According to data released by the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) on Thursday, residential property prices across Germany rose by an average of 0.6 percent in the second quarter of 2026 compared to the previous year. Furthermore, prices increased by 0.3 percent compared to the first quarter of 2026.
The trends varied significantly depending on the region and property type. In the top seven major metropolitan areas-Berlin, Hamburg, Munich, Cologne, Frankfurt am Main, Stuttgart, and Düsseldorf-prices for owner-occupied apartments slightly decreased, declining by 0.4 percent compared to the same quarter last year and 0.5 percent compared to the previous quarter. However, prices for detached and semi-detached houses in these metropolises showed a contrasting move, rising by 0.7 percent compared to Q2 2025, though they slipped by 0.6 percent compared to Q1 2026.
Outside of the main metropolises, in other large, independent cities, prices for apartments rose between 0.5 percent and 2.0 percent, both year-over-year and quarter-over-quarter. Buyers in these non-metropolitan cities also paid more for single- and two-family houses, with prices increasing by 0.7 percent compared to Q2 2025 and 0.9 percent compared to Q1 2026.
Specific regional disparities were observed in the rural areas. In densely populated rural districts, owners found apartments less expensive, dropping by 1.8 percent compared to Q2 2025 and 1.3 percent compared to Q1 2026. Conversely, houses in these areas became more expensive, registering a 1.0 percent rise compared to the previous year and a strong increase of 2.5 percent compared to the immediate past quarter.
In contrast, thinly populated rural districts saw different movements. Apartment prices here saw average declines of 0.6 percent year-over-year and 1.4 percent quarter-over-quarter. Regarding houses, they were slightly cheaper than the previous year (-0.4 percent) but saw a notable increase of 1.9 percent compared to Q1 2026.
Finally, this latest publication led to a downward revision of the nationwide house price index for Q1 2026. The preliminary value of a 1.4 percent increase year-over-year was adjusted down by 0.2 percentage points, resulting in a revised figure of 1.2 percent.
