Dortmund Real Estate: Houses and Flats in the Ruhr

Dortmund has moved from coal and steel to technology, logistics and a large university, with a football stadium and lakeside redevelopment at Phoenix See. Southern districts have villas and green space. Essen is the nearest comparison in the Ruhr, while Düsseldorf, Cologne and Bonn are Rhine cities, farther away and more expensive.

Foreigners can buy freely. A notary prepares and certifies the contract, and the land register records the transfer. In North Rhine-Westphalia the transfer tax is 6.5%, and notary and register fees add roughly 1.5 to 2%; agent commission is usually split between buyer and seller. Banks lend to non-residents at lower loan-to-value ratios. Read the Germany guide and mortgage options.

Dortmund stretches from the city centre to green southern districts such as the area around Aplerbeck, and prices differ block by block. Check the energy certificate (Energieausweis), which is required in advertisements, and the heating system, because the German heating-law rules affect refurbishment costs. For flats, read the owners' meeting minutes and the reserve fund, and ask about renovation levies. Use the mortgage calculator to test affordability.