Selling an inherited house in Hamburg: procedure, taxes and community of heirs

You only sell a family home once. We are here to help

An inherited house is rarely just a property. Most often it is the family home: the kitchen where Sunday meals were cooked, the garden tended with care for forty years. At the same time, it is a task with deadlines, forms and questions that nobody chose to face.

Gefühl für Räume | van de Loo Immobilien & property management has been selling houses in Hamburg for over 25 years and also supports communities of heirs through property management. In our experience, taking these steps in the right order makes for a calmer process. And usually a better outcome.

In this guide, you will find out which documents you need, how a community of heirs reaches an agreement, what the tax office requires and why a house cleared of all its belongings often sells below value.

Selling an inherited house: key facts at a glance

Inherited a house: what should you do first?

Before anyone discusses a sale, the house requires attention. Notify your residential building insurer that the property is vacant, ensure electricity, water and heating remain running, and empty the letterbox regularly. A vacant property stands out, especially during the winter.

Next, gather the documentation: land register extract, floor plans, living area calculations, energy performance certificate, invoices for modernisations and insurance policies. Whatever you locate now will save having to request official reissues later. If anything is missing, we can obtain it on your behalf with your authorization.

Step 1: Apply for a certificate of inheritance and update the land register

Before executing the purchase agreement, the notary needs to verify who owns the property. You provide proof using a certificate of inheritance from the probate court, which is the local court at the deceased's last residence. If a notarised will exists, this suffices together with the probate record. A handwritten will is not sufficient for the land registry.

Apply for the certificate of inheritance early. It often takes several weeks and is frequently the slowest stage of the entire sale process. Updating the land register afterwards involves no court fee if you submit the application within two years of the date of succession.

Step 2: How does a community of heirs sell a house?

Inheriting is a family matter. Selling is too.

If several people inherit, the house belongs to everyone jointly, and they can only sell it together (Section 2040 BGB). If a single signature is missing, the notary appointment cannot go ahead. Three paths lead to a solution:

What helps most is a figure everyone can agree on. For communities of heirs, we therefore begin with an on-site valuation, the results of which every co-heir receives in writing. Anyone not living in Hamburg can join via video link.

If a parent is still living in the house, a sale with a right of residence may be the right approach: the house is sold while the right of residence is secured in the land register. We also broker sales of this kind.

If an inherited apartment building is to remain in the family, we can handle the management upon request. Communities of heirs are a routine part of our property management service.

In practice: three siblings, one family home in Langenhorn

Three siblings inherited their parents' house in Ahlfeld: a well-maintained home built in 1928 on a 600-square-metre plot in the heart of Langenhorn. Three heirs mean three opinions and three signatures. That is why we coordinated the property brochure with all three of them, answered every question and made every decision together.

The ultimate buyer attended the very first viewing. Three weeks after marketing began, her commitment was secured.

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Step 3: What is the inherited house worth?

The value dictates everything that follows: buying out co-heirs, setting the asking price, and sometimes determining inheritance tax. In Hamburg, prices vary significantly, often even between neighbouring districts.

Source: Gutachterausschuss für Grundstückswerte in Hamburg, Property Market Report 2026

You can calculate an initial estimate online in just a few minutes. The price that can ultimately be included in the notary contract is determined by us on site. To do this, we inspect the condition, plot and location, benchmarking everything against actual sales in the area. The valuation is free of charge. How these methods work is explained in our guide Calculating property value.

A note on inheritance tax: if the tax office has valued the property higher than the price it can actually be sold for, a sale price achieved in the months following the inheritance can serve as evidence of the lower value. Your tax advisor can clarify whether this applies to your situation.

Step 4: Preparing the house: clearance, repairs and presentation

Buyers purchase what they see. In an empty house, they mostly see work: drill holes, wallpaper stains, rooms whose size no one can gauge. That is why getting the order right is worthwhile:

• Secure items first, clear second. Documents, photos and keepsakes come first, followed by house clearance.

• Fix minor flaws. Dripping taps, loose skirting boards, a fresh coat of light paint. Leave major renovations to the buyer, who will have their own plans.

• Obtain an energy performance certificate. It must be available by the time of the first viewing at the latest.

• Home staging. With just a few pieces of furniture, lighting and textiles, we show how a room feels when lived in. Bettina van de Loo is a certified home stager, and NDR has reported on our work.

A house with a history deserves a stage. To see how we set it, visit our home staging page. To find out what it costs and achieves, read our guide Is home staging worth it?

Case study: An inherited family home on the outskirts of Hamburg

We sold a family home in Haidkrugchaussee in Reinbek-Neuschönningstedt on behalf of an heir. Before the sale, the upper floor was fully renovated, after which we furnished the house using home staging. Buyers no longer saw an empty parental home. They saw a turnkey home with 156 square metres of living space and a garden on the edge of the forest.

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For buyers, what comes after the purchase also matters. The Building Modernisation Act, which replaced the former Building Energy Act, has been in force since 29 July 2026. The obligation to replace old boilers after 30 years no longer applies. Certain insulation obligations following a change of ownership remain, such as for the top storey ceiling. Disclosing this openly in the property brochure allows for far more relaxed negotiations.

Two taxes are often confused. Inheritance tax applies to inheriting the property, regardless of whether you sell or keep it. Income tax on the profit is only payable if you sell within the speculative period.

Speculative period: When is the sale tax-free?

The period is ten years and begins when the deceased purchased the property. If your mother bought the house in 1998, your sale today is tax-free. If she bought it in 2020, the period runs until 2030. The sale is also tax-free if the property was owner-occupied in the year of sale and the two preceding years. Your tax adviser can verify how occupation by the deceased and the heirs is calculated together.

Inheritance tax: Tax-free allowances and the family home

Children inherit €400,000 tax-free, spouses €500,000, grandchildren €200,000. A special rule applies to the family home. If children move in themselves, the house remains tax-free up to 200 square metres of living space provided they live in it for ten years. Anyone who sells earlier loses the exemption retrospectively. You must generally notify the tax office of the inheritance within three months.

The tax-free allowances have remained unchanged since 2009. In October 2026, the Federal Constitutional Court heard proceedings on inheritance tax, with a ruling expected in 2027. We keep this guide up to date.

This guide does not constitute tax or legal advice. Please consult your tax adviser or notary regarding your specific circumstances.

Baby boomers and property: Should heirs sell now or wait?

For months, reports have suggested that baby boomers are retiring, millions of homes will hit the market, and prices will drop. For Hamburg, the figures tell a different story.

The study by the German Economic Institute shows: in Hamburg, there are far more young households ready to buy than older owners ready to sell. Additional market supply is concentrated mainly in rural areas. A flood of properties driving down prices is not in sight here.

For heirs, this means there is no reason to rush, nor any reason to expect falling prices. What matters is the ongoing cost of the house until it is sold. Property tax, insurance, heating in winter and a garden that requires maintenance all continue. Every month.

How we sell an inherited house

1. Initial consultation. At your home, at the property or at our office in Etzestraße: all heirs are welcome to join, including via video link.

2. On-site valuation. Free of charge and in writing, for each co-heir.

3. Documents. We inform you of what is missing and obtain it on your behalf with your power of attorney.

4. Preparation. Coordinating clearance, home staging, photography and property brochure.

5. Sale. Our network of 7,500 active buyer search profiles, viewings, negotiations and the notary appointment. If desired, also as a sale retaining a right of residence.

Over 25 years on the Hamburg market, more than 320 properties sold, 4.9 out of 5 stars on Google.

Let us discuss your parental home. We take the time to understand the history of the property and accommodate everyone involved in the decision. Phone 040 50 09 06 04

Frequently asked questions about selling an inherited house

Can I sell an inherited house immediately?

Yes, as soon as you can prove your inheritance with a certificate of inheritance or a notarised will. There is no statutory waiting period. In tax terms, an early sale can be more expensive if the ten year speculation period is still running.

How long is one not allowed to sell an inherited house?

There is no ban on selling. Two time limits are important: the speculation period of ten years from the purchase by the deceased and, in the case of a tax free inherited family home, ten years of owner occupancy by the heirs.

When is the sale of an inherited property tax free?

The sale is tax free if the deceased bought the house more than ten years ago or if it was lived in by the owner in the year of sale and the two years before that. Your tax advisor will examine your individual case.

What taxes do I pay if I sell an inherited house?

Inheritance tax applies to the inheritance itself if the value exceeds your tax free allowance, 400,000 euros for children. You only pay income tax on the sales profit within the speculation period. Real estate transfer tax is usually paid by the buyer.

Do all heirs have to agree to the sale?

Yes, a community of heirs only sells together. If the heirs cannot agree, a coheir can buy out the others or, as a last resort, apply for a partition auction. A written valuation for all coheirs often makes reaching an agreement easier.

Can a parent continue to live in the house after the sale?

Yes, with a right of residence entered in the land register. The purchase price is then reduced by the value of this right. We broker such sales just as we do standard sales.

Can I sell an inherited house without renovation?

Yes. Many buyers specifically look for houses that they can modernise according to their own ideas. The condition is factored into the price. Minor repairs and a fresh coat of paint are still worthwhile because they change the first impression.

Can I sell an old house without an energy performance certificate?

No, an energy performance certificate must be available at the latest by the first viewing. Only a few cases are exempt, such as listed buildings. If it is missing, you face a fine.

How much does the valuation of an inherited house cost?

Our onsite valuation is free of charge, in writing, and for all coheirs. A market value assessment by an expert costs significantly more and is particularly worthwhile in the event of disputes among heirs or with the tax office.

Is home staging worthwhile for an inherited house?

Particularly so. In empty rooms, buyers mainly see work. With a few pieces of furniture and good light, the family home becomes a place that others can envision themselves living in.