What are the costs of selling a property?
When selling a property, most people think of the proceeds – not the costs incurred on the seller's side. Although these are significantly lower than for the buyer, they do add up. Those who know them beforehand calculate their net proceeds realistically and will not be surprised at the notary appointment. Here you will find an overview of all items.
Energy performance certificate
The energy performance certificate is legally mandatory and must be available at the latest by the viewing. A consumption-based energy certificate is cheaper, while a demand-based energy certificate is more complex and expensive. The costs are borne by the seller. We organise the appropriate certificate through a specialist company.
Deletion of land charges (notary & land register)
If your land register (Grundbuch) still shows a land charge from your bank, this usually has to be deleted so that the buyer acquires the property free of encumbrances. Fees are incurred for the cancellation approval, notarised authentication, and land registry office, which are based on the amount of the registered land charge and are borne by the seller.
Early Repayment Penalty
If you repay an ongoing loan early, the bank usually demands an early repayment penalty. Depending on the remaining debt and remaining term, this can be a significant sum – we have dedicated a separate page to this.
Estate Agent Commission
When selling flats and detached houses to consumers, the commission has been split at least half-and-half since 2020. With us, it is only payable upon success and is agreed transparently in advance. You deduct your share from the proceeds.
Procurement of Missing Documents
A land register extract, declaration of division, cadastral map, living area calculation, or minutes of the owners' association meeting incur minor fees at authorities and administration. Individually small, but noticeable in total – we procure them for you with power of attorney.
Potential Tax
If you sell with a profit within the 10-year period without own use, speculative gains tax may be incurred. This is not an ancillary selling cost in the strict sense, but it must be included in the overall calculation. Details are explained on our page about speculative gains tax.
Your Net Proceeds at a Glance
From the selling price, you deduct: remaining debt of the loan, early repayment penalty, deletion costs, energy performance certificate, document procurement, your share of the estate agent's commission, and any potential tax. What remains is your actual net proceeds. We will draw up exactly this calculation with you before the sale.
Vermeiden
Mistakes in Cost Calculation
Only Thinking of the Gross Price
The selling price is not the amount that ends up in your pocket. Without deducting remaining debt, costs, and tax, one can quickly miscalculate.
Forgetting Deletion Costs
The deletion of old land charges incurs notary and land register fees that many sellers are not aware of.
Ordering the Energy Performance Certificate Too Late
If the certificate is missing at the viewing, not only fines are threatened, but also lost time in the sales process.
Ignoring Tax
Anyone who does not plan for speculative gains tax will experience a nasty surprise with their tax return.
Frequently asked questions
Clarity Before the Sale
We calculate your net proceeds.
You will receive a transparent breakdown of all costs before you decide to sell.