Apartment too small? House too big? An exchange is the solution!

Many owners are stuck in a property that no longer suits them. The high demand and low supply on the real estate market often make it difficult to find something new at the moment. So the family of four is forced to stay in the apartment that is too small and the senior couple in the detached house that has become too big. A property swap could help here. The easiest way to find suitable exchange partners is with the help of a professional estate agent. 

Older people often find it more difficult to live alone in their own home as they get older. After the children have long since moved out, the once beloved, spacious house suddenly seems far too big, the distances to doctors and shopping facilities become too long. It's time to look for an age-appropriate and centrally located apartment. But this is easier said than done, as the real estate market is empty. On the other hand, many young families are desperately looking for a house with a room for each family member and a garden where the children can play. A property swap would be just the thing for both sides. All you have to do is find a suitable exchange partner.

A professional broker as an intermediary

The best way to do this is to contact a local real estate agent. As an intermediary, they will usually help you achieve success quickly and will also support you in the further processing of the sale of your old property and the purchase of the new one. In principle, a property swap is no different to a "normal" sale: each party buys the other's property and, of course, the purchase contracts for both sales are duly concluded with the notary, for which the usual documents are required. However, your big advantage when you have a property to offer for exchange is that there is much less competition than on the "free" real estate market. What sets you apart from other prospective buyers is that you can ideally offer the seller exactly the property they are urgently looking for - namely your own property, which no longer suits you. Your search for a new home will therefore lead to success more quickly.

Real estate search and sale run in parallel

An additional, considerable time saving comes from the fact that you do not have to wait until you have found a new home before selling your current property. The property search and sale take place simultaneously. Both parties end up in a home that meets their current needs much more quickly. However, as much as an exchange simplifies the search for both a suitable buyer and a new property, you should not refrain from asking your exchange partner a reasonable price for your property. After all, the person who buys the more expensive property must of course pay the difference in the purchase price. As with any other sale, a professional valuation report must be drawn up for both exchanged properties as the basis for determining this difference. Your estate agent will take care of everything that needs to be done to complete the exchange and, as a neutral intermediary, will ensure that both you and your exchange partner are completely satisfied with the financial outcome of the property exchange.

Does your property no longer suit you? Would you like to find out more about the advantages and opportunities of a property exchange? Get in touch with us. We will be happy to advise you.

Further information can be found here:

https://www.destatis.de/DE/Themen/Gesellschaft-Umwelt/Wohnen/_inhalt.html

https://www.aachener-zeitung.de/ratgeber/geld/immobilien-zu-tauschen-kommt-in-mode_aid-33581353

https://www.noz.de/deutschland-welt/gut-zu-wissen/artikel/1544906/immobilientausch-biete-grosses-haus-gegen-kleine-wohnung

Legal notice: This article does not constitute tax or legal advice in individual cases. Please consult a lawyer and/or tax advisor to clarify the facts of your specific individual case.

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