Home ownership in Berlin: Besser earners also fail at the dream house!

Home ownership in Berlin: Besser earners also fail at the dream house!

Potsdam, Deutschland - Home ownership in the capital remains unreachable for many Berliners, even for those who are in the food. As reports n-tv, the average monthly loan rate now exceeds the critical limit of 35% of the best 30% of the household. This 35%threshold is a sign that the property is no longer affordable.

In times of high demand and falling offer, prices are climbing. Young families in particular often struggle for sufficient equity to make their dream of their own home reality. For many, the dream of living ownership in Berlin is therefore an unattainable goal, and experts agree: political impulses are urgently needed to improve the situation.

slight increase in affordability

Nevertheless, there are bright spots. The index value for the affordability has improved slightly between April 2024 and April 2025 - from 76 to 87 points. However, an index value of 100 is necessary to speak of actually affordable financing. Nationwide, this value was already over 100 points in April 2025. The positive development in Berlin goes hand in hand with rising income, falling purchase prices and lower interest.

But the trend towards relaxation could also be unstable, because in certain regions the prices are already pointing up again. Of all people in Brandenburg, especially in Potsdam, it looks even darker for those interested in buying. Here the index value is only 66.5 - and also in the surrounding counties, the situation is anything but rosy.

market developments at a glance

according to Guthmann Estate, the real estate market in Berlin moves in a tension field. The Berlin expert committee (GAA) reports a trend reversal in the event of money sales and purchase cases. In the first quarter of 2025, around 2,400 transactions were registered in the existing segment, while fewer than 300 purchase contracts were certified in the new building segment and the purchase prices were reduced by an estimated 1.6%. For the typical existing apartments, around 70m² in size, you currently have to expect around 373,000 euros - an increase of 2.2% compared to the previous year.

focus on central parts of the city, a partly exorbitant price range is revealed: In the middle, the prices are around € 7,000/m², while Prenzlauer Berg and Friedrichshain follow around € 6,500 or € 5,900. Charlottenburg recorded the highest number of purchase cases, followed by Wilmersdorf and Friedrichshain. An indication that the demand in these locations is unbroken.

The fluctuating market situation also throws a shadow on potential purchases: in this VUCA environment, shaped by volatility and uncertainty, real estate seems to be a more stable option compared to the strongly fluctuating stock markets, which have fallen by more than 15% points in the past few weeks. For many, buying real estate remains a sensitive undertaking, and it remains to be seen how the development will continue.