Immobilien: Hohe Zinsen bremsen den Immobilienmarkt: Wo Verkäufer besonders lange auf Käufer warten

Selling a property in Germany is not always a quick process. While some regions see listings disappear after a short time, others have them available for nearly nine weeks. This is according to an analysis by the real estate agent Hausgold, which examined the availability of residential properties in print media and online portals from several hundred thousand offers across the country.

The study focused on the length of time property was on the market in the first five months of 2026, comparing the average duration for apartments, single-family houses, and duplexes. The results revealed significant variations, with some markets taking nearly three times longer than others to sell properties. Among the country's biggest cities, including Hamburg, Berlin, Cologne, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt, Stuttgart, and Munich, the differences in selling times were notable.

Even in these economically strong metropolises, the length of time properties stayed on the market varied considerably. In Düsseldorf, sellers had to wait an average of 6.2 weeks before their property was sold, while in Berlin, it was 6.1 weeks. In Hamburg, it was 5.9 weeks, while Munich moved even faster, with an average of just five weeks.

In contrast, in Cologne and Frankfurt am Main, the average duration was 5.8 weeks. Overall, Munich stood out as the fastest market, being about eight days quicker than Düsseldorf. The analysis also noted that long listing times are not just a problem in major cities or rural areas. For example, Zweibrücken in Rhineland-Palatinate had the longest average listing time at 8.8 weeks, followed by Cottbus in Brandenburg at 8.5 weeks.

In Thuringia, areas like Hildburghausen and Eisenach had durations of 8.4 and 8.4 weeks, respectively. Additionally, cities like Eisenach and Suhl, as well as rural districts such as Kaiserslautern and Südwestpfalz, also experienced relatively prolonged marketing periods. Conversely, regions like Neumarkt in the Oberpfalz had the shortest average listing time of just 3.1 weeks.

Other municipalities with comparatively short marketing periods included Hof in Upper Franconia at 3.7 weeks, and Frankenthal in Rhineland-Palatinate at 3.8 weeks. Even Bamberg and the Regen district had only four weeks on average. It's important to note that the duration the analysis tracked only measured the length of time a listing remained active on the market, not whether the property was ultimately sold, at what price, or if the listing was withdrawn.

However, the findings indicate that particularly in parts of Rhineland-Palatinate, Thuringia, and Brandenburg, listings tend to stay on the market for extended periods. Even Chemnitz in Saxony showed a relatively lengthy listing duration of 7.7 weeks. Interestingly, the report from the Kieler Weltwirtschaftsinstitut's recent mortgage index also indicated a longer marketing period in major city markets.

According to Jonas Zdrzalek, an expert at the institute, high-priced new builds in major cities limit the pool of potential renters, potentially prolonging the market. Yet, the Hausgold data also shows that short listing times are not exclusive to prosperous or expensive regions. Mansfeld-Südharz and Kyffhäuserkreis in Saxony-Anhalt, Thuringia, and two other regions in Germany also made the list of the fastest markets. Overall, the average marketing duration across all regions is approximately 5.9 weeks.