Number format: this calculator uses German notation throughout — a comma is the decimal separator and a dot groups thousands. “1.234,56” means one thousand two hundred thirty-four euros and fifty-six cents. The figures come from German tax law, so they are shown the way German authorities write them.
Purchase costs (Erwerbsnebenkosten)
The costs on top of the purchase price: transfer tax, notary, land registry and any agent, usually 9 to 15 percent.
In plain language
The purchase price is not what a house costs. On top come real estate transfer tax, the notary, the land register and often an agent — together usually nine to fifteen percent of the price. That sum has to come from your own funds, because banks generally do not finance it. Overlook it and you face a gap of tens of thousands of euros shortly before the notary appointment.
In detail
Only one item is fixed by law: the real estate transfer tax, whose rate each federal state sets itself (§ 11 GrEStG together with the respective state law) — in 2026 between 3,5 % in Bavaria and 6,5 % in four states. Notary and land register costs follow the GNotKG and depend on the transaction value; the percentages used here are guide figures and are expressly marked as estimates. The agent's commission is freely negotiable; since 23 December 2020, however, § 656c BGB provides that in a purchase by a consumer both sides bear it in equal parts where the agent acted for both. Not included are removal costs, renovation and any early repayment charge owed by the seller.
Worked example
A purchase price of 400.000 € in North Rhine-Westphalia: 26.000,00 € real estate transfer tax (6,5 %), 6.000,00 € notary (guide figure 1,5 %), 2.000,00 € land register (0,5 %) and 14.280,00 € agent's commission (3,57 %) come to 48.280,00 € — 12,07 % of the price. In Bavaria, with the same assumptions otherwise, it would be 12.000 € less, purely because of the 3,5 % tax rate.
In brief
Only the transfer tax is fixed by statute; notary and registry follow the GNotKG; the agent's fee is negotiable.
Legal basis: GrEStG, GNotKG · as at 2026