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Buyer Guide

Mediterranean overseas properties in a Mediterranean coastal town with picturesque marina, terracotta roofs and mountain backdrop on the Costa del Sol

Buying Property Abroad: Your Step-by-Step Guide

For many people, the idea of buying property abroad evokes dreams of sunny beaches, scenic mountain villages, or bustling cosmopolitan cities. Whether you’re searching for a vacation home abroad, a potential international property investment, or a second home to enjoy during retirement, the allure of overseas real estate lies in its diversity. Different locations around the globe offer unique cultural experiences, potentially lower property prices than your home market, and attractive rental returns.

  • 4 min read
  • 26.02.2025
Buying Property Abroad: Your Step-by-Step Guide
Aerial view of Zurich's historic city center showing luxury waterfront properties along the Limmat River, featuring traditional Swiss architecture, church spires, and high-value real estate in Switzerland's most expensive property market

Zurich real estate prices: Stable market, high demand

Zurich real estate prices continued to show a stable upward trend in 2024. As an economically important metropolis, Switzerland's largest city experiences enormous popularity, even beyond national borders. From urban flair with diverse cultural offerings and entertainment options to magnificent landscapes for recreation, the city and its surrounding canton offer something for every taste. Where does Zurich show its most beautiful side, and how are real estate prices developing? Our Market Insights Zurich provide you with insights into developments and trends!

  • 5 min read
  • 16.12.2024
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International Real Estate: Advantages, Tips, and Countries in Focus

Purchasing international real estate is a significant step that requires careful planning and in-depth knowledge. Engel & Völkers accompanies you on this journey with expertise and a worldwide network. Whether you're looking for a holiday home in Tuscany, a villa on the Côte d'Azur, or an apartment on Lake Constance – we support you in selecting international real estate in the best locations, clarify legal and financial aspects, and help you realize your international real estate dreams abroad.

  • 3 min read
  • 29.08.2024
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When is a holiday home deemed a second residence?

A holiday home on the Baltic Sea or a weekend retreat in the countryside for own use are generally to be regarded as second residences. If, on the other hand, the holiday home is used exclusively for rental purposes, it is definitely not a second residence. In fact, an investment in holiday property can become a commercial property when certain income limits are reached. In both cases, the question of whether this constitutes a second residence is easy to answer. The situation is different if the property owners use their holiday home for themselves on weekends or during holidays and rent it out during the rest of the year.

  • 8 min read
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Seller Guide

How to calculate the property tax in Germany

Every property owner knows it and has to pay it: the property tax. Therefore, even before you buy a property or a plot of land, you should find out how high the tax costs will be in the future. In the following, we show you how to calculate property tax, when you are exempt from paying, and which Payment deadlines exist.

  • 6 min read
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When is a holiday home deemed a second residence?

A holiday home on the Baltic Sea or a weekend retreat in the countryside for own use are generally to be regarded as second residences. If, on the other hand, the holiday home is used exclusively for rental purposes, it is definitely not a second residence. In fact, an investment in holiday property can become a commercial property when certain income limits are reached. In both cases, the question of whether this constitutes a second residence is easy to answer. The situation is different if the property owners use their holiday home for themselves on weekends or during holidays and rent it out during the rest of the year.

  • 8 min read
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Successful property marketing - interview with Mr Sven Schäfer

A successful property sale is a matter of trusting the right partners right partner. Sven Schäfer is the managing partner of Engel & Völkers Konstanz. In addition to Constance, the successful property consultant also runs other Engel & Völkers property shops in Germany, including the Radolfzell, Höri, Singen and Überlingen locations. With this broad presence, Sven Schäfer and his 25-strong team have established themselves as a regional estate agent for property in Constance.

  • 3 min read
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Selling a property tax-free

Would you like to sell your property tax-free? Find out here whether and how this is possible.

  • 10 min read
  • 11.11.2022
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Real Estate Agent

Real estate agent: How to sucessfully make the career change

The real estate agent career-change programme is aimed at those who previously worked in another profession and are now looking for a career change. The reasons for this can be varied and always depend on the individual person. However, one thing is always the same when deciding to change jobs the process of working yourself up the ladder again. Becoming a real estate agent allows you, as a career changer, to enjoy success without the lengthy process of working your way up within the industry. For anyone who enjoys selling real estate, appreciates design and architecture, is interested in developments on the real estate market and is also looking for an all-around fulfilling profession, the real estate industry is made for you. Because the real estate industry, in particular, offers attractive, alternative careers for architects and designers. Below, we will go through some of the general key qualifications as well as some career and job tips if you want to become a real estate agent.

  • 6 min read
Real estate agent: How to sucessfully make the career change

Training as a real estate agent - what awaits you!

Training as a real estate agent is a multifaceted challenge. Real estate agents have to deal with a wide range of tasks related to the real estate industry and real estate management.

  • 5 min read
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Start-up assistance for every franchisee: the franchisor's services

The franchisor is one thing above all for the franchisee: the starting aid on the way to self-employment. He offers you numerous benefits and services from which you will profit comprehensively. In addition, you can count on the support of the system head office or a system supervisor after the successful establishment of your franchise business.

  • 5 min read
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What is the real estate agent's salary?

The profession of real estate agent is becoming increasingly popular. Many welcome the contact with customers, enjoy negotiating or are happy with their freelance work. But is the profession also financially worthwhile and how high is the real estate agent's salary?

  • 4 min read
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Become the best real estate agent. With Engel & Völkers.

We’re looking for you! People with a passion for and fascination with real estate – from industry newcomers to experienced agents. Anyone can become a real estate agent, but not everyone makes it a success. As a global property company with an incredibly strong brand, we can help you succeed, and we look forward to getting to know you.

  • 6 min read
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What is the difference between real estate agent and real estate salesperson?

The profession of real estate agent is often confused with that of real estate broker. This is usually because certain areas of responsibility overlap. But in terms of the daily structure, the exact role during a real estate brokerage and last but not least the different salary models, some differences can be identified. We will describe both job profiles here so that you can compare them and weigh up the respective advantages.

  • 4 min read
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What does a real estate agent do?

The broker’s fee is one of the biggest cost factors arising from property sales for owners and buyers. But what does a real estate agent do for the brokers fee you pay and why does it pay off?

  • 7 min read
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Lifestyle

Le Corbusier’s style and design philosophy

Le Corbusier ranks among the most influential figures in modern architecture and is perhaps one of the most divisive. He has been both lauded for the sculptural quality of his free-form living spaces and reviled for setting the stage for concrete social housing blocks thrown up in the post-war years. But how did a self-taught architect from a small Swiss town make such an impact, and why is he still relevant?

  • 4 min read
  • 25.04.2019
Le Corbusier’s style and design philosophy

The best smart locks: Security and convenience

House or apartment doors can be conveniently opened and locked electronically with the innovative smart locks. Anyone who has ever stood at the front door with full shopping bags looking for the front door key knows what advantages this can have. 

  • 11 min read
  • 17.02.2022
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Seven essential tips for mixing modern and antique furniture

Looking to lend a visually intriguing sense of balance to your home interior? Try blending contemporary designs with antique pieces. This approach adds a unique contrast to any room, with varying textures, shapes and styles. Here are a few tips for mixing modern and antique furniture with carefully curated panache.

  • 4 min read
  • 15.05.2018
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Five mistakes to avoid in your new bedroom design

Whether as an oasis of calm, a sea of tranquillity, or a facilitator of a good night’s sleep, bedrooms play a major part in our lives – in fact, we all spend around a third of our lives there. However, they are often undervalued during home renovations and can be overlooked in favour of redecorating the living space or kitchen. To help you avoid this, here are the five most common interior design mistakes when redesigning a bedroom.

  • 3 min read
  • 09.07.2018
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The philosophy behind iconic Frank Lloyd Wright architecture

Deemed the ‘greatest American architect of all time’ in a 1991 survey by the American Institute of Architects, Frank Lloyd Wright was a true visionary. He believed in the power of connecting architecture with its inhabitants, stating once that ‘the mother art is architecture. Without an architecture of our own we have no soul of our own civilisation’.

  • 4 min read
  • 04.01.2019
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Beds under windows: a design do or don't?

When designing a bedroom, your bed is undoubtedly the most important element. In some spaces, placement might seem obvious, while in others, you may have to give particular consideration to the room's features. Where to put a bed in combination with a window is a much-discussed interior design question. To get it right, you'll need to balance your design desires, temperature considerations and the natural light.

  • 4 min read
  • 10.05.2019
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What's it really like to own and live in a castle?

For most people, having their very own castle is the stuff of fairytales – however, for a few proud investors and history lovers, the dream of owning and living in a castle can become reality.

  • 3 min read
  • 15.01.2019
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Contact

Contact your personal advisor

Engel & Völkers Germany

Vancouverstraße 2a

20457 Hamburg, Germany

Tel: +49 40 361310