Frequently asked questions that we get asked as real estate agents in Bonn

How do I recognize a good real estate partner? What do I have to consider when renting an apartment or selling a house? How can I have my property valued? What is the difference between a real estate agent in Bonn on site and a "discount agent?" What is the current situation on the Bonn property market? We are asked these and many other exciting questions again and again. Rightly so, as we think. As a transparent, serious and trustworthy real estate agent, we are happy to answer any question. But also questions about cooperation, contractual issues and other matters related to the sales and letting process concern house, apartment and landowners.
In our real estate FAQ, we have put together some questions that give you the opportunity to find out more about renting and selling real estate.

Your real estate question is not in the FAQ?

Your question is not answered in the FAQ? Please do not hesitate to contact us directly. We would be happy to answer your questions without obligation. Simply contact us by email, phone or using the online form. We look forward to hearing from you and your specific question from the world of real estate.

There are several variants for this. If you are in disputes about the value of the property (community of heirs, divorce, etc.), we strongly recommend to be evaluated by an expert. If there is a legal dispute, it must be ordered and sworn by the local IHK. In a normal sale, you should have the valuation done by an experienced real estate agent. An online evaluation can only serve as a rough estimate, a suburban visit is required in any case.

A property appraisal by the major portals (Immobilienscout24, Immonet) takes about three minutes. You enter a few parameters and (after paying the fees) immediately receive a sales price or a sales price range. Problem: the stated sales price is only a theoretical value and can deviate by more than 25% from the actual value. The real estate portals are based on vast amounts of data that they naturally use. The average prices of all similar properties that have been sold in your area in recent years are used (comparison value method). The current condition, a renovation or modernization backlog and many other factors that determine the price of the property cannot be taken into account at all. To make matters worse, only the asking prices of the comparative properties are used and not the final prices at which the properties were ultimately sold. More on this: Link

You have landed on a so-called broker comparison portal. After you have entered the details of your property, you have also left your contact details. This so-called "lead" is sold to brokers by the portal operators. The frequently made statement to refer you to the "best" broker is simply a lie. Not the best broker will call you, but someone who has paid to mediate. “Colleagues” who participate in such business models are not exactly considered an ornament of our guild, which is why it is better to refrain from doing so. Link

An expert or reputable broker will never make a final sales estimate without having personally reviewed the property. Depending on size and condition, an on-site appointment can take anywhere from one to three hours or even longer. Added to this is the inspection and analysis of all relevant documents (construction files, permits, plans and sketches, etc.). If you do not have these completely at hand, appraisers or brokers must consult them with the responsible building authorities, for which they require a power of attorney from you. Be wary of a real estate agent who gives you an exact sale price after a short visit and no access to the file.

As a rule, the valuation by a real estate agent is free of charge. With an expert, the costs vary. There is the possibility to charge a flat rate or according to the effort. Please inquire about the costs before the appointment. With the leading real estate portals, a valuation costs between approx. € 19 and € 50. But - as already mentioned - you should save yourself this issue.

This question is difficult to answer, as unfortunately there are still no uniform criteria. Here are some things you can research in advance and / or ask for in a personal interview.

  • Does the broker have completed training as a real estate agent?
  • Has he / she completed additional qualifications and further training?
  • Is there a membership in the IVD?
  • How long has she / he had work experience?
  • Are there any references?
  • What is the current real estate stock of sales and rentals?
  • How many potential buyers are listed in the database?
  • Which channels will the property be marketed on? (Which real estate portals, newspapers etc?).
  • How is the company rated on the internet?
  • For example, the company is rated at Immoscout, but why does not it publish the reviews?
  • What is the appearance of the website (homepage)?
  • How are the offers presented in the real estate data beacons? Are the texts meaningful, what is the quality of the photos, are floor plans in the original and therefore mostly of inferior quality or are the floor plans reworked?

 

It goes without saying that this list can not be exhaustive, but one should at least become suspicious if the majority of questions are answered in the negative.

A brokerage contract should always be concluded in writing, the term is usually six to eight months, but an open-ended contract is also possible. In order to avoid misunderstandings afterwards, the amount of the commission should also be agreed in writing. For the broker's claim to commission (see below) it applies that his "activities were the cause of the sale". Since a contract is usually only concluded with a broker (see below), after conclusion, the 14-day right of objection also applies, a sale to the exclusion of the broker is possible, but his claim to commission remains. An example: You have concluded a contract with a broker, from the date of signature you have XNUMX days to file an objection. If this period has passed, the contract is valid. Three weeks later, a neighbor comes up to you and wants to buy your property. In this case, the broker has a commission claim against you, so referring the prospect to the broker is always the cleaner way. Please also note that the broker's claim has not expired for at least one year after the end of the contract if he can prove that he brokered the buyer.

In North Rhine-Westphalia and most of the federal states, sellers and buyers each pay 3,57% (including VAT) of the sales price. In Berlin, Brandenburg, Bremen, Hamburg and Hesse, the buyer alone pays between 5,95 and 7,14% (including VAT). The costs are always incurred after the notarial certification, down payments on the commission should never be made. Some brokers now offer certain services as a kind of modular system. For example, you book separate individual services such as an evaluation, viewing appointments, drawing up a purchase contract, etc. This is clearly not advisable. Just one example: how should a professional inspection with interested parties take place if not all strengths and weaknesses of a property are known? It can be assumed that this system will not prevail.

The seller only incurs additional costs if deletions have to be made in the land register (land charge, registered right of residence, etc.). Example: if a land charge of over € 200.000 is deleted, there will be around € 500 in notary and land registry costs.

You can be sure, only a reputable brokerage firm will usually insist on a qualified standalone contract when selling a private property. If several companies are commissioned (general contract), the broker must accept the risk of not being paid at the end, and accordingly he will reduce his performance. In addition, the commissioned agents have no obligation to prove to the seller, as far as your activities are concerned. It is also counterproductive if the same property is offered on the Internet several times with different texts and photos. The offer is "burnt", so to speak, since every potential buyer has to assume that it is a distress sale. For commercial, special or foreign real estate, it is not uncommon for several brokers to be involved.

Absolutely! Experienced experts or brokers will usually recognize this themselves and will also complain about missing construction documents and permits. Nevertheless, a property can have weak points that only the resident can know. An example: the heating system is defective, which of course is not noticeable when visiting during the summer months. However, it would be fatal not to mention this deficiency, because the future owner has to assume that the heating will work. It is therefore recommended that damage to the property is usually listed in the notary contract. If it turns out later that significant defects were concealed, either part of the purchase price can be reclaimed or the entire sale can be reversed. No seller should expose himself to this risk.

If possible, this should be done. However, a distinction must be made between whether the property is still inhabited or is empty. In both cases it makes sense to at least have existing defects such as the defective heating system or damage to the roof repaired. An experienced real estate agent can calculate the possible expense in relation to the possible income relatively precisely. What is impossible with an inhabited property, namely removing the furniture, should be done with an uninhabited property. Example: inherited real estate. Furnishing a house that has been inhabited for fifty years usually has a deterrent effect on potential buyers, as they cannot identify with the nostalgic aura. In addition to removing all furnishings, other measures would also be useful. A screed looks more neutral than an old brown carpet, a white wall more friendly than a floral wallpaper from the seventies. Any measure that makes the property appear more neutral often has a positive effect on the selling price. In some cases it is also worthwhile to have the property set up or even furnished by a home staging company. You can find more information on this in our special article on the advantages and disadvantages of home staging: Link

Larger brokerage firms have a select clientele in their databases for each type of real estate. For example, for our home, we sell over 60% of all real estate to these clients, without the property ever being hired by Real Estate Scout or Immowelt. Even through virtual indoor tours, a property can be discreetly marketed. Ask what actions the brokerage firm is taking to ensure your discretion.

This question usually arises only in luxury properties in sought-after locations. Preliminary searches and, if necessary, the submission of an asset confirmation limit the risk to zero. An experienced real estate agent knows how sightseeing tourism can be avoided.

Our advice is: if it can be avoided, better not. You should trust the visiting broker, he knows your property and has the experience to make the "right tone". Since selling a property to the owner is often an emotional affair, in some cases the prospect is either "entertained" by the three-hour history of the property and all of its residents, or "hostility" to it. Here is true: especially negative emotions have lost nothing on the sales side during a tour.

As a rule, the broker compiles all relevant data and information, from which the notary draws up the purchase contract. There are also agreements such as excerpt and collection, the acquisition of equipment, etc. regulated. A draft is then sent to the buyer, seller and to the processing broker for cross-checking. If all information and other regulations discussed are approved by the parties, the notary will be held. Sellers and buyers should be present in person or be represented by a power of attorney. The notary is required by law to read the entire contract to the attendees. The buyer has the right to select a notary of his trust, in return he has to pay the cost of the notary contract (about 1,5% of the purchase price).

Basically, the sale is formally completed when the new owner has been entered in the land register. The notary supervises that all prerequisites have been fulfilled (existence of the clearance certificate of the tax office, cancellation authorization of the bank etc.) and the purchase price has been paid. From then on, the benefits and burdens of the property are transferred to the buyer. Registration in the land register takes place in a period of between four and eight weeks.