Can a foreigner buy property in Germany?

Foreigners may buy on much the same terms as citizens

Germany places no limit on foreign buyers of property. Citizens and non-citizens alike buy through a notarised contract and an entry in the land register.

Updated October 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.

Rules change. This page describes the structure of the rule, not prices, taxes or quotas. Confirm the current position with the official source listed below, and with a lawyer in the country, before you pay anything. This is general information, not legal advice.

Land

Foreigners may own land. Title passes on entry in the land register (Grundbuch).

Houses and flats

Houses and apartments can be bought on the same terms as by German citizens.

Buying through a company

A foreign company or individual may hold German property.

Limits and closed zones

Protected land, farmland and some regional rules apply to every buyer, whatever their nationality.

What to watch for

A notary must certify the contract. The buyer usually pays the notary and registry costs.

Understand the legal system first

Germany belongs to the Civil law family. Property is registered and transferred differently in different traditions, so it helps to know how the system works.

Read the Germany legal-system profile in the Legal Families Atlas →
Compare Germany with another country →

Official sources

Germany Trade & Invest: buying and owning property in Germany

TheLawToKnow Tools’s guide to foreign property ownership is an educational overview of general rules. It is not legal advice, and it does not replace the official source or a lawyer in the country. Report a mistake.