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Real estate search: Find commission-free offers throughout Germany

The German real estate market is characterized by a low home ownership rate. The majority of people still rent. The proportion of people who own their own house or apartment has increased due to low interest rates in the first two decades after the turn of the millennium, but is still just under 50 percent.

At the same time, the state has built too few apartments in recent decades, meaning that there is a strong demand for housing in cities. This is driving up rents and purchase prices. At the same time, many regions are experiencing a rural exodus, meaning that there is a problem with vacancies in some rural areas. Prices there are falling.

The general conditions on the market are therefore not ideal. Although the signs are bad, there is a huge supply of real estate of all kinds to be found in Germany. This also applies to commission-free houses and apartments - or land and commercial properties - most of which come onto the market privately.

Real estate in Germany is comparatively affordable

Compared to many other Central and Western European countries, real estate prices in Germany are still quite affordable. In France, Italy, England and Switzerland, prices have reached almost dizzying heights, even in medium-sized cities. In prime locations such as Hyde Park in London or in the centers of Zurich, Geneva, Rome, Milan and Venice, prospective buyers almost always have to pay a considerable five-figure sum for real estate.

In Germany, this trend is still somewhat weaker. Although there are A-locations in major cities that cost five-figure prices per square meter, there are equally affordable offers outside the cities and even affordable real estate offers in the big cities. This applies in particular to properties that are offered without an estate agent. This is because private landlords and sellers can operate on the market without commission.

But: price increases for German real estate

Nevertheless, prices have risen almost continuously and relatively sharply in recent decades. There was only a small dip at the beginning of the 2020s, which was caused by crises around the world. Interest rates rose significantly during this time. Although the supply was available, financing was more expensive. This also applied to new builds.

The previously very low interest rates caused a boom in construction and drove up purchase prices. Property offers became more expensive due to the favorable financing conditions and excess demand. However, in a country as large as Germany, this does not apply to all cities and regions to the same extent.

Real estate in Germany is particularly expensive here

Average prices per square meter have risen sharply, especially in the major cities of Munich, Hamburg, Cologne, Berlin, Stuttgart and Frankfurt am Main. This applies to purchase prices and net cold rent. Munich is particularly expensive. In fact, the city is one of the metropolitan areas with the highest real estate prices worldwide.

Expensive real estate between Sylt and Tegernsee

Between the North Sea and the Alps, there are now areas that are extremely expensive by German standards for buying a home. Their prices are slowly approaching international levels. This applies to Sylt (Kampen), properties on Lake Tegernsee, the old town of Hamburg or Düsseldorf, the Schwabing district of Munich or Stuttgart-Nord, among others. The old town of Frankfurt am Main or the Westend-Nord district are certainly not good areas for low-income earners either. The same applies to many expensive districts and villa areas in German cities. If you are looking for real estate here, you will find offers, but you will have to dig deep into your pockets.

B-locations are catching up

However, prices in typical B-locations such as Hanover, Karlsruhe, Münster, Düsseldorf, Nuremberg, Mainz and Regensburg have also risen sharply in recent decades. This manifests the urban-rural divide. Cities are expensive across the board.

The west-east divide and the urban-rural divide in Germany

However, outside the larger cities, properties are cheap. This is particularly true for commission-free properties. If you are looking for a condominium or a single-family home in Germany, you can find very attractive offers outside the metropolitan areas.

German regions known for low prices include northern Saxony, southern Brandenburg, almost the entire state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania as well as the state of Saxony-Anhalt, the southwest of Rhineland-Palatinate and the northeast of Baden-Württemberg, which is otherwise rather expensive. These figures clearly show an east-west divide. Real estate of all kinds - houses, apartments and land - is cheaper on average in eastern Germany. The population decline in the east has created a supply surplus that has led to low prices.

There are exceptions. These include the very dynamic cities of Dresden and Leipzig, for example. The majority of other eastern German cities and municipalities such as Stendal, Chemnitz, Magdeburg, Erfurt, Schwerin and Rostock are considerably cheaper.

However, there are also good opportunities with favorable offers in the west. This applies to real estate offers in cities as well as in the countryside. Places such as Herne, Duisburg, Gelsenkirchen, Bottrop, Bochum, Recklinghausen and Dortmund offer low prices. Away from the "Ruhrpotts", it is more rural areas such as south-eastern Lower Saxony and the eastern federal states where interested parties can find particularly affordable properties. This all goes to show: The real estate market in Germany is very heterogeneous and has many different facets. You will notice this time and again when searching for a property.

Search and find commission-free properties without an estate agent in Germany

You can find your dream property with our overview of properties offered without an estate agent. Whether you want to rent a small house for your own use or buy an apartment building as an investment project. Whether you are looking for a smart apartment to rent or a condominium. Whether you are looking for commercial space or a plot of land - our offers are commission-free! Find your dream property near you or in any desired location in Germany - or abroad.

Offers: How to get where you want to go in your real estate search

On our site you will find commission-free properties of all kinds. To find the property you are looking for, please use

• the search form at the top of this page.
• the links to the listings in the federal states, from where you can continue to the cities and districts.
• the topic portals and the regional overview for special searches.
• New construction projects for new properties to buy or rent.
• an individual search request that you can set up free of charge and through which we will notify you immediately of current listings.

In addition, you will not only find links to interesting cities and property types in many places for your property search. You can also find the current price trends in the desired region in the rent index or under real estate prices. You can find interesting facts about real estate in our guide and current topics in the magazine. In this way, you can obtain comprehensive information about the real estate market in Germany with all its special features.

Summary: Real estate offers in Germany:

• Most people in Germany live in rented accommodation and the proportion of people who own their own home is comparatively low.
• In recent years, prices for rents and property have risen significantly (with the exception of the early 2002s).
• Compared with other European cities, expensive German locations are still relatively "cheap".
• The most expensive German cities are A-locations such as Munich, Hamburg, Düsseldorf and Frankfurt
• Prices in B and C-location cities have risen significantly in recent years.
• With the exception of Dresden and Leipzig, the east tends to be cheaper than the west.
• Particularly affordable properties are more likely to be found in rural areas.
• Commission-free offers without an estate agent can be attractively priced.