The frequency of forced real estate auctions in Germany is rapidly increasing. According to an analysis released on Thursday by the specialized rating agency Argetra, 7,845 properties with a total market value of 2.59 billion euros were offered for auction in the first half of 2026. This represented an 8.4% increase in objects compared to the same period last year.
Analysts noted that previous restrictive measures-including various procedural delays and the fact that homeowners facing payment difficulties often sold their properties before banks or savings banks were forced to initiate an auction-had long prevented a steeper increase in these proceedings. However, this trend appears to be changing.
While the total year of 2025 only saw a modest 4.7% increase over the prior year, the projections suggest a sharper rise. If the momentum seen in the first half of 2026 continues, around 15,000 properties could be put up for public auction in the full year 2026. This would represent a 6.5% increase compared to the 14,082 properties auctioned in 2025.
Looking at the regional spread, the rate of scheduled auctions per 100,000 households in Thuringia (33) is more than double that of Bavaria (14). Nationwide, the average affected households in the first half of the year was 19 out of every 100,000 (up from 18 in the previous year).
In terms of property type, roughly 70% of the properties auctioned are residential, with single-family and two-family homes making up the largest share, followed by condominiums. The remaining 30% comprise commercial properties, mixed-use buildings, land, and other real estate.
