How does the German property-buying process work step-by-step?

Short answer: The German property-buying process runs in five clear stages: find a property, secure financing, sign the notary deed, pay purchase price and taxes, then register ownership.

German property-buying process step-by-step — here’s how we guide you from search to keys:

1. Search & valuation. We shortlist homes on our real-estate search engine and sanity-check the asking price with our valuation tool.
2. Financing approval. Before bidding, we run your numbers through the mortgage calculator and obtain a binding loan offer—German agents rarely accept offers without proof of funds.
3. Notary appointment (Notartermin). The notary drafts the purchase contract, reads it aloud in German and confirms IDs; we provide sworn translation or attend under power of attorney if you’re abroad.
4. Purchase price & taxes. After signing, you receive a payment call. You wire the balance and cover the one-off land-transfer tax (Grunderwerbsteuer) plus notary and registry fees—usually 10 %–12 % of the headline price.
5. Grundbuch registration & handover. The notary files the title change in the land registry (Grundbuch); once the entry is confirmed, we arrange key hand-over, meter readings and insurance activation.

Throughout these eight to twelve weeks our real-estate desk tracks every deadline, sends bilingual checklists and ensures your bank releases funds exactly when the notary demands them—no late-payment penalties, no translation panic.

Key take-aways:

• Five core steps: search, finance, notary, payment, registry.
• Expect 10 %–12 % in closing costs on top of the purchase price.
• Finance for Expats handles translation, deadlines and lender coordination so your move-in is stress-free.