If you want to sell a condominium, you start with the area, condition and documented property documents. Complete the declaration of division, annual owners’ association budget, accounts and relevant resolutions. A rented apartment must be described as rented; a sale does not create free availability. Check the valuation, exposé, queries and notary appointment as separate steps. Other information is crucial for houses, land and entire apartment buildings.
Sell a house or apartment without an agent
Selling privately does not mean omitting documents and testing. You organize the description, permitted photos, inquiries, appointments and contract preparation yourself. Our free house sale checklist, exposé template and protocol template help with the organization. DDORF is not commissioned to look for buyers or pass on inquiries. If you choose external support later, clarify the scope and conditions directly.
How long does it take to sell a property?
There is no guaranteed period. Complete documentation, condition, price acceptance and actual demand influence preparation and marketing. Financing, contract review and agreed conditions also take time. “Sell an apartment quickly” and “Sell a house immediately” are not DDORF’s service promises: we do not buy any properties ourselves. Consider a realistic process rather than just a promised date.
What costs does the seller of a property bear?
Compile possible expenses for documents, preparation, loan redemption and agreed external services. The sale price is not the amount available to you: outstanding debt, obligations and tax questions must be assessed separately. The sell-or-rent calculator uses your assumptions; it does not provide a binding settlement. DDORF tools are currently free, and using them does not engage an agent.
When should I sell or rent an apartment?
Separate the one-time sales proceeds from any future rental surplus. Compare the effort, your own reserves, maintenance and the period under consideration. Further questions arise when it comes to inheritance, right of residence, usufruct or existing tenancies. Read the appropriate existing specialist page and clarify open points. A calculation with positive numbers does not automatically decide which solution is right for you.
Selling a property despite having an ongoing loan
Put the remaining debt, fixed interest rates and the conditions of your financing next to the expected proceeds. Ask your financing bank for specific redemption information at the planned time; a separate table calculation does not replace this information. For registered mortgages, the bank and the notary must coordinate the processing. Do not assume that the sales price minus today's remaining debt is the final payout amount.
Selling a house in need of renovation: Describe the condition openly
Organize known damage, work that has already been carried out and findings that are still unclear separately. Use existing, dated receipts and describe an offer or cost estimate as such. The price of a renovated neighboring house is not a reliable substitute for the inspection of your property. A general calculator does not evaluate building structure or pollution; this may require specialists and additional documents.
Selling a property: differentiate between the asking price and the sales price
An asking price is the price published in a listing, not proof of a completed transaction. Our market medians are our own analyses of available source data; a DDORF estimate is an indicative calculation of our own. Compare property type, location, date and condition before forming a price assumption. If the city page lacks sufficient data, a neighbouring city’s value is not an automatic substitute.
Selling a property after separation or divorce
Before setting a price or proposing how to divide the proceeds, clarify ownership shares, financing and outstanding obligations. Splitting the estimated proceeds in a calculator is a personal assumption, not a decision on family-law entitlements. Record agreed decisions and unresolved questions, and seek independent advice on specific rights and contract changes.
Selling a property yourself: a clear process
Selling a house without an agent and selling an apartment privately begins with the same basic questions: What is yours, what is occupied and what steps are still pending? This overview will help you organize the preparation yourself.
step 1
Property and authority to act
Clarify proof of ownership, representation and possible consent. In the case of a condominium, complete the WEG documents; Compile contract and income documents for a rented property.
step 2
Price acceptance
Place occupied living space and condition next to appropriate local comparison data. A DDORF estimate and your own analysis of asking prices are different tools; neither guarantees a selling price.
step 3
Exposé and dates
Prepare a factual description and authorised photos. Flag unresolved issues, collect questions and organise viewings.
step 4
Financing and contract
Clarify open financing and redemption with your own bank. Coordinate agreements, required evidence and draft contract with the notary's office.
step 5
Payment and handover
Follow the contractually agreed process. Document keys, status, meter readings and outstanding points together. A protocol does not replace contract review.
Frequently asked questions about preparation
Selling a condominium: what should you consider?
Alongside your apartment’s condition, common property, owners’ service charges (Hausgeld), reserves and approved work matter. Collect the declaration of division, owners’ association budget, accounts and meeting minutes. Have the information needed for the particular sale clarified rather than comparing only a price per square metre.
Selling an apartment: inform the property manager and clarify owners’ service charges
Ask the administration about the documents required and the process in the event of a change of ownership. Record current payments, billing periods and outstanding measures. Who is responsible for which payment towards the community or internally cannot be determined from a handover date alone; contract, resolutions and due dates must be viewed together.
Selling a house without an agent: what risks do I need to prepare for?
Uninspected areas, unclear image rights, missing documents and undeclared known problems can make preparation difficult. Separate proven facts from assumptions and have open questions examined professionally. A private sale does not automatically save every external service; an existing brokerage contract must be checked separately.
How much can I sell my apartment for?
Start with suitable comparison properties, location, condition, area and legal usage situation. Prices shown are asking prices, not sales prices. Test your assumption with documented feedback and check the data basis. A maximum price or a quick buyer is not promised here.
Selling a property: what costs remain with the seller?
Organize documents, preparation, financing bank, outstanding obligations and individually agreed services separately. Remaining debt and possible redemption are part of the expected proceeds. Our tools are free; a possible issue to third parties is separate and depends on the specific process.
Sell or give property to children?
Selling and donating are different processes. Discuss the purchase price, financing, possible rights and the family situation with a notary and tax advisor. A low price does not automatically make a transfer favorable from a tax or legal perspective. DDORF does not create a transfer contract for this.
Selling property in old age: moving out or staying in?
Plan future living, ongoing costs and available funds together. Sales with subsequent tenancy, right of residence and usufruct have different consequences. Check contract design and affordable costs separately from possible sales proceeds; the appropriate background pages explain the differences.
Choosing professional help yourself
Estate agent: what work, duration, costs and conditions does the contract specify? Check what an exclusive instruction (Alleinauftrag) would mean for you. A list of names cannot replace a review of the agreement.
Valuer: check qualifications, the purpose and scope of the valuation, and its cost. A public chamber directory can help you start your own checks; it is not a DDORF quality ranking.
Notarial chamber and notary search: if needed, use the public directory provided by Germany’s Federal Chamber of Notaries. Discuss documents and the process directly with the notary’s office; DDORF does not place instructions or collect contact details on your behalf.
Record the condition, meters, keys and documents together; document what has actually been agreed.
Prepare a viewing for your sale
Free and without registration. This tool does not send your entries to the server. You can copy, print or download the draft, or choose to save it in this tab.
Optional: save the draft in this browser tab only. This tool does not send it to the server. Photos are not included.
Without tab storage, unsaved changes are lost on reload. Continue to save files and photos yourself.
Plan only your own next steps. Do not enter interested parties’ names, answers, ID details or documents in this template. DDORF does not screen applicants, shortlist them or provide legal approval.
Text preview
Prepare a viewing for your sale
Dates and time slots without names: ________________
Factual property information and open questions: ________________
Rooms, outdoor areas and the viewing itinerary: ________________
Property documents for the appointment — no copies of personal documents: ________________
Outstanding factual questions and matters requiring professional advice: ________________
Your next steps and deadlines: ________________
Work template without examining the individual case. No publication, no inquiry and no contract concluded via DDORF.
Owner in Düsseldorf: What do you want to prepare?
First put the property value in context
For individual apartments, a supported local model is required. Approved single-family and two-family home models have a separate calculator. These calculators do not automatically value plots or entire apartment buildings.
Selling a house or apartment privately: check the documents, prepare a factual property brochure and document the handover. No contact form or agency instruction.
