Berlin is booming, and while the city remains considerably less expensive in the German housing market, it has seen a steady annual rise in home and rental prices to mirror the growth in the startup, industrial, and tourism sectors. With a trending spike in population, the demand for housing in all areas and price points is being mapped out and the potential to make a lucrative investment could not look more appealing than it does right now.
But where does your search begin?
The most concentrated areas remain at the heart of the city, where access to offices, shopping, restaurants, and transportation is close at hand. While the majority of development continues at Berlin’s center, the construction projects will begin to move out towards the edges of the city where larger tracts of land are more readily available, making it a particularly opportune time to buy property in Berlin.
Mitte is the most central of Berlin’s districts and ranks among the most expensive areas of Berlin in which to live, due to location, shopping, and the trendy scene. It also has some of the largest rental spaces available, with apartments over 100 square meters, and more moderate spaces starting at 62 square meters. West of the city is Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf. With an abundance of shopping and universities, it is similarly endowed with apartments ranging from 66 up to113 square meters.
Reinickendorf offers properties averaging between 65-103 square meters. Wooded areas and villas are to the north and remain rather exclusive, with the largest estates ranging from 90-100 square meters. Steglitz-Zehlendorf has apartments and houses available on the western end averaging 100 square meters with smaller options to the east typically around 70 square meters.
Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg has smaller spaces available and, with lower cost housing, it has become popular with students and cosmopolitans. The average apartments here are approximately 68 square meters. Lichtenberg is primarily residential and is a district in the northeast. Available spaces here range from 58-86 square meters and rents are currently lower than much of the rest of Berlin. The selection of housing types is diverse and includes some waterfront property as well. Marzahn-Hellersdorf has many parks and its moderately sized apartments have seen an increase in rent with spaces ranging from 65-77 square meters.
Neukölln and Pankow have some of the smallest properties available and are trending into fashionable and affordable districts. Neukölln ranges from 54-73 square meters with the smallest apartments located in the north of the district, typically around 56 square meters. Even the larger apartments in the southern end are some of the most affordable in Berlin. Pankow is becoming increasingly desirable and has seen steady increases in rent as a result. Rentals here are between 59-78 square meters.
Spandau is the westernmost district with affordable apartments throughout averaging 70 square meters and some larger apartments to the south around 94 square meters. Tempelhof-Schoneberg reaches from the city center out to the country with apartments ranging in size from 58-84 square meters, the more expensive spaces nearer the heart of Berlin. Treptow-Kopenick ranges from 64-92 square meters and has an abundance of affordable housing.
sources: https://www.gsw.de/files/7913/5877/5420/WMR_2013_EN_WWW_A.pdf
