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On November 1, 2020, the new Building Energy Act (GEG) came into force. It serves to consolidate regulations for limiting the energy consumption of buildings, which were previously spread across various laws such as EnEV and EEWärmeG, into a single document. However, the previous energy saving regulations continue to apply for the most part, so the practical implications are limited. We have compiled some details that are nevertheless of interest to property owners, sellers, and real estate agents for you here.

Since selling a property is a very complex process, it is easy to lose track of things. However, such oversights can cost you money. Which documents are important for the sale? What needs to be considered when preparing the property to ensure that the marketing process is short and the property is not sold below its value? Our checklist will help you keep track of everything.

When couples get divorced, the most important question is: "Who gets what?" When it comes to jointly owned property that now has to be divided, the battle is often fierce. With the equalization of accrued gains, the legislature has attempted to create a fair solution for the division of property after a divorce. Unfortunately, in practice, the regulations are usually anything but easy to implement.

Around 46 percent of Germans are active on social media. This undoubtedly includes potential buyers for your property. Sooner or later, most users of Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and other social media platforms will be looking for a place to live. Many real estate agents have jumped on the bandwagon and are using social media directly as a marketing channel. How does it work, and what is behind it?

At first glance, the answer to this question seems obvious. After all, real estate in Germany is very valuable, so who would want to pass it up? However, when you inherit, you not only inherit assets, but also debts. Before accepting an inheritance, it is therefore highly advisable to find out as much as possible about the financial situation of the deceased.

Demand on the real estate market is currently high almost everywhere. It therefore seems easy to find interested buyers and sell your own home. This may be true in some cases—but only if you don't care about the sale price you achieve. Behind every successful sale, where an optimal price is achieved within a reasonable period of time, there is usually a lot of work involved.

A lifetime right of residence allows people to live in a property without owning it or paying rent. Securing this right can be useful in various situations, such as in the case of a gift or property retirement. There are a few details to consider. So how does lifetime right of residence work?

Interest rates for follow-up financing are currently favorable. However, it is difficult to predict how this will develop in the coming years, especially in light of the coronavirus crisis. If interest rates rise, follow-up financing can often be difficult to obtain. It is therefore advisable to start looking into follow-up financing options at an early stage.

As soon as you advertise your property, your phone and email inbox will start ringing off the hook. But how do you know which of the countless interested parties are really interested in your property? No seller wants to waste time on unnecessary viewings—with people who can't actually afford the property or who aren't going to buy it anyway, but just want to take a look. Here are a few little tricks to help you separate the wheat from the chaff.