Market price estimate in Berlin: what your property would fetch today

In short. A market price estimate answers the question of what buyers would pay for your property today. It relies on prices actually paid, not on asking prices from property portals. For landlords there is a counterpart: the rental value estimate based on the rent index and the rent cap.

What is a market price estimate?

A market price estimate gauges the price a property is likely to achieve when sold. It is also called a market value estimate or initial estimate. The most important basis is prices that were actually paid: every notary sends a copy of each property purchase contract to the valuation committee, which keeps the purchase price collection (§ 195 BauGB) and derives the standard land values from it (§ 196 BauGB). Property portals, by contrast, only show what sellers are asking.

A market price estimate differs from a formal market value report in form and purpose. § 194 BauGB defines market value as the price that could be obtained in the ordinary course of business; a report on it is prepared by publicly appointed surveyors or the valuation committee (§ 193 BauGB) using the methods of the ImmoWertV (German valuation ordinance). It is needed in court, when dividing an estate or if you want to prove a lower value to the tax office (§ 198 BewG).

Market price estimate and formal market value report compared

	Market price estimate	Formal market value report
Who prepares it?	Estate agents with local market knowledge	publicly appointed surveyors or the valuation committee
Basis	Prices of comparable properties, standard land value, condition, rental income	Methods under the ImmoWertV, fully documented
Cost	free at BBI	Surveyor's fee or the valuation committee's charge
What for?	Asking price when selling, deciding between selling and letting	Court, tax office, division of an estate, mortgage lending

How BBI does it: The initial estimate is free and does not commit you to anything. We draw on sales contracts from your street and the immediate area, the standard land value, the condition and whether the property is let. After the viewing you receive a price range together with the workings, expressly without a formal report on market value. How the three valuation methods work is explained in the guide Valuation methods.

What matters for a flat, a house, an apartment building or a plot? The price drivers

Owner-occupied flat

For flats, the comparison with flats sold in similar buildings is what counts. The price is shifted mainly by floor, orientation, balcony, the state of bathroom and kitchen, the level of the service charge, the maintenance reserve and upcoming resolutions of the owners' association. A let flat usually fetches less than a vacant one, because many buyers want to move in themselves. Process and prices by district: Selling a flat in Berlin.

Detached house

With a house, the plot often makes up a large part of the price. The starting point is the standard land value and the plot size, plus year of construction, type of build, modernisations and energy performance. More on this: Selling a house in Berlin.

Apartment building

Buyers of apartment buildings calculate on income: rent roll, vacancy, operating costs and the purchase price multiplier, that is the multiple of the annual net cold rent. Maintenance backlogs and tenancies below the local rent have a direct effect. More on this: Selling an apartment building.

Plot

For undeveloped plots, the standard land value is the most important reference point, adjusted for size, shape and what may be built there. You can look up the standard land value for your location free of charge in BORIS Berlin; how to read it is explained in the guide Standard land value in Berlin.

How do I get a rental value estimate for my flat?

If you want to let a flat, you need the achievable rent rather than the purchase price. The yardstick is the local comparative rent (§ 558 BGB), which in Berlin is read from the Berlin rent index 2026 with the reference date 1 September 2025. When a flat is re-let, the rent cap means the rent in Berlin may be at most 10 per cent above the local comparative rent (§ 556d BGB).

Exceptions apply, among others, if the flat was first used and let after 1 October 2014, if it was comprehensively modernised before letting (§ 556f BGB) or if the previous tenant already paid more (§ 556e BGB). For furnished lettings a surcharge for the furniture is added. Details: Rent cap in Berlin.

How BBI does it: Our rent calculator gives a first approximation: address, living space and year of construction are enough. You request the personal rental value estimate in the same way as the market price estimate; on request we handle tenant selection, the tenancy agreement and a market rent for you.

Which documents do I need for a market price estimate?

A few details are enough for the initial estimate. We do not need the land register extract or the energy certificate for it yet.

• Address of the property
• Type of property and living space
• Year of construction and condition
• let or vacant
• Your phone number for questions

The more we see in advance, the narrower the range. Helpful are:

• Photos of the rooms, including bathroom and kitchen
• Floor plan and living space calculation
• Energy performance certificate
• for owner-occupied flats: declaration of division, minutes of the owners' meetings, budget plan, service charge statement
• for let properties: tenancy agreement or rent roll

You must present the energy certificate when selling or letting, at the latest at the viewing (§ 80 para. 4 and 5 GEG). What you need for a sale overall and where to get it is explained in the guide Documents for selling a property.

How do I request a market price estimate from BBI?

Using the form

Four short questions on type of property, location and condition, then your contact details: Request a market price estimate. The enquiry goes straight to our team.

By email with documents

Many owners now write to us directly, often with a dozen photos, a floor plan and the energy certificate attached. That suits us fine (it narrows the range even before the viewing).

Write to info@bbi-immobilien.de with the subject "Marktpreiseinschätzung" (market price estimate) or "Mietpreiseinschätzung" (rental value estimate). Give the address, type of property, living space, year of construction, whether it is let or vacant, and a phone number; you can attach photos, floor plan and energy certificate directly.

By phone

On 030 327 734 0, Monday to Friday 8:30 to 19:00, Saturday and Sunday 10:00 to 18:00.

How we handle your details is set out in our privacy policy.

How does a market price estimate work? In five steps

Sources and as-of date

• § 194 Building Code (BauGB), definition of market value
• § 193 BauGB, expert reports by the valuation committee
• § 195 BauGB, purchase price collection from notaries' contracts
• § 196 BauGB, standard land values
• Property Valuation Ordinance (ImmoWertV 2021), comparison, income and cost approaches
• § 198 Valuation Act (BewG), proving a lower value to the tax office
• Berlin valuation committee (Gutachterausschuss für Grundstückswerte in Berlin), market reports and information
• Berlin valuation committee: standard land values (BORIS Berlin), free look-up
• § 558 Civil Code (BGB), local comparative rent
• § 556d BGB, rent cap on re-letting
• § 556e BGB, exception for higher previous rent and modernisation
• § 556f BGB, exception for new builds and comprehensive modernisation
• Senate Department for Urban Development, Building and Housing: Berlin rent index, rent index 2026
• § 80 Building Energy Act (GEG), presenting the energy certificate at the latest at the viewing

Information about BBI comes from these pages of our website:

• Property valuation in Berlin, free initial estimate, price range with workings, documents
• Home page, reply usually within one working day, letting service
• Berlin rent calculator, rent index 2026, rent cap

All sources accessed on 16 October 2026.