Property Purchase Cost Calculator (Kaufnebenkosten)
The price is not the price: German purchase costs add 8–12% that banks never finance. Select your Bundesland for the exact 2026 transfer-tax rate and see the total cash required.
Get a real financing check — freeTransfer-tax rates per Bundesland, 2026. German banks do not finance purchase costs — this amount must come from equity. For rented property, tax, notary and buyer's agent fee join the AfA depreciation basis. Illustrative estimate — actual terms depend on the property, your profile and the lender. Not financial or tax advice.
How this calculator works
Three blocks make up German purchase costs. Grunderwerbsteuer (property transfer tax) is set per Bundesland — from 3.5% in Bavaria to 6.5% in NRW, Brandenburg, Saarland and Schleswig-Holstein. Notary and land registry fees are statutory (GNotKG) at roughly 2% combined. Agent commission is negotiable; since the 2020 split-commission law, buyers typically pay 2.98–3.57% (half of the total).
Every euro of these costs comes from equity: German banks lend against the property value, not the transaction total. On a €400,000 purchase in Berlin (6.0%), you need ~€46,000 in cash before contributing a single euro of down payment.
For investors there's a silver lining: on rented property, transfer tax, notary and the buyer's agent fee join the AfA depreciation basis, and genuinely movable inventory (like a fitted kitchen) can be priced separately to escape the transfer tax.
Frequently asked questions
Which German state has the lowest property transfer tax?
Bavaria, at 3.5% — unchanged since 2011. The highest (6.5%) applies in North Rhine-Westphalia, Brandenburg, Saarland and Schleswig-Holstein. Thuringia is the only state ever to cut its rate (6.5% → 5.0% in 2024).
Can I finance the purchase costs?
Practically never with German banks — they lend against the property's value. 100%+ financing exists only for exceptional profiles at premium rates. Plan purchase costs as hard cash.
Can I reduce the transfer tax legally?
Two established routes: price genuinely movable inventory (fitted kitchen, furniture) separately in the Kaufvertrag, and ensure the land registry transfer isn't triggered by other structures. Aggressive share-deal constructions are for large portfolios, not single flats.
When is the transfer tax due?
The tax office issues the assessment shortly after notarisation, payable within one month. Only after payment does it issue the Unbedenklichkeitsbescheinigung the land registry needs to transfer ownership.