{
  "id": 8209971,
  "title": "Bau: Mehr Baugenehmigungen – doch die Branche bleibt skeptisch",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/18/bau-mehr-baugenehmigungen-doch-die-branche-bleibt-skeptisch",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-09-18T08:44:36.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Handelsblatt",
    "slug": "handelsblatt",
    "url": "https://www.handelsblatt.com/finanzen/immobilien/bau-mehr-baugenehmigungen-doch-die-branche-bleibt-skeptisch/100255604.html"
  },
  "original_language": "de",
  "account": "The number of building permits for apartments in Germany rose in July, rising 1.9 percent year-on-year to 22,500, the Federal Statistical Office announced on Friday. Over the first seven months of the year, authorities had given the green light to construct 148,800 apartments in new and existing buildings, a 12.9 percent increase compared to the same period in 2025. Higher interest rates and material costs had discouraged many builders in previous years. The builders' lobby hailed this as a positive sign but called for more rapid action from the federal government to implement promised measures. For nearly a year, the milestones set by Housing Minister Verena Hubertz and Justice Minister Stefanie Hubig for building type E, intended to make building easier and faster, have remained unimplemented, according to Federation President Dirk Salewski of the Association of Private Real Estate and Housing Companies. \"But we still do not have a legislative proposal.\" The Association of the German Construction Industry voiced a cautious upward trend in building permits. \"Nonetheless, this recovery starts from an historically low baseline,\" said Felix Pakleppa, head of the ZDB. The IMK trade union-linked institute expects the recovery in housing construction to continue at best in the coming months. Three reasons for this, according to scientific director Sebastian Dullien: first, mortgage loans have become more expensive due to interest rate hikes by the European Central Bank in response to rising inflation; second, lower disposable incomes as people have less purchasing power due to rising energy prices; and third, higher fuel and energy costs are expected to increase construction costs in the medium term, dampening the housing market as well, Dullien said. However, the Ifo Institute reported a significant improvement in the mood of the stagnant housing market in August. \"Companies increasingly see light at the end of the tunnel,\" said Ifo survey leader Klaus Wohlrabe recently on calculations by the Munich economic research institute. The attractive building permits fueled hope that the order situation would improve in the coming months. Nevertheless, the current business situation assessment remained unchanged but was still marked by a certain dissatisfaction.",
  "summary": "Deutschland baut wieder mehr. Doch der Branchenverband gibt noch keine Entwarnung: Der Bedarf sei höher als das Angebot. Und eine wichtige Entscheidung in Berlin stehe noch aus.",
  "key_points": [
    "Building permits for apartments in Germany rose 1.9% to 22,500 in July",
    "Authorities approved 148,800 apartments in first seven months, 12.9% increase",
    "Builders' lobby calls for faster implementation of promised measures"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}