Notes from the market
Journal
Practical writing on buying, owning and living in Berlin — the numbers, the process, and the districts we know street by street.
6 July 2026
Buying a Tenanted Apartment in Berlin: Discount, Rules, Reality
Buying a tenanted apartment in Berlin comes with a price discount, tenant-protection rules, and risks worth understanding before you sign the contract.
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6 July 2026
Altbau or Neubau? Choosing the Right Berlin Apartment
Altbau vs Neubau in Berlin: how ceiling height, energy class, warranty cover and price per square metre differ — and which type suits your priorities.
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6 July 2026
Hausgeld, WEG and the Documents That Decide Your Purchase
Buying an apartment in Germany means joining a WEG and paying monthly Hausgeld — here is what the ownership paperwork reveals before you sign.
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6 July 2026
Energy Certificates and GEG Duties When You Buy an Altbau
What the energy certificate really tells you before buying property in Germany — and the GEG duties that can follow within two years of an Altbau purchase.
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6 July 2026
Berlin Property as an Investment: How I Evaluate a Deal
How I check Berlin property investment yield claims — in-place rent, tenancy status, real costs, financing math and regulation — before recommending any deal.
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6 July 2026
The German Notary Process, Explained for Foreign Buyers
A clear guide to the notary when buying property in Germany — the neutral role, the fourteen-day contract review, signing day, and what follows after.
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6 July 2026
How Off-Market Property Deals Really Work in Berlin
Off-market property in Berlin moves through advisor networks and quiet mandates, not portals — here is how the process actually unfolds, step by step.
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6 July 2026
Mortgage Pre-Approval in Germany: A Guide for Expats
A step-by-step guide to mortgage pre-approval in Germany for expats, covering documents, equity requirements and timelines before you make an offer.
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6 July 2026
Closing Costs in Berlin — and the Legal Ways to Reduce Them
A Berlin buyer's closing costs run 8 to 11.5 percent. Here is how to legally reduce property transfer tax in Germany without inviting a reassessment.
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6 July 2026
Relocating to Berlin: Your First 90 Days, in Order
A relocating-to-Berlin checklist for week one, month one and day ninety — Anmeldung, tax ID, insurance, Kita vouchers and licences, in the right order.
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3 July 2026
Buying in Berlin as a non-German speaker
You can buy property in Germany without speaking German — if you know where language actually matters. The notary appointment, the documents, and where a translator is legally required.
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3 July 2026
District spotlight: Charlottenburg
Why Berlin's old West keeps winning over international buyers — Altbau streets, Ku'damm energy, and prices that still make sense next to Mitte.
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3 July 2026
What it really costs to buy in Berlin
The purchase price is only the beginning. A concrete breakdown of Berlin's transaction costs — transfer tax, notary, land registry, agent commission — with a worked example.
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