Advice for sellers of investment property
Sell an apartment building in Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf
A multi-family building sells differently from a flat. The price comes from the rents, not from comparison with the flat next door. Buyers want to let, not move in. And different rules apply to the commission. Our advice is free of charge.
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What is your property worth?
Three short questions, then your contact details.
What would you like to have valued?
Roughly how large is the living space?
When would you like to sell?
Where should we send the initial assessment?
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Important difference from selling a flat or
Buyer and seller only share the commission when a private individual buys a flat or a detached house (§§ 656a ff. BGB, German Civil Code). Which properties are meant is set out in § 656a BGB. A multi-family building is neither. If it goes to an investor, usually a company, we therefore agree the commission with you before marketing begins. It is set out in the agency agreement.
In rare cases the situation can be different, for example if a private individual buys and moves into one of the flats themselves. A lawyer should then check the individual case.
Selling with tenants: note the tenants' right of first refusal
If an apartment building is divided and sold flat by flat, the tenant may have the right to buy their flat first (§ 577 BGB, German Civil Code). We check this. If you sell the whole building to an investor, it usually plays no role. We clarify this before marketing begins.
Four steps to a sale
Free valuation
The price comes from the rental income, the condition and the location.
Consultation
Who the potential buyers are, which route we take, how the commission is arranged.
Marketing
Suitable investors, often discreetly rather than via the major portals.
Completion
Negotiating, checking that the buyer can pay, support through to the notary appointment.
Market situation: investment property in City West
Figures for investors.
Guthmann figures are market observation; only the figures of the valuation committee (Gutachterausschuss, GAA) are official. How the property yield rate (Liegenschaftszins) and the return are calculated is explained in the BBI Market Compass City West (chapter 07). There are no official price statistics for existing apartment buildings in the district. The new-build figures are only a benchmark. Sources on request.
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What really helps at this point.
Terms
What working with us costs
Others only name their commission in conversation. Here it is stated openly before you pick up the phone: one rate that applies to both sides.
3.57% each
Seller's and buyer's commission. Your share as the seller and the buyer's share, each 3% plus 19% VAT on the notarised purchase price. The buyer may not bear more than your share
Equal split under § 656c BGB (German Civil Code)
7.14%
both shares together. We state the total so that you do not have to work it out
Total of both shares
0€
until the sale. The commission is only earned once the purchase contract is concluded. No reimbursement of expenses, no out-of-pocket costs
§ 652 BGB
8months
Term and notice. Term of the sole agency agreement, then extended by one month at a time. Notice period of 14 days to the end of the term, in writing
Sole agency agreement § 3
These are the terms of our standard sole agency agreement. What applies in an individual case is set out in the contract, which you can read at your leisure before signing. Under § 656a BGB (German Civil Code), we record the commission amount in text form, not in a side agreement.
What is your apartment building worth?
Free initial assessment, calculated from the rents.
Why BBI for investors
We calculate from the rent, not from the flat next door.
An apartment building is valued by the rent it generates in the long term and by the years it has left, not by the price of individual flats. We work with the price-to-rent multiplier, i.e. the number of annual rents in the purchase price. We also use the property yield rate (Liegenschaftszins), which valuers use to convert rents into a value, and the return before costs.
We know the buyers in Berlin, private individuals as well as large institutions, and we know what they are looking for. That is where we position your building.
4.6 out of 5 stars from 47 Google reviews
Public Google reviews of the profile “BBI - Berlin Brandenburg Immobilien GmbH”, as of 18/07/2026. We do not check the authenticity of individual reviews; display and filtering are done by Google.
- Valuation based on rental income
- Network of private investors and large institutions
- Clear information on commission rules for apartment buildings
Nearby: other locations in City West
- Sell your flat in Charlottenburg: for owners of individual flats.
- Sell your flat in Wilmersdorf: the neighbouring area.
- Estate agent on Kurfürstendamm: where our office is.
- City West at a glance: all locations in the district.
Frequently asked questions
Selling an apartment building: frequently asked questions.
Answers as of 18 September 2026
Do buyer and seller also split the commission on an apartment building?
No. The split under §§ 656c and 656d BGB (German Civil Code) only applies to flats and detached houses, not to multi-family buildings. We agree the commission for an apartment building with you before marketing begins. It is set out in the agency agreement.
What does price-to-rent multiplier mean, and why does it matter?
The purchase price divided by the annual rent excluding heating and ancillary costs. The figure shows how many years' rent the price contains. At 24.5 times the annual rent, Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf is above the Berlin average of 21.1 times the annual rent. The districts with a published figure range from 15.9 to 24.5 (Guthmann Estate, as of 2026).
What is different about marketing an apartment building compared with a flat?
The price usually comes from the rents. The calculation uses the rent that can be achieved in the long term, the property yield rate (Liegenschaftszins) of the valuation committee (Gutachterausschuss), i.e. the interest rate valuers use to convert rents into a value, and the remaining years of the building's useful life. Comparable prices of individual flats then count for less.
My flats are let. Can I still sell the building?
Yes. If the building is to be divided into individual owner-occupied flats, we check in advance whether the tenant has the right to buy the flat first (§ 577 BGB, German Civil Code). If you sell the whole building to an investor, this is not usually an issue.
What exactly do I get for the agent's commission?
Valuation, marketing, vetting of prospective buyers, negotiation and support through to the notary appointment. It is only payable if the purchase contract is concluded.
Ready to find out the value?
Free, without obligation. Or call us directly: +49 30 327 734 0.