The number of property foreclosures in Germany is rising noticeably in 2026. This is shown by analyses from justice authorities and specialist auction portals. As a recent example, the Ministry of Justice in Schleswig-Holstein reported a total of 453 newly filed cases in the first half of 2026. This represents an increase of around 25 per cent compared with the same period the previous year, reported the Norddeutscher Rundfunk (NDR) on 6 November 2026.
Across Germany, several services specialising in court announcements, including ZVG Melder, the Federal Foreclosure Portal and the ZVG-Finder, show an increase in the number of ongoing proceedings. The platforms draw their information from published hearing notices issued by the local courts. They are not a substitute for complete official statistics for Germany, but they do provide timely indications of trends in published proceedings.
Market observers cite several factors to explain the situation: a strained economic climate and declining real purchasing power, rising insolvency figures, and regional pressures on private and commercial property owners. Expert reports also note that more cases have been systematically recorded and analysed since 2024. This makes increases in publicly visible figures easier to identify sooner. Significant regional differences nevertheless remain: analyses by research networks and valuers show wide variations in case numbers and market values from one market to another.
Reliable, comparable national data is still lacking. The of the Federal Government, published on the same day. They show both increased participation in the has stated in recent parliamentary proceedings that there are currently no consolidated nationwide time series on the development of property foreclosures. This makes it harder to reach a definitive assessment and shape a national policy strategy. In practice, however, the increase has tangible effects: longer proceedings add to uncertainty for affected property owners and tenants. Local authorities face additional demands for advice and social services, as well as the possibility of vacant properties, while investors are paying closer attention to auction dates.
Courts have limited options, such as temporarily suspending individual proceedings in cases of exceptional hardship. Advice centres, debt counselling services and associations also provide support to help prevent foreclosures where possible or manage them in an orderly way. It remains unclear whether the current increase is a temporary wave or the start of a longer-term trend. Establishing this would require reliable, regularly collected national data that systematically brings together justice statistics, hearing notices from local courts and market analyses. Until then, reports from the Länder, analyses by Norddeutscher Rundfunk and figures compiled from portal listings provide the most up-to-date picture of conditions in the regions and across Germany.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).