Apartment for sale costs: notary, real estate agent, energy certificate & Co. – for seller & buyer

Selling an apartment – The sale of an apartment is associated with various costs that can vary depending on the type and scope of the transaction. The most important cost items are usually the real estate agent fees and notary fees, as well as any costs incurred in obtaining the documents. What additional additional costs you can expect and who is responsible for paying them, you will learn here – including a checklist.

Additional costs when selling an apartment: Checklist

The sale of an apartment is associated with various costs that can vary depending on the country and region.

Before we take a closer look at the individual fees, here is an overview of the most important cost items:

1. Real estate agent fees
2. Notary costs
3. Land transfer tax
4. Costs for the valuation report
5. Costs for the most important documents

In most cases, owners decide against selling their Apartment privately and instead commission a real estate agent to sell the apartment. Therefore, the agent’s fees usually make up a large part of the additional costs. When a Real Estate Valuation is useful and what it costs, you can find out in our guide. The agent’s fees usually make up a large part of the additional costs. Let’s take a closer look at them.

Agent Fees for Marketing & Sale

If you hire a Real estate agent to sell your apartment, you usually have to pay a real estate commission. In the Real estate commission calculator, you can see all the costs for buyers and sellers at a glance. This commission varies depending on the agent and can range between 3% and 7% of the sale price. The agent fees typically include the costs of marketing the property, conducting viewings, assisting with the negotiation of the purchase price, and drafting the purchase contract.

Between 3% and 7% of the purchase price

Notary costs during the transaction

When selling a property, the process through a notary is legally required. Therefore, you cannot avoid notary fees here either. Notary fees consist of various charges that are determined according to the purchase price of the property and are legally set. They amount to 1.5 to 2% of the purchase price. This includes, for example, the basic fee, which is based on the value of the property, as well as the fees for the creation of documents and certificates.

Between 1.5 and 2% of the purchase price

In most cases, the buyer covers the notary fees.

Land transfer tax: To be paid by the buyer

When selling an Apartment, the real estate transfer tax also applies. This is also paid by the buyer. The amount of the real estate transfer tax varies by federal state and ranges between 3.5% and 6.5% of the purchase price. It is calculated based on the purchase price and must be paid to the tax office within a few weeks after the purchase.

Between 3.5% and 6.5% of the purchase price

Find out more about taxes here:

• Selling an Apartment Taxes

Costs for property valuation

Whether it’s a duplex apartment or a micro apartment – before you sell your apartment, you first need to know how much the property is worth. For this, the apartment is inspected by a certified appraiser for its condition and possible defects, and a valuation report is created. This forms the basis for the later selling price. The costs for a valuation report can vary depending on the scope and type of appraisal, ranging from several hundred to several thousand euros.

Fees for the most important documents

For the sale of an apartment, you also need several documents that you must not only hand over to the new owner, but also need for the purchase contract and the sales process. These include, for example, the energy certificate, a land register extract, and the zoning plan. You can get the consumption-based energy certificate for less than 100 euros, while the demand-based certificate will cost you several hundred euros. Don’t forget the land register extract either. This costs 10 euros if not notarized and 20 euros if notarized.

An overview of some costs for obtaining the sales documents:

• Consumption-based energy certificate: under 100 euros
• Demand-based energy certificate: over 100 euros
• Unnotarized land register extract: 10 euros
• Notarized land register extract: 20 euros

Optional: Renovation & Modernization Costs

To increase the property value and raise the selling price, some owners decide to renovate and modernize their apartment shortly before selling. The costs involved depend both on the scope of the renovation work and the materials used, as well as the size of the apartment.

Conclusion: Calculate Costs in Advance

In summary, it can be said that selling an apartment is associated with various costs that should be carefully calculated in advance. Detailed planning and preparation can help avoid unpleasant surprises and unnecessary expenses. Therefore, it is advisable to thoroughly inform yourself in advance and create a detailed cost overview.