Selling property in Germany while living abroad

Valuation, documents, notary and payment: how it works without having to move.

Who this guide is for

For anyone who lives outside Germany and owns an apartment or a house there: often an inheritance, sometimes an investment made many years ago. Selling is possible without moving and, in most cases, without travelling to Germany.

The steps

Valuation: we give you a price range based on recent sales in the area.
Documents: land register extract, floor plan, owners' meeting minutes, energy certificate. We request them for you.
Marketing: public listing or discreet offer to our clients, viewings and negotiation without you.
Notary: you sign a power of attorney before a notary in your country, with an apostille or legalisation where required; a person you trust represents you at the signing.
Payment: the notary arranges for any existing mortgages to be cleared and the money is paid to your account, also to an account abroad.

If the property was inherited

The German land register needs proof of who the heirs are: usually a German certificate of inheritance (Erbschein) or, where the deceased last lived in an EU country, a European Certificate of Succession; in some cases a notarial will with the record of its opening is enough. If the heirs apply to correct the land register within two years of the death, the entry is free of charge. Heirs take over the purchase date of the deceased: if more than ten years have passed since then, the gain from a sale is tax-free in Germany.

Taxes on the sale

In Germany the gain on a privately held property is tax-free after ten years of ownership, or earlier if you lived in the property yourself in the year of sale and the two previous years. The seller's costs are low: transfer tax and notary fees are normally paid by the buyer. Whether and how the gain is taxed in your country of residence depends on its rules and on any double taxation agreement with Germany: please ask a tax adviser.

Let or vacant

A let apartment is sold with the tenancy in place and mainly interests investors. A vacant one usually sells for a higher price. If the building was divided into owner-occupied apartments while the current tenant was already living there, the tenant has a statutory right of first refusal on the first sale: we check this at the start.

Frequently asked questions

Do I have to come to Germany to sell?

No: we handle viewings and negotiation, and at the notary a person holding your power of attorney represents you.

How long does it take?

With complete documents and a realistic price, usually two to four months until payment.

What does the valuation cost?

Nothing. It is free and does not commit you to selling with us.

General information, as of October 2026. It does not replace advice from a tax adviser, a lawyer or a notary.