🏡 Wegweiser Owners & Builders

Property purchase, construction financing, building contracts, owners' associations, property tax, heating and letting: clear answers and the most important deadlines.

Legal position: September 2026. Much of this is state law and differs from state to state (checked only for Bavaria, North Rhine-Westphalia and Berlin, not the other states): real estate transfer tax rate, building code and building permit, neighbour law, property tax calculation. These points are marked in the text as depending on the state. The Gebäudemodernisierungsgesetz (Building Modernisation Act, successor to the Heizungsgesetz) was passed by the Bundestag and Bundesrat on 10 July 2026, promulgated on 28 July 2026 (BGBl. 2026 Nr. 226) and has been in force in its first stage since 29 July 2026. The planned compulsory insurance against natural hazards has not been adopted. Sources and open points: Sources and limits. Information, not legal advice.

Frequently searched

📜 Purchase contract, notary and land register 💶 Purchase incidental costs and real estate transfer tax 🏗️ Developers, payment schedule and security 🏢 Condominium ownership: meeting, resolution, manager, service charge 🔥 Heating, Building Modernisation Act and funding 🤝 Advice and contact points

All topic areas

📋BasicsOverview: what is federal law, what is state law?1 topic 🔑Buying and financingNotary, land register, purchase incidental costs, real estate transfer tax, construction financing.3 topics 🏗️BuildingDevelopers, consumer building contracts, acceptance and defects.2 topics 🏘️Community and neighboursOwners' associations, neighbour law.2 topics 🏠House and costsProperty tax, heating and funding, letting, insurance.4 topics ⚖️Special casesForced auction, inheritance and gifts.2 topics 🤝HelpAdvice and contact points.1 topic

📋 Basics

Overview: what is federal law, what is state law?

🏡Overview: owners and buildersIf you buy, build or own a property, you have many duties and rights. This page shows what applies nationwide and what your state regulates.

🔑 Buying and financing

Notary, land register, purchase incidental costs, real estate transfer tax, construction financing.

📜Purchase contract, notary and land registerBuying property requires a notary. The notary records the contract, and the land registry enters you as owner. 💶Purchase incidental costs and real estate transfer taxOn top of the purchase price come tax, notary, land register and often an estate agent's commission. The tax rate depends on the state. 🏦Construction financing, withdrawal and terminationA property loan often binds you for decades. Important are the right of withdrawal, fixed interest period, termination rights and early repayment compensation.

🏗️ Building

Developers, consumer building contracts, acceptance and defects.

🏗️Developers, payment schedule and securityIf you buy a new-build flat from a developer, you pay according to construction progress. The MaBV (Real Estate Agents and Developers Ordinance) protects buyers by setting conditions and instalments. 🧱Consumer building contract, acceptance and defectsIf you have a house built as a consumer, you have special rights: building description, withdrawal, limits on partial payments and security.

🏘️ Community and neighbours

Owners' associations, neighbour law.

🏢Condominium ownership: meeting, resolution, manager, service chargeIn an owners' association, everyone decides together. You can challenge resolutions only within one month. 🌳Neighbour lawNoise, trees, boundary distances: neighbour law is partly in the BGB, but largely in the states' neighbour law acts.

🏠 House and costs

Property tax, heating and funding, letting, insurance.

🧾Property tax (Grundsteuer)Since 2025, property tax is calculated on new values. How exactly depends on the state and your municipality's multiplier (Hebesatz). 🔥Heating, Building Modernisation Act and fundingIn 2026 the Heizungsgesetz was replaced by the Gebäudemodernisierungsgesetz. The 65 percent requirement has been dropped. Funding continues. 🗝️Letting by ownersIf you let property, you have duties: deposit, rent brake, grounds for termination. Tenancy law is a topic area of its own. ☔Buildings insurance and natural hazardsNatural hazard insurance has so far not been compulsory. Check whether your residential buildings insurance includes heavy rain and flooding.

⚖️ Special cases

Forced auction, inheritance and gifts.

🔨Forced auction (Zwangsversteigerung)If an owner does not repay loans, the bank can have the property auctioned. The procedure is governed by the ZVG. 🎁Inheriting or gifting propertyInheriting or being given property affects inheritance tax, compulsory share and real estate transfer tax. Allowances and deadlines are important.

🤝 Help

Advice and contact points.

🤝Advice and contact pointsProperty involves a lot of money. These nationwide offices and professions can help you.

For reference

📕Keyword indexAll terms from A to Z, with links to the matching topic pages. 📜Sources and methodWhere the information comes from and what is expressly uncertain. 🏠Other target groupsTo the overview of all Wegweiser portals.

A question about your situation that this page does not answer? Write to us or use the contact form – we will tell you which office is responsible and what to bring. Free of charge, without individual legal advice.