Rent increases slow in Germany as real estate prices surge

Berlin (dpa) – Rents and property prices in Germany are on the rise at different rates, according to a study.

Asking rents rose by 3.5 per cent in 2019, according to the spring report of the industry association Central Real Estate Committee (ZIA). In the previous year, asking rents had risen even more strongly, by 3.8 per cent.

Presenting the numbers in Berlin on Tuesday, economic researcher Lars Feld said rent growth was flattening out, adding that there are signs that politicians no longer have to worry so much about rising rents.

Prices for purchasing flats are growing at a much higher rate. According to the study, they were 9.7 per cent higher than in the previous year. The increase is worrying because it is significantly higher than the rise in rents, the report says.

According to the survey, houses rose in price by 9.3 per cent last year.