Real estate for capital investment in Hamburg

High-quality new construction projects are supposed to meet the demand on the housing market. According to the Federal Statistical Office, the number of building permits issued has risen steadily in recent years and reached a record level of over 12,450 in 2017. Hamburg thus offers attractive options for capital investors.

New apartments are also necessary for the Hanseatic city due to the continuing high level of influx. Rental apartments are in great demand here, which reflects in ever-higher rents. An annual increase in rents of around 3 to 5 percent is not uncommon. According to the current rent index of the Statistics Office North, the average net rent in Hamburg is € 8.66 per square meter.

Various factors play an essential role here: in addition to the size of the apartment, the location and the year of construction are also decisive, as the following examples clearly show:

Rental price development

Existing building: apartment size 66 – 90 m², year of construction 1978-1993
New building: apartment size 66 – 90 m², year of construction 2011-2018

Eimsbüttel, Winterhude and HafenCity: according to the Hamburger Morgenpost, these are the favorites among the 104 districts of the Hanseatic city. In a survey, about 7 percent of the participants said that they would like to live in Eimsbüttel. Winterhude received 6 percent of the votes, HafenCity followed with 5 percent.

These districts are also among the top 10: Barmbek-Nord, Eppendorf, Ottensen, Blankenese, Barmbek-Süd, Altona-Altstadt and St. Pauli.

Living space is becoming increasingly scarce, and rents are rising. As a result, more and more Hamburg residents are considering an option: work in Hamburg, live in Schleswig-Holstein. The green surroundings of the Hanseatic city offer several advantages – especially in communities with excellent transport connections, such as Norderstedt.

Located directly on Hamburg's northern city limits, Norderstedt seamlessly connects to the Hanseatic city. Without noticing it, you can cross the state border with the U1 underground from Langenhorn. With its well-developed infrastructure and the short distances to the countryside, Norderstedt is especially interesting for families.

The increasing attractiveness of Norderstedt also leads to an increase in rents here, north of Hamburg. The business magazine Capital lists the current average prices per square meter:

Durchschnittliche Mietpreise in Norderstedt

As in many other large cities, Hamburg is subject to the Tenancy Law Amendment Act, or the so-called “rental brake”. It states that rents for new leases in sought-after areas may only be a maximum of ten percent above the local comparative rent.

Exceptions to this rule include new buildings used and rented for the first time after 2014. So buying a new property gives you more freedom of choice.