In 2025 the number of forced sales in Germany rose again. A study by Argetra – a firm that specializes in such auctions – shows that the total count of auction dates increased by 4.7 percent this year, down from the 9.0 percent rise recorded in 2024. The total market value of auctioned properties grew by 10.7 percent to €4.76 billion.
The main drivers behind the uptick are a persistently weak economic climate, stagnating real purchasing power, ongoing geopolitical uncertainties and a sharp rise in insolvencies, especially among consumers. Insolvency figures for consumers hit a nine‑year high.
When the number of auction dates is normalized to households, Thuringia reported 60 dates per 100 000 households – more than double the 27 in Bavaria. Nationwide, an average of 34 per 100 000 households were affected, slightly up from 33 the previous year.
Average sale prices differ widely by city. In Berlin the highest average market value tops €1.3 million per property, followed by Hamburg with about €1.1 million. Thuringia lags far behind with an average of €100,000. The national average sits at €337,839, up from €319,509 the year before.
The 40 cities with the most auction dates in 2025 – a group that captures roughly 18 % of the German population – together accounted for 30 % of all property auctions, exceeding the national average. Berlin, the most populous city, led the list, followed by Chemnitz, Munich, Leipzig, Zwickau and Nuremberg. New entrants in the top 40 included Regensburg, Gelsenkirchen, Bonn, Eisleben and Neuss, while cities such as Bautzen, Heilbronn, Hanover, Karlsruhe and Bad Liebenwerda fell off the list.
Experts say future trends will hinge largely on inflation, interest rates and whether the economy can regain momentum and return to sustainable growth in 2026.
Germany’s housing prices fell sharply in 2023 – down 8.4 percent, the steepest decline since the data series began – but 2024 saw a stabilization, and 2025 already shows tentative signs of recovery.
Argetra warned that the end of the 10‑year fixed‑rate period for low‑interest loans could trigger a noticeable increase in forced sales over the coming years.
An independent analysis released at the end of 2024 indicated that the number of scheduled forced sales for the coming year is rising at a pace not seen in years. Around 15 percent more auction dates were announced in official schedules by Christmas than at the same point in the previous year.
The historical record underlines the concern: At the end of 2024, the count of announced forced‑sale dates had risen only 2 percent compared to the end of 2023, although the entire year’s increase was 4.7 percent. The year before that, there was an 11 percent rise by year‑end, and the total increase in 2024 measured at 9 percent.