Property Market Report Berlin 2021

Berlin Real Estate Prices in 2021

Property prices condominiums 2020

Condominiums were in high demand in 2020, possibly due to the pandemic. Both owner-occupiers and capital investors are interested in this type of property. With fewer sales, this led to rising prices, although they did not increase as rapidly as in previous years. Meanwhile, the price per square metre for a condominium can be as high as €13,500. The median for the most expensive 10% per cent of offers was €8,900/m2 in 2020, 5% higher than the previous year. In 2019, however, the increase was still 8.1%. In addition, attractive condominiums in very good locations now cost more than €6,000/m2 in all districts. And even in simple locations, the price per square metre for a condominium can exceed €3,500. The average asking price in Berlin in 2020 was €4,973/m2, an increase of 7.4% (2019: 10.2%). Luxury and penthouse flats with record prices per square metre of €20,000 are of particular interest to international clientele in Berlin. Another trend was the conversion from rental to owner-occupied flats. However, this has been made more difficult by the “Baulandmobilisierungsgesetz”.

Real estate prices single-family houses 2020

During the pandemic, many people long for more space and perhaps even a small garden. Therefore, it is not surprising that prices for single-family homes have increased by more than 10% in 2020. Older and still relatively inexpensive properties in particular have increased in value. The effect is reinforced by the fact that there is little new construction, fewer building permits and hardly any building land left. In central locations, building land costs over €2,000/m2, in good peripheral locations the price per square metre is €600. And prices continue to rise: they were 3.3% more expensive in Q2 2021 than in Q1. In Q1 2021, the average purchase price for a detached and semi-detached house in Berlin was €4,609/m2.

Real estate prices commercial real estate 2020

Berlin has developed into a dynamic metropolis for companies. So far, there has been increasing demand with less supply, the vacancy rate at the beginning of 2020 was just over 1%. Due to the pandemic, this rose to 2.4% and take-up in 2020 was around 750,000m2 – in 2019 this was still at 1,000,000m2. But the recovery is already in sight and Corona has rather shown the industry how necessary office space is. Moreover, the prime rent is still around €39/m2. So the pandemic could also be a small breath for the rather tight market and create time for new construction. The retail sector, on the other hand, which previously profited particularly from tourism, has been hit harder. While the peak rent in Q3 2020 was 285 euros per square metre, this is expected to fluctuate between 265 and 275 euros per square metre in 2021. However, the strength of the retail sector in Berlin is also its large catchment area.

New construction 2021

In the many discussions about the right approach to rising property prices in Berlin, it usually boils down to one common denominator: more new construction. Where and how exactly this should look is also a matter of dispute; currently, a large focus is on the construction of rental flats. In 2020, more than two-thirds of the units being built were intended for rent. But condominiums are also being built on a grand scale. For example, 116 condominiums are being built in Brandenburgische Strasse in Wilmersdorf, 512 in Karlshorst and around 100 in Spandau. Other projects in Berlin include “Die Macherei” in Kreuzberg, a modern and climate-friendly mixed-use inner-city quarter on the site of the former Postchecktower, or the “Schumacher Quartier” on the site of the closed Tegel Airport – housing for 10,000 people is to be built here in the world’s largest timber construction quarter. Another high-rise residential building made of wood is being constructed in Schöneberg. People with low incomes will find their home here in the 98-metre-high timber hybrid high-rise. The “Amazon Tower” in Friedrichshain is to be 140 metres high, the new high-rise at Alexanderplatz 134 metres. Average new flats in Berlin cost 5,952.38 euros per square metre in 2020, new buildings in the “upper price segment” came to prices of 8,920.51 euros per square metre.

Sources: DZ HYP Immobilienmarkt Deutschland 2020/2021, HypoVereinsbank Wohnimmobilien-Marktbericht Berlin, Berlin Hyp Wohnmarktreport Berlin 2021, Tagesspiegel

Political Changes in 2021 – Effects on the Berlin Property Market

From a global perspective, Germany, and especially the vibrant and international city of Berlin, is a haven for investors. While Brexit is being carried out in England, and the USA is at many crossroads, Berlin offers political stability. Due to the Coronavirus crisis, the focus is primarily on residential real estate. Residential real estate is proving to be a promising capital investment because people always need to live. Especially in the current pandemic, people are also placing more value on a nice home. Due to the surplus demand, Berlin’s housing market will not collapse even with further Coronavirus measures. But even independent of the pandemic, a lot is happening politically in Berlin in terms of the real estate market. In 2021, it will be decided whether the rent cap in Berlin will be overturned or remain in place. You can find out more about the rent cap here. Due to the unclear outcome, there are currently so-called “shadow rents”. In many tenancy agreements, it is now stipulated that the tenants have to pay back the reduced part of the rent if the rent cap does not stand up in court. Other side effects of the rent cap are the decline in renovations and the sale of building plots. In addition to the rent cap, a new rent index is to be created in 2021, as the rent cap only applies to flats built before 2014. And after all the spectacle in America, the next election is also upon us; in Berlin, there are even two elections—in the Bundestag elections and the elections for the House of Representatives.

The Economic Situation in Berlin in 2021

The economic situation in 2021 is relatively uncertain, but the general mood is positive. Chancellor Angela Merkel talks in the Sueddeutsche about a “growth spurt for 2021”. Moreover, the 2021 federal budget has just been passed—180 billion euros in new debt are to be taken on, and the federal budget is all about the Coronavirus pandemic. Important building blocks of a strong economy are successful exports, especially to Asia, and a strong construction industry. Another factor is the effectiveness of the vaccine against the COVID-19 disease. How quickly cultural institutions or the gastronomy sector will recover remains to be seen and also depends on when Germany gets a grip on the Coronavirus situation. It is clear that many events will take place digitally, for example, the tourism fair, and therefore no visitors will come to Berlin. On the other hand, the trend towards regional travel could continue. Economic opportunities are the TESLA factory, the finally opened airport BER, but also digitalisation. As far as the sale of real estate is concerned, there are various forecasts. For example, sales were less due to the pandemic but could increase if the rent cap remains in place.

Trends for the Berlin Property Market in 2021

The trend in real estate is towards larger flats—a logical consequence of the two lockdowns in 2020. People are longing for more space; there is no sign of a rural exodus. Logistics real estate is also benefiting, as online shopping has gained even more momentum in 2020. Other winners are data centres and real estate for healthcare and biotechnology. Hotels are currently in crisis but are getting creative and renting out their hotel rooms as offices, for example. Things are getting more difficult for retail. There are signs that office and commercial space could become cheaper, but there is no talk of it disappearing. Demand in this area is high, just as it is for residential properties. Rather, the office market is changing, offices are becoming more homely and flexible. Although fewer properties were sold in 2020, prices rose—this trend is expected to continue in 2021. A large and important trend is sustainability as well as social issues, such as diversity.

Our service for you

Niels Schnatz

CEO

AB Real Estate GmbH

OUR UNDERSTANDING OF SERVICE

We understand service to mean that we are a professional partner at every step, and beyond, in the sale of your property. Our handshake applies. Our real estate experts advise you, make recommendations and work with facts and figures. We organize and review all sales-related documents, evaluate and market your property. Our team brings the sale to a successful conclusion.

LOCAL AND INTERNATIONAL CUSTOMER LIST

As an international real estate agency with Franco-German roots, we have a local and international client list. We regularly inform our clients via newsletter and mailings. Our agency practices a clear and binding approach. When selling your property, our qualified experts know the target group for your property. Be it a condominium, apartment building, loft or penthouse. We carry out a conscientious filtering of potential buyers. This also includes a credit assessment and a financing check. Our team conducts the viewings and finds the right buyer for your property in Berlin.

SELLING YOUR PROPERTY AT THE HIGHEST PRICE

With your consent, our real estate experts will conduct the purchase negotiations together with you. All relevant points in the purchase contract are discussed with all parties. Our real estate agency takes over the coordination with the notary’s office and organises the preparation of the draft purchase contract. A successful notary appointment will follow. We think in the long term and continue to be there for you after the contract has been concluded.

Marketing

• Design of a meaningful & high-quality sales documentation (exposé)
• Application on our homepage in German, French & English
• Use of our international customer database (existing customers & potential buyers)
• Newsletter & Mailings
• Online presence on the relevant real estate portals
• Daily maintenance of these displays

Instruments

• Development of an individual sales strategy
• Permanent processing of interested parties
• Regular telephone updates on the sales status
• Coordination & execution of goal-oriented inspections
• Taking over the communication of the sales negotiations
• Accompaniment up to the notarisation (notary appointment)
• Other services (placement of craftsmen, notaries, lawyers etc.)

Service

• Entwicklung einer individuellen Verkaufsstrategie
• Permanente Interessentenbearbeitung
• Regelmäßige telefonische Updates über den Verkaufsstatus
• Koordination & Durchführung von zielführenden Besichtigungen
• Übernahme der Kommunikation der Verkaufsverhandlungen
• Begleitung bis zur Beurkundung (Notartermin)
• Sonstige Services (Vermittlung von Handwerkern, Notaren, Anwälten etc.)

Successful Sales

• surface: 58m2
• price: on request €
• location: Kollwitzkiez (Prenzlauer Berg)

• surface: 150m2
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• location: Charlottenburg

• surface: 79m2
• price: on request €
• location: Wedding

References

Very friendly team. We could sell our condo in Charlottenburg to a French family. From the evaluation of the property to the purchase transaction everything worked very well. Especially the personal contact and the fast communication was a very important factor for us.

Since we don’t live in Berlin and wanted to sell our apartment, the team of AB-Real-Estate advised us by phone in a first step. 2 months later AB-Real-Estate was able to sell the apartment to a Berlin couple. Our price expectation was exceeded here. We thank you for the cooperation & can only recommend this agency.