Check the listing before you finance it
A property listing rarely shows the full picture — missing details, implausible numbers or vague wording often only surface once the bank starts checking. This checklist shows 7 points and typical red flags so you can spot them yourself, first. Free by email, DE/EN. Buying a house in Germany from abroad follows the same legal steps as any purchase — the financing side is what differs.
In short
What should I check in a property listing before financing it?
Seven points — from living area to year built to running costs — and four red flags: a living area without a calculation basis, a vaguely stated renovation status, incomplete running costs (service charges, reserve fund), and a viewing that is delayed or refused without a plausible reason. All of it is set out in full on this page.
What will the bank ask for anyway?
The property documents listed on this page — for example the exact living-area calculation the bank will require later. Requesting them early saves weeks; clarifying them yourself first is better than having the bank find the gap.
Who arranges this?
Perini Finance & Property — licensed under §34i GewO, 650+ banks compared, we know the banks whose lending rules cover the property itself, not only the borrower. The checklist comes free as a bilingual PDF (1 page) — commission paid by the bank.
The listing quick check — all seven points
A listing shows a property at its best. For the financing, what matters is what sits between the lines. Check these seven points before you book a viewing or instruct a notary — they are set out here in full, not only in the PDF.
Location
The exact address, not just the city — it drives the lending value and the range of banks most.
Year built and structural condition
Roof, heating, wiring, façade; take „in need of modernisation" seriously.
Energy performance certificate
Class and value are stated in the listing; class H or worse narrows the range of banks.
Living area and floor plan
Measured to the statutory standard or only „approx."? Deviations affect the value.
Ownership and rights
Leasehold, condominium, rights of way, listed-building status.
The asking price is not the lending value
The asking price is the seller's expectation — the bank sets its own lending value.
Tenancy and occupancy
Existing leases, social restrictions, vacancy; for owner-use, vacant possession.
Four red flags in a listing
- „Commission-free / from owner" without verifiable documents — missing papers delay any financing.
- „Needs renovation", „handyman's object", „design to taste" — plan for modernisation costs.
- „Living area approx." without calculation, or energy certificate missing or „to follow".
- Unusually low price — there is usually a reason (location, condition, rights) the listing does not stress.
None of these flags is a knock-out — they simply mean: clarify first, avoid surprises. For many cases the right bank exists; you just have to know it.
If you want to go beyond the checklist and see how the bank reads the same listing: having a property valued before you buy.
Property documents the bank will ask for anyway
Requesting them early saves weeks later:
- Listing, current land-register extract, cadastral map or site plan
- Energy certificate, floor plans, living-area calculation
- For a condominium: declaration of division, owners' meeting minutes, service-charge and reserves overview
- For a buy-to-let: tenancy agreements and rent schedule
What's in the checklist
The check points are set out in full above. The PDF is the same list on a single page, bilingual and made for ticking off — for the viewing, where no screen helps.
- 7 check points. From living area to year built to running costs — what's often missing or vague in listings.
- Red flags. Typical phrasing and omissions that point to hidden problems.
- Financing-relevant. What the bank will check anyway — better to clarify it yourself first.
- DE/EN. Also for buyers who want to check listings in English.
Open the file directly — no form: Property listing (Exposé) check (PDF, 1 page) · Germany property financing checklist (PDF, 8 pages)
What listings often leave out — and why it matters
Living area without a calculation basis
"Approx. 120 m²" without a living-area calculation is an estimate, not a reliable figure — the bank will ask for the exact calculation later anyway.
Renovation status stated vaguely
"Well maintained" or "solid" says nothing about heating, roof or plumbing — exactly the items that can turn out expensive.
Running costs incomplete
Service charges, reserve fund and ongoing costs are often missing from listings entirely — without them, serious financing planning isn't possible.
No viewing possible
If a viewing gets delayed or refused without a plausible reason, that's a clear warning sign — regardless of how good the listing otherwise looks.
Questions about the checklist
Does the checklist replace a surveyor?
Which property types does the checklist fit?
What does your advice cost?
Note. This checklist is guidance only and does not replace legal, construction or valuation advice. Immobiliar-Verbraucherdarlehen are brokered under the licence §34i GewO (Olga Nikushkina).