Anyone buying property in North Rhine-Westphalia pays 6.5% real estate transfer tax on the purchase price—the highest rate in Germany. For many people who dream of buying a property for their own use, this sum represents a major obstacle to realizing their dream, especially since it usually has to be paid from their own capital.
In order to make it a little easier for owner-occupiers to get started, the state government has launched a subsidy program for 2022. When purchasing residential property, natural persons will receive a subsidy of 2% of the purchase price for the first €500,000 of the purchase price – i.e., a maximum of €10,000. The subsidy program applies to purchase agreements concluded between January 1, 2022, and December 31, 2022.
The only condition is that the home or condominium must be occupied by the buyers themselves. Undeveloped land is also eligible for funding, as long as it is later developed with a home for owner-occupancy. The application must be submitted jointly by all purchasers. The approving authority is NRW.BANK.
All further information and the online application form can be found here: