Construction of 16,800 residential units received approval in Germany during May 2025, according to data released Friday by the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis). This figure represents a slight decrease of 5.3 percent, or 900 permits, compared to May 2024.
Accumulating approvals from January to May 2025 totaled 90,700 residential units. This marks a marginal increase of 1.9 percent, equivalent to 1,700 dwellings, relative to the same period in 2024.
The approvals encompass both new residential buildings and additions to existing structures. Notably, 13,500 residential units were approved for construction within new residential buildings – a decrease of 4.8 percent, or 700 units, when compared to May 2024.
Looking at the cumulative January-May timeframe, approvals for new residential buildings increased by 3.3 percent, or 2,400 units, over the 2024 figures. A significant upward trend is evident in single-family home construction, with approvals rising by 14.3 percent (+2,200) to reach 17,700. This positive momentum for single-family homes has persisted since December 2024.
Conversely, approvals for two-family dwellings saw a decline of 7.9 percent (-400) to 5,100 during the first five months of 2025. Multi-family dwellings, which constitute the largest building type in terms of volume, experienced a decrease of 1.6 percent (-800), totaling 47,200 approved units, compared to the prior year.
