Selling a house in Düsseldorf – step by step

01House sale following separation or divorce: prepare together

Before considering a sale, put the outstanding questions on the table: Who is named in the land register? Which loans are outstanding? Who currently lives in the house, and where will they live afterwards? An online estimate cannot answer questions about ownership or maintenance payments.

List the asking price, outstanding loan balance and expected selling costs separately. The remaining amount does not automatically establish what any one person will receive. Record what has been agreed and which questions still need legal or financial review.

If you cannot agree, a property brochure will not resolve the situation. Organise the documents and seek independent advice on your circumstances before making commitments. Our tools help you prepare; they do not arrange a sale or provide legal representation.

Prepare your financing and land-charge documents · Plan the notary appointment and documents

02Selling a house in old age: first clarify your own living plan

Selling is only part of the decision. First, write down where you would like to live afterwards and what requirements the home should meet: accessibility, stairs, running costs and proximity to people you know. A certain age alone is not a reason to sell. Compare keeping, renting and selling based on your own wishes and documented costs.

Separate one-off capital from a sustainable household budget. The sales proceeds after remaining debt and own costs are not the same amount as the asking price. Also plan for moving, a possible transition phase and an untouched reserve. Our scenario calculator helps sort the numbers; it contains no personal tax audit or promise of future investment returns.

If you want to remain in the house, compare the specific arrangement: a tenancy, a residential right and usufruct are different legal structures. Prepare questions about the rooms, ongoing costs, major repairs, moving out later and safeguarding your rights. Have the complete draft independently reviewed before committing. DDORF offers free guidance and working templates, not contract brokerage.

Sell and stay: compare models · Calculate your own liquidity scenarios · Right-of-residence calculation: a scenario instead of a flat-rate discount · Calculate usufruct: yield and duration as a scenario

03Selling in 10 steps (overview)

Selling a house usually follows the same sequence. Following it can save time and help avoid renegotiation.

1. 1Determine valueOnline valuation as a starting point, followed by an assessment by a broker or appraiser.
2. 2Clarify financingAsk the bank about the remaining debt, fixed interest rates and possible early repayment penalties.
3. 3Collect documentsLand register extract, land map, energy certificate, plans; for apartments, the WEG documents.
4. 4Decide broker or privateCompare offers or market the property yourself.
5. 5Set asking priceWith scope for negotiations, but close to the market.
6. 6Exposé and advertisementPhotos, floor plans, mandatory information from the energy certificate.
7. 7ViewingsBundle appointments, document questions.
8. 8Check buyersRequest financing confirmation before the notary appointment.
9. 9Notary and purchase contractCheck the draft and have it certified.
10. 10HandoverAfter paying the purchase price: keys, meter readings, log.

04What is my house worth?

The value depends on the location, property, size, year of construction and condition. In Düsseldorf, the location is particularly important: a house in Kaiserswerth or Oberkassel achieves different prices than a comparable one in Garath or Eller. There are three paths to value:

Guideline land value and property reference value are official figures from the local valuation board. Standard land values indicate the value per square meter of undeveloped land in a zone; property reference values indicate a typical value per square meter of living area for a developed property. Both are averages and do not account for your house’s condition or fittings. See the value for your address on the BORIS NRW: official land values page.

The guide to market value reports explains valuation purposes and the differences between reports. A scenario calculator is not an individual valuation of your house.

05Documents: the complete list

Buyers and banks ask for documents early on. If they are missing, the buyer's financing will be delayed. Plan a few weeks for offices.

A missing energy certificate is the most common bottleneck. Our Energy certificate guide explains the available types and what they cost.

06Selling with or without an agent?

Both are possible. An estate agent handles the property brochure (Exposé), enquiries, viewings and negotiations; when selling privately you retain control and save the commission, but invest a lot of time.

Commission sharing: When a consumer buys an apartment or single-family house, the contracts matter. If both parties contract with the agent, their commission obligations must be equal (§ 656c BGB). Where costs are passed on by agreement under a seller-only instruction, the seller must bear at least an equal share; the claim against the buyer falls due only after payment and proof (§ 656d BGB). A buyer-only search instruction is not subject to a blanket half-share limit. Commission rates are negotiable and not fixed by law.

Ask suitable brokers for verifiable references, the proposed marketing plan, services and contractual conditions. Clarify how information about sales duration or success is verified. This guide does not provide a current office ranking.

07Set asking price and marketing period

Set the asking price close to market value with some room for negotiation. If it is too high, there will be few inquiries, the ad will sit for a long time and buyers will become suspicious. Later price reductions are noticed in portals.

An asking price that is too low is also risky: many enquiries in a short time show demand, but you lose money if you accept the first offer. Some sellers therefore use a bidding process. This is not legally binding — either party can withdraw until the notary appointment.

The marketing period depends on the property, price and sales process. Time advertised is not the same as time until notarial completion. This guide does not publish a current DDORF average. Start by preparing the Sales documents.

08Viewings and buyer screening

Prepare for viewings well: documents ready to hand, address defects openly. Concealed defects that you are aware of can lead to liability despite the exclusion of warranty in the contract.

Before arranging a notary appointment, ask to see financing confirmation from the buyer’s bank. A general credit report is not enough — what matters is that the bank will finance this property at this price.

Individual appointments instead of mass viewings and a short pre-selection over the phone have proven to be effective: anyone who is serious about buying knows their budget and has already spoken to a bank. Make a note of who you sent which documents to and only pass on the land register extract and minutes to those who are seriously interested.

09Notary, purchase contract, handover

A property purchase contract is only valid if notarized. The buyer usually chooses the notary because he bears the costs.

1. 1Draft contractThe notary sends a draft to both sides. Check the purchase price, handover date, items sold and regulations regarding defects.
2. 2NotarizationThe notary reads the contract aloud and explains it, then applies for the priority notice securing the buyer's transfer of ownership (Auflassungsvormerkung).
3. 3Purchase price paymentThe buyer pays as soon as the notary notifies the due date. Your bank receives the remaining debt if a mortgage has to be paid off.
4. 4HandoverHand over keys, meter readings and documents using a written record. Registration of the buyer’s ownership is a separate step; the notary checks the necessary conditions and documents.

The buyer usually pays the property transfer tax. The NRW tax authorities publish the current rate. Until handover, you as the owner bear the risk: keep the residential building insurance in force. It transfers to the buyer with ownership, and the buyer can then cancel it.

10Costs for sellers

The buyer bears most of the additional purchase costs. As a seller, you will be faced with the following items in particular:

Early repayment penalty: Selling may allow you to terminate a fixed-rate loan early, but you must compensate the bank for lost interest (§ 490(2) BGB). More than ten years after full disbursement, you may terminate with six months’ notice without compensation (§ 489(1), no. 2 BGB). Alternatively, the buyer may take over the loan or you may transfer it to another property—ask your bank.

11Taxes when selling a house

AI-generated

§ 23(1) No. 1 EStG can exclude taxation of private capital gains. In particular, the following conditions must be checked; business assets and commercial transactions are not assessed here:

1. 1Ten-year holding periodMore than ten years separate purchase and sale, measured using the date of each notarised contract.
2. 2Own useYou have only lived in the house yourself since you bought it or in the year of sale and the two years before that.

A taxable private capital gain may be subject to income tax according to Section 23 EStG. Revenue, acquisition or production costs, income-related expenses and depreciation taken into account must be kept separate. Exemption limits and other special features must be checked in the specific case; the simple difference between two prices is not a personal tax calculation.

Commercial real estate trading: Buying and reselling several properties within a few years may be classed as commercial property dealing. Gains may then be subject to income tax and, where applicable, business tax even after ten years. The tax authorities explain the distinction in their guidance; seek tax advice if selling several properties.

Tax on a private sale

12Special cases: inherited, divorce, rented, right of residence

13Selling a house in the surrounding area: Neuss, Solingen, Wuppertal, Duisburg, Krefeld

The basic selling process is similar. Prices, demand and responsible authorities vary; tax and legal questions must be checked for the individual case. The competent local court maintains the land register. Cadastral maps and public-law building obligations are available from the city or district, and standard values from the local valuation committee.

Use the document overview to prepare. For local information, consult our existing guides for Neuss, Solingen, Wuppertal, Duisburg and Krefeld. The relevant local valuation boards publish the official data for each area.