Tips & tricks for the search for a property

100% GDPR

When looking for a house, an apartment, or an apartment building, buyers today have more channels available than ever before: real estate portals, real estate agent databases, off-market networks, personal ads, social networks, and personal recommendations. Those who search professionally combine several of these channels and work with clear criteria, a verified financing plan, and a realistic assessment of calculating purchase-related costs. This guide shows which strategy fits which type of buyer, how to find off-market properties, what to pay attention to in a real estate agent contract, and how to avoid typical beginner mistakes. Those who are just starting out can find additional practical tips under buying your first property.

Key Facts -

Before the search: This preparation separates professionals from beginners

Realistically determine budget and equity

Obtain a bank financing confirmation

Define your search profile in writing

Additional costs when buying real estate: These surcharges you must expect

Search yourself or hire a real estate agent?

Comparison of search strategies

When Self-Search Makes Sense

When a Real Estate Agent Search Mandate Is Preferable

Off-Market Real Estate: The invisible market for insiders

How to gain access to off-market properties

Real estate search with a real estate agent — these clauses are negotiable

Mandatory components of a fair search mandate

These clauses should be deleted

Adverts, bidding procedures and private off-market searches

Own search advert — rarely successful, but free of charge

Auction Procedure — the unknown trap

Purchase from the owner — opportunities and risks

The ultimate checklist for property hunting

Before the search

During the property inspection

Economic Check (Investment)

Before the search: This preparation separates professionals from beginners

Before you open the first property listing, three things should be clarified: budget, financing confirmation, and search profile. Without these three building blocks, you will waste time, fail in bidding processes, or not even get an offer on off-market properties.

Realistically determine budget and equity

Rule of thumb: 20–30 % equity plus all additional costs should be available. Anyone who can only finance the purchase price often fails due to acquisition additional costs. An accurate calculation is possible with calculate equity requirements.

Obtain a bank financing confirmation

In bidding procedures and off-market purchases, a written confirmation of financing is mandatory. Sellers and real estate agents prefer buyers who are financially capable — a mere self-declaration is not sufficient. Current conditions can be found under Building interest and strategies under Real estate financing.

Define your search profile in writing

Location, living space, rooms, year of construction, condition, energy class, maximum purchase price, personal use or property as an investment. The more precise your profile, the faster the market will find you — or vice versa.

✓ 100% DSGVO✓ Server in DeutschlandSommer-Deal – jetzt sparenJetzt Lukinski AI entdecken100% DSGVO für deine Firma – Kaufpreise, Mietrecht, Bodenrichtwerte in Sekunden statt Stunden Recherche.Frag z.B.: „Ist diese Mietvertragsklausel wirksam?“Jetzt kostenlos testen →

Additional costs when buying real estate: These surcharges you must expect

The frequently cited “10 to 15 percent additional costs” are not an estimate, but result from specific items. Whoever buys an object for 600,000 € pays quickly 60,000–90,000 € extra — without renovation.

Item	Amount (typical)	Example for 600,000 € purchase price
Land transfer tax (per federal state)	3.5 % – 6.5 %	21,000 € – 39,000 €
Notary	approx. 1.5 %	9,000 €
Land register entry	approx. 0.5 %	3,000 €
Real estate agent commission buyer’s share	0 – 3.57 %	0 € – 21,420 €
Appraiser (optional)	500 – 2,500 €	1,500 €
Total	9 – 15 %	34,500 € – 73,920 €

Detailed breakdown per federal state: Land transfer tax, Calculate notary fees and additional costs real estate purchase. Also take a look at the buyer’s principle: When purchasing a residential property, the real estate agent’s commission may be passed on to the buyer by at most half.

[crp limit="2"]

Search yourself or hire a real estate agent?

The honest answer: Both options have advantages and disadvantages, and those who want to get the maximum combine both approaches. What matters most is your time, your market knowledge, and the segment in which you are searching.

Comparison of search strategies

Criterion	Self-Search	Real Estate Agent (Search Mandate)	Off-Market Network
Buyer’s Time Investment	High (daily)	Low	Low
Market Coverage	~70 % (portals)	~85 %	30 % additional (not public)
Costs	Only buyer’s commission if seller’s agent	Search fee or commission	Commission
Negotiation Power	Moderate	High (professional)	Very high
Suitable for	Standard condominiums in B-locations, buyer’s market with high supply	Families with clear criteria	Premium, apartment building, villa

When Self-Search Makes Sense

For standard condominiums in B-locations, in a buyer’s market with high supply, and if you have daily time for portal research, viewings and negotiations. A good overview of the process: Buy an apartment and Buy a house.

When a Real Estate Agent Search Mandate Is Preferable

In tight offers, high-quality properties, buy an apartment building projects or if you don’t have time due to your profession. A professional real estate agent evaluates properties immediately using the income capitalization method or calculates the price factor and quickly identifies overpriced properties.

Off-Market Real Estate: The invisible market for insiders

In premium locations, up to 30% of real estate is never publicly offered. Owners want discretion, avoid viewing tourism or sell quietly for personal reasons. These properties only reach buyers with access to specialized networks.

How to gain access to off-market properties

Specialized real estate agent with owner network — the most important channel
Family offices and asset managers — mediate private sales among themselves
Lawyers and tax advisors — know early on about inheritances and separations
Personal direct contact — targeted letters to owners in desired locations
Developers and project developers — pre-reservation before public sale

Off-Market plays a significant role especially in Villa sales, high-quality multi-family homes, and heritage properties — see also Buying a heritage property.

Real estate search with a real estate agent — these clauses are negotiable

If you commission an agent to search for property, a real estate agent agreement will be drawn up. Written form is not mandatory, but standard. Oral commission agreements can be a gateway to disputes. A template and explanation of the clauses can be found under Real estate agent agreement.

Mandatory components of a fair search mandate

Exact search criteria: location, size, rooms, budget, equipment
Duration with date: usually 6–8 months, up to 12 months for special properties
Commission rate + basis: usually 3.57 % gross on purchase price
Commission due: only upon notarized purchase contract
No exclusive mandate for buyer search mandates
Scope of services: number of property listings, accompaniment during viewings, negotiation management
Right to terminate for important reasons

These clauses should be deleted

Exclusive mandate with success fee in case of self-found property
Commission obligation even for property suggestions not requested by the agent
Automatic contract extension
Referral commission for purely nominal addresses

Adverts, bidding procedures and private off-market searches

Own search advert — rarely successful, but free of charge

A classified ad (“Looking for a single-family home in XY”) can be useful if it is strategically placed (local newspaper, neighborhood postings, targeted mailings to desired streets). In large city portals, however, such a request often gets lost in the noise.

Auction Procedure — the unknown trap

When it comes to desirable properties, sellers are increasingly turning to auction procedures instead of fixed prices. Those who bid here should:

Have financing confirmed in writing before bidding
Know the market value by determining the market value
Set a strict maximum bid (do not exceed it on impulse)
Use additional conditions such as a quick notary appointment as a plus point

Purchase from the owner — opportunities and risks

Private purchases save the real estate agent’s commission, but they are demanding. Advantages: no buyer’s commission, direct contact. Disadvantages: difficult search (at most 15 % of properties are offered privately), unprofessional listings, often incorrect price expectations, high personal effort when reviewing contracts. More about calculating the real estate agent’s commission.

The ultimate checklist for property hunting

A real checklist — not as flowing text, but for checking off. Print this out and take it with you to every viewing.

Before the search

☐ Total budget including additional costs defined
☐ Own capital + reserve (at least 3 monthly installments) available
☐ Written confirmation of financing from the bank
☐ Search profile fixed in writing (all involved parties agree)
☐ Purpose defined: Own use vs Investment

During the property inspection

☐ Location analysis: infrastructure, micro-location, noise, development
☐ Year of construction, renovation status, renovation backlog
☐ Energy certificate mandatory to review
☐ Heating, roof, windows, electricity, pipes checked
☐ Moisture in basement and top floor
☐ For ETW: Calculate service charges and Maintenance reserve inquire
☐ Review last owners’ meeting minutes
☐ Land register checked (encumbrances, right of way, right of residence) — see Land register entry
☐ For rented property: Lease agreement and Cold rent checked