Buying a house in Lower Saxony: Here are the best bargains!

Buying a house in Lower Saxony: Here are the best bargains!

If you want to acquire your own home in Lower Saxony or Bremen, you can look forward to: According to a current study by the Institute of the German Economy (IW) and the Interhyp, the prices here are very affordable. In a comprehensive examination that illuminates around 400 counties and cities in Germany, it turns out that Lower Saxony and Bremen offer the best conditions for buying a house. Only in the federal states of Saarland, Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia are the affordable. Particularly noteworthy is the district of Holzminden, which has the cheapest property prices nationwide, followed by the city of Salzgitter, which is considered the most affordable city.

In the study, the affordability index was determined, which evaluates the ratio of the monthly credit rate to the net income of a model household. More and more people are looking for affordable living space in the center towns and rural regions, while the metropolitan regions are affected with high hurdles.

affordability index in detail

The analysis goes one step further: The affordability index for residential properties in Germany, which was published by the OECD, shows that the differences are large. For the first quarter of 2025, the index basis is 2015 = 100. Compared to big cities such as Hamburg and Berlin, where the index is 90 or 87 points, the district of Holzminden scores remarkable 174 points. These are some of the best values for potential buyers. Statista brings transparency to the topic.

Not everything is rosy: While buying a house in Lower Saxony and Bremen is so cheap, things look very different in other regions. In such popular areas as Munich and Hamburg, the acquisition of a home requires high financial resources. Many households in Germany still want their own home and are therefore not only looking for comparatively attractive prices not only in the big cities, but also in rural areas.

The situation in Lower Saxony

A look at the price situation in Lower Saxony shows that the district of Harburg and Lüneburg, where the proportion of net income that is required for buying a house, is highest. In Oldenburg, Hanover and Osnabrück, the prices are above the average value, which makes the search for a home there.

In the first quarter of 2025, the number of building permits has dropped, which could further complicate the situation. Despite this, according to assessments of other analysts, such as the Interhyp, there are numerous uninhabited and often in need of renovation in Lower Saxony. Here buyers could possibly have a good opportunity if you have a look for the potential.

To find the best offers, it is recommended to expand the search radius beyond your own preferred regions. The rural areas of northern Germany not only offer affordable real estate, but also a high quality of life. If you have a good knack for buying real estate, you may find your dream house here - and that at an affordable price.

Nevertheless, it remains to be seen how the real estate market will develop and whether the already sunken building permits affect future availability. The demand remains high and the hope of an affordable property should not be given up.