12 typical mistakes when selling an apartment — The path to a successful sale of a condominium is paved with pitfalls that can quickly cost five- to six-figure amounts. An apartment in Munich that is priced too high can be sold 10–15 % below market value after six months on the market — with an 850,000 € property, that’s a quick loss of 100,000 €. Here are the 12 most common mistakes made by sellers, with concrete tips, numbers, and insider knowledge on how to avoid them. Still have questions about the rating or the sale? Write to me or call, completely non-committal: Contact us.
12 Fehler in der Übersicht. Nach der Tabelle findest du jeden Fehler im Detail mit konkreten Zahlen, Tipps und Beispielen aus der Praxis.
Fehler (❗)
Practical Tips
Risiko (€)
Wrong pricing
Market research, appraiser, real estate agent valuation
5–15 % Verlust
Lack of preparation
Repairs, Home Staging, Cleaning
3–8 % Verlust
Unprofessional presentation
Profi-Fotos, 360°-Tour, starkes Exposé
Longer shelf life
Fehlende Dokumentation
Alle 10+ Unterlagen vorab beschaffen
Delay 2–8 weeks
Poor negotiation skills
Makler, Ankerpreis, Mehrfach-Interessenten
2–7 % Verlust
Lack of legal protection
Notary and contract review
Hohes Klagerisiko
Falscher Zeitpunkt
Spring/Autumn, monitor interest rates
Longer shelf life
Unclear buyer financing
Request financing confirmation
3–6 Monate verloren
Unclear handover
Detailed handover protocol
Disputes, lawsuit
Steuerliche Fehler
Speculation period, check for personal use
Bis zu 45 % auf Gewinn
Mangelnde Geduld
Realistic planning 4–9 months
Druckverkauf -10 %
Incomplete legal review
Loads, WEG decisions, rental law
Returns possible
Wrong Pricing ❗
The most expensive mistake of all. An overly high asking price scares away potential buyers in the first — and most important — four weeks. After that, the apartment is considered a “showroom” and buyers suspect hidden defects. A price that’s too low gives away money right away.
Practical example: An 80-m² condominium in Munich-Schwabing is offered for 920,000 €, while the market value is 850,000 €. After six months on the market and three price reductions, it sells for 790,000 € — a loss of 60,000 € compared to a realistic initial offer.
What to do? Tip #1
Market research: Analyze comparable properties on ImmoScout24, Immowelt, and Lukinski — last 3–6 months, same location, same furnishings
Appraiser: A certified expert (DEKRA, TÜV) costs 1,500–3,000 € — worth every cent for higher purchase prices
Real estate agent assessment: Reputable real estate agents provide a free, market-appropriate evaluation with comparable properties
Anchor pricing strategy: Set 3–5 % above the target price to have room for negotiation — more is risky
This way you can determine a well-founded offer price.
Questions? Rating, sale, Lukinski
Stephan M. Czaja (Lukinski)
Do you have questions about the Rating or the sale? Free value assessment, real estate agent recommendation — and maybe we already have the right buyers in our database. Write to me or call, completely non-committal.
An untidy apartment not only reduces the impression — it lowers the achievable selling price by 3–8%. Buyers calculate every visible flaw twice as high as the actual cost.
What to do? Tip #2
Renovation with ROI: Painting walls (300–800 €) brings 2–4% more selling price — best ratio
On real estate portals, buyers decide within less than 8 seconds whether to click on an ad. Poor smartphone photos are the number one killer — you won’t even be considered in the shortlist.
What to do? Tip #3
Professional Photographer: Invest 250–600 € — portrait orientation, daylight, wide-angle, at least 15 images
Floor plan: Accurate floor plan with square meter indications per room (50–150 €)
360° tour / drone footage: Standard for premium properties, stands out from the competition
Incomplete documents delay the sale by 2–8 weeks — and during this time, buyers often back out. Some documents (e.g., energy performance certificate requirement in the listing) are even legally mandated; violations can cost up to €15,000 in fines.
What to do? Tip #4
Complete document list for selling an apartment:
Current land register extract (no older than 3 months)
Condominium declaration with division plan
Energy performance certificate (mandatory in the listing)
Living area calculation
Layout with measurements
Last 3 WEG protocols (owners’ meetings)
Financial plan and service charge statements (3 years)
Amount of the maintenance reserve fund
Current rental agreement (if rented out)
Proof of completed renovations
Insurance certificates (building insurance)
Construction description (for new-build apartments)
Negotiation is psychology and strategy, not “gut feeling.” Inexperienced sellers lose an average of 2–7 % of the selling price in negotiations — for a 600,000 € apartment, that’s 12,000–42,000 €.
What to do? Tip #5
Have multiple interested parties in parallel: Never reduce to just one buyer — creates competition and upward price pressure
Stick to the anchor price: Don’t give in immediately in the first round of negotiations — standard discount 3–5 %
Second viewing as an indicator: Whoever comes twice is serious — negotiate more firmly here
Use a real estate agent: Experienced agents can recoup the commission multiple times through better negotiations
Keep emotions out: Buyer comments about the apartment (“ugly wallpaper”) are negotiation tactics, not value judgments
Lack of legal protection ❗
Der Notar ist gesetzlich neutral — er prüft nicht, ob der Vertrag für dich vorteilhaft ist. Klauseln zu Mängelhaftung, Übergabezeitpunkt, Zahlungsmodalitäten und Rücktrittsrechten können dich Zehntausende kosten, wenn sie schief sitzen.
Was tun? Tipp #6
Vertragsentwurf 14 Tage vorab: Gesetzliche Verbraucherschutzfrist, unbedingt nutzen
Lawyer for Real Estate Law: The examination costs 300–800 €, but can prevent risks in the five-figure range
Defect Liability: “As seen, as bought” does not apply in cases of intentionally concealed defects — disclose everything
Payment processing: Secure the purchase price payment only after the entry of the preliminary notice of release.
Falscher Zeitpunkt ❗
Der Immobilienmarkt ist saisonal und zinsabhängig. Der falsche Zeitpunkt verlängert die Standzeit um Monate und drückt den Preis.
Was tun? Tipp #7
Strong Quarters: Spring (March–May) and Autumn (September–November) — highest demand
Schwache Quartale: Hochsommer (Urlaubszeit) und Dezember (Weihnachten) — Standzeiten doppelt so hoch
Monitor interest rates: Falling building interest rates increase buyers’ purchasing power by double-digit percentages
Local factors: New micro-location trend, infrastructure project, commercial development as a sales argument
After 3–4 months, you find the seemingly “perfect” buyer — and then the deal falls through at the notary because the bank doesn’t approve. You don’t want to experience this.
Without financing confirmation, no serious negotiation. Period.
What to do? Tip #8
Bank financing confirmation: Written confirmation for the purchase price — not just a “preliminary check”
Equity proof: At least 20 % of the purchase price plus purchase-related costs (10–12 %)
Schufa self-disclosure: Useful for private individuals, can be requested for free
Reservation agreement: Check seriousness, but legally delicate — best with a lawyer
The key handover is the most critical moment after the notary appointment. An incomplete protocol regularly leads to lawsuits — dispute value often 5.000–25.000 €.
What to do? Tip #9
Complete handover protocol contains:
Date, time, all present persons with signature
Meter readings: electricity, gas, water (cold/hot),
