The dream of owning a home in Germany is becoming increasingly difficult to achieve. The share of people living in their own homes has fallen to around 41.9%, according to data from the German statistics office Destatis. This is among the lowest levels in Europe and confirms the trend for Germany to remain a country with a high dependence on the rental market.
Owning a home is important not only as a roof over your head, but also as a form of long-term asset accumulation and protection in retirement. According to the publication, politicians have tools with which they can facilitate access to property, including through tax changes and greater support for first-time home buyers.
The problem is also exacerbated by weak construction activity. In 2025, only 206,600 homes were completed in Germany, which is an 18% drop compared to the previous year and the lowest result since 2012. For comparison, in 2020, over 306,000 homes were built.
At the same time, professional organizations are pushing for tax breaks for people buying their first home. Among the ideas being discussed is a reduction in the property transfer tax, including up to 0% for certain buyers when the home will be used for personal residence. However, this is still a proposal, not an adopted measure.
Detailed statistics on average property prices in Bulgaria by city and neighborhood can be seen at imot.bg