find out what my multi-family building is worth?

Through the rents. We take the rent that can be achieved in the long term, the property yield rate (Liegenschaftszins) of the valuation committee and the years the building still has ahead of it.

In detail: Sell a multi-family building (Zinshaus) in Berlin

What is the property yield rate (Liegenschaftszinssatz)?

The interest rate at which the market values of properties of a given type earn a market-standard return on average (§ 21 para. 2 ImmoWertV, Real Estate Valuation Ordinance).

In detail: Valuation: comparison, income and cost value

What does price-to-rent multiplier mean, and why does it matter?

The purchase price divided by the annual rent excluding heating and ancillary costs. The figure shows how many years' rent the price contains.

In detail: Sell an apartment building in Charlottenburg

Is a low price-to-rent multiplier a good sign?

For the current yield, yes, because the buyer pays less for the same annual rent. The multiplier says nothing about location, condition, the rents in the building or upcoming repairs.

In detail: Berlin price-to-rent multipliers 2026 by district

Which estate agent in Berlin brokers off-market properties and flat packages?

BBI Immobilien brokers flat packages, portfolios and apartment buildings in Berlin, including without a public listing. Investors first receive a teaser without the address, and the documents only after they have agreed in writing to keep the information to themselves.

In detail: Flat packages and portfolios in Berlin

What does 'Kaufpreis gegen Gebot' (offers invited) mean?

Anyone who has examined the documents submits a bid. The seller decides on the basis of price, the security of the financing and the timetable.

In detail: Flat packages and portfolios in Berlin

Commercial and logistics

Which agent brokers commercial and logistics property in Berlin?

BBI Immobilien brokers warehouses, storage and logistics space and commercial plots in Berlin and Brandenburg, to rent and to buy. Office, retail and investment are handled by NAI apollo, of which BBI is part.

In detail: Commercial and logistics in Berlin-Brandenburg

Do buyer and seller also split the commission for commercial property?

No. The split under §§ 656c and 656d BGB (German Civil Code) only applies when a private individual buys a flat or a single-family house.

In detail: Commercial and logistics in Berlin-Brandenburg

What does NAI apollo bring?

Access to acquisition teams and to market research beyond Berlin.

In detail: Commercial and logistics in Berlin-Brandenburg

Location and districts

What matters when selling a house in Steglitz-Zehlendorf?

The plot, which is often worth more than the building. The standard land value and the question of what may be built there belong at the start of any pricing.

In detail: Estate agent in Steglitz-Zehlendorf

What do sellers in Treptow-Köpenick need to watch out for?

Competition from new builds. A second-hand flat here stands right next to a brand-new one, which raises expectations regarding condition and fittings.

In detail: Estate agent in Treptow-Köpenick

What determines the price of an owner-occupied flat in Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg?

Above all, its condition. The buildings are old, and buyers now factor in deferred repairs precisely.

In detail: Estate agent in Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg

Is the district figure useful for a house in Biesdorf, Kaulsdorf or Mahlsdorf?

No. The detached-house areas are a market of their own with reliable demand from families, and prices are well above those of the large housing estates.

In detail: Estate agent in Marzahn-Hellersdorf

Which documents make the price difference for a period flat in Wilmersdorf?

Besides the mandatory documents, proof of modernisation work with the year it was done: heating, pipework and wiring, windows, bathroom. That alone can make a clear price difference between two flats in the same building.

In detail: Sell your flat in Wilmersdorf: agent on Kurfürstendamm

Do I need an estate agent from Potsdam to sell my house?

Neither an agent from Potsdam nor any agent at all is required. What matters is that the price is determined on the basis of the Potsdam figures: standard land values (Bodenrichtwerte) from BORIS Brandenburg and purchase prices from the property market report (Grundstücksmarktbericht) of the state capital.

In detail: Sell your house in Potsdam: prices and land values