Anyone who sells their property without an estate agent saves a commission of several thousand euros—but the sale is not free of charge. The energy performance certificate, cancellation of the land charge, any early repayment penalty and advertisements quickly add up to several hundred or several thousand euros. We show you which costs you will incur when selling privately despite saving the commission, how high they will be in 2026 and where you can save.
Commission Saved—Still Not Free
The largest cost item in a traditional sale is the estate agent’s commission, usually 5 to 7 percent of the purchase price including VAT, which buyers and sellers have generally shared equally since December 2020. You save this share in full when selling independently.
However, several smaller items remain that arise regardless of the estate agent—some legally required, others practically unavoidable. Anyone who factors them in from the outset avoids unpleasant surprises and can calculate the net proceeds realistically.
The Cost Items at a Glance
Sellers should keep these expenses in mind:
- Energy performance certificate – legally required, around 50 to 500 euros
- Cancellation of the land charge – around 0.2 percent of the registered land charge
- Early repayment penalty – only when repaying an ongoing loan early
- Advertisements and marketing – depending on the portal and term, 0 to over 1,000 euros
- Optional – valuation report, certified documents, speculation tax
Below, we break down the individual items.
Energy Performance Certificate: Legal Requirement
Without a valid energy performance certificate, you may neither advertise nor sell a property. Under the German Building Energy Act (GEG), certain key figures must already be included in the property advertisement—such as the type of certificate, the final energy demand or consumption, the main energy source, the year of construction and the energy efficiency class. The certificate must be presented no later than the viewing and handed over to the buyer after the sale. If the mandatory information is missing, fines of up to 10,000 euros may be imposed.
There are two variants:
- Consumption certificate: based on actual energy consumption in previous years, costs around 50 to 120 euros depending on the provider, and sometimes under 70 euros online.
- Demand certificate: is prepared technically on the basis of theThe cost calculated based on the building’s structure is more complex and usually costs 300 to 500 euros for a detached house.
Which variant is permissible depends on the building: For older, unrenovated residential buildings with fewer than five apartments and a building application submitted before November 1, 1977, the more expensive demand-based energy certificate is mandatory. A certificate is valid for ten years from the date of issue – a certificate that is still valid saves you this cost.
Cancellation of the Land Charge
If your property was financed, the land register usually contains a land charge in favor of the bank. Many buyers insist on acquiring the property free of encumbrances, meaning you must have the registered land charge deleted. For this, you need a cancellation authorization from your bank, which it often issues free of charge after full repayment (some institutions charge 50 to 300 euros).
The actual costs arise at the notary and land registry office, which charge fees for notarization and registration under the Court and Notary Costs Act (GNotKG). As a rule of thumb, this is around 0.2 percent of the registered land charge amount, divided equally between the notary and land registry office. For a land charge of 200,000 euros, this amounts to approximately 400 to 440 euros. Unlike the notary costs for the purchase agreement, this expense is borne by the seller.
Early Repayment Compensation for an Ongoing Loan
If your real estate loan is still running and you repay it early because of the sale, the bank may demand early repayment compensation. The legal basis is Section 490 (2) of the German Civil Code: The borrower compensates the damage incurred by the bank as a result of the early repayment. This interest loss is usually calculated using the so-called asset-liability method. Depending on the remaining debt, remaining term, and interest rate level, the compensation can range from a few hundred to several thousand euros – often it is the largest remaining item.
However, there are cases in which no compensation is due:
- After ten years: You can terminate a loan with a fixed borrowing rate ten years after full disbursement, subject to six months’ notice – without early repayment compensation (Section 489 of the German Civil Code).
- Variable interest rate: Loans with a variable interest rate can be terminated at any time with three months’ notice.
- Incorrect instruction: If the revocation or mandatory information in the agreement is incorrect, the claim can be completely omitted.
A tip on the side: Studies by consumer protection organizations show that many early repayment penalties are calculated too high. Checking the bank’s claim may be worthwhile.
Listings and marketing
Your property needs to become visible. The costs depend heavily on where and for how long you advertise:
- Large portals: Private listings cost around 70 to 130 euros for four weeks, depending on the provider; premium placements are more expensive.
- Several portals over several months: With a realistic sales period, the costs quickly add up to several hundred euros or more than 1,000 euros.
- Free alternatives: You can list for free on classified-ad platforms, but you tend to reach fewer financially strong prospective buyers there.
Additional expenses may arise for professional photos, a floor plan or a video. As a metasearch engine, TraumImmo bundles offers from various portals – this increases the reach of your listing without requiring you to pay separately on each portal.
Other possible costs
Depending on the situation, additional items may arise:
- Valuation report: A detailed market value appraisal costs several hundred to over one thousand euros. For determining the price alone, a less expensive short valuation is often sufficient.
- Certified documents: A current land register extract, cadastral map or extract from the register of encumbrances each costs a small double-digit amount.
- Speculation tax: If you sell within the ten-year speculation period and have not occupied the property yourself, income tax may be payable on the profit (§ 23 EStG). In the case of continuous owner-occupation, it generally does not apply.
What does the buyer pay?
For clarification: The seller does not bear all ancillary costs. The buyer usually assumes:
- the notary and land register costs for the purchase agreement and transfer of ownership,
- the real estate transfer tax (depending on the federal state, 3.5 to 6.5 percent of the purchase price).
As the seller, you therefore primarily remain responsible for the energy performance certificate, cancellation of the land charge, any early repayment penalty and the marketing costs.
Calculation example
For a financed condominium sold for 300,000 euros, the calculation could look like this:
- Energy performance certificate (consumption certificate): 90 euros
- Cancellation of the land charge (200,000 euros): around 420 euros
- Listings over three months: 400 euros
- Professional photos: 200Euro
- Early repayment penalty: depending on the loan, e.g. 2,500 euros
In this example, around 3,600 euros in costs remain – compared with a pro rata estate agent’s commission, which for this purchase price could easily have amounted to 8,000 to 10,000 euros. Without an ongoing loan, the largest item is eliminated, and the costs fall to just over 1,000 euros.
FAQ on the costs of selling without an estate agent
Do I really save money by selling privately?
In most cases, yes. The remaining costs are usually significantly lower than the pro rata estate agent’s commission. The key is to set a realistic price – a sale price that is too low can quickly eat up the savings.
Who pays the notary’s fees when selling a house?
In practice, the buyer bears the notary and land registry costs for the purchase agreement. The seller only pays the costs of deleting their own land charge.
Do I have to have the land charge deleted?
Not necessarily, but most buyers require a purchase free of encumbrances. As a rule, you therefore have the land charge deleted as part of the sale. The costs are around 0.2 percent of the land charge amount.
How high is the early repayment penalty?
This depends on the outstanding debt, remaining term and interest rate level, and ranges from a few hundred to several thousand euros. It does not apply after ten years or in the case of a variable interest rate. If in doubt, have the calculation checked.
How much does an energy performance certificate cost in 2026?
A consumption certificate costs around 50 to 120 euros; a demand certificate for a detached house usually costs 300 to 500 euros. Which type is mandatory depends on the year of construction and the state of renovation.
Conclusion: Plan for costs, save on commission
Selling without an estate agent is not free either – but the remaining costs are manageable and usually significantly lower than the commission saved. The largest items are a possible early repayment penalty and marketing; an energy performance certificate and deletion of the land charge are added to these. Anyone who factors these expenses in from the outset can realistically plan their net proceeds and fully benefit from the savings of a private sale.