The dream of owning a home remains a key goal for many families in Germany. Smaller single-family homes with a living space of up to 150 square meters are particularly popular. But where in Germany can potential buyers find the most affordable properties? Here I show which federal states have the most attractive offers for families.
Affordable single-family homes in the countryside
Rural federal states such as Saarland, Thuringia, Saxony-Anhalt and Saxony are currently offering comparatively inexpensive single-family homes. These regions are benefiting significantly from the positive development of their regional centers, such as Erfurt, Jena, Magdeburg and Leipzig, which are ensuring stabilized demand and growing interest.
Federal states with the cheapest existing properties
Among the 16 federal states, Saarland tops the list of the cheapest existing properties. The average price per square meter here is EUR 2,136. Saarland is closely followed by Thuringia with 2,147 euros and Saxony-Anhalt with 2,296 euros per square meter. Single-family homes in Saxony, Lower Saxony, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and Brandenburg are also still available for less than EUR 3,000 per square meter. By way of comparison, buyers in the sought-after city states of Berlin and Hamburg can expect to pay considerably higher prices, with square meters costing more than twice as much as in the most affordable federal states.
Dynamic price development in the portfolio
Interestingly, the price increase in Thuringia is strongest for existing properties. Within one year, asking prices here rose by 3.8%. North Rhine-Westphalia and Saxony also recorded high price growth of 3.7% and 3.5% respectively.
Price reductions as an opportunity for buyers
While some regions are recording price increases, there are also federal states in which prices for existing properties are falling. According to ImmoScout24, asking prices in Hamburg and Bremen have fallen by 4.0% and 5.2% respectively. This represents an attractive opportunity for buyers in these regions, as they can take advantage of a more favorable offer compared to the previous year. There were also slight price falls in Saxony-Anhalt, Saarland, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and Baden-Württemberg.
New-build detached houses: a look at the price trends
Saarland also stands out as the cheapest location for new builds, with an average price per square meter of EUR 2,544. It is followed by Saxony (EUR 2,932), Saxony-Anhalt (EUR 3,037), Thuringia (EUR 3,064) and Lower Saxony (EUR 3,126). These five federal states therefore rank among the cheapest regions in Germany for both existing and new-build homes. In a comparison of the federal states, new single-family homes in Berlin have seen the strongest price increase. Here, prices have risen by 5.5% in just one year.
Outlook for investors and market analyses
The real estate market in Germany will be highly differentiated by region in 2023. It is important for investors to precisely analyze the regional differences and trends. In addition to price developments, other factors such as demographic trends, the local economic situation and infrastructure play a decisive role. Rural regions with modern infrastructure and connections to economic centers could become particularly interesting for investors in the future.
For families and investors, it is worth taking a look away from the major cities. While cities such as Berlin and Hamburg maintain a high price level, federal states such as Saarland, Thuringia and Saxony-Anhalt continue to offer attractive and affordable opportunities for buying a home. This could represent a lasting trend that stabilizes the rural property market and makes it attractive in the long term.
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Kind Regards
Matthias Holzmann