The number of building permits in Germany has fallen sharply since the interest rate hike in 2022. This is good news for those looking to build and for house hunters: The trend is finally showing a clear upward trend again.
In April 2025, 18,500 apartments were approved in Germany. According to the Federal Statistical Office, this was 4.9% or 900 building permits more than in April 2024. A total of 73,900 apartments were approved between January and April 2025. This was 3.7% or 2,700 apartments more than in the same period last year. These results include building permits for apartments in new residential and non-residential buildings as well as for new apartments in existing buildings. A total of 15,000 apartments were approved in new residential buildings in April 2025. This was 5.1% or 700 apartments more than in the same month last year.
While the stagnation in apartment buildings continues, the upward trend in single-family homes continues. From January to April 2025, 4.3% or 2,500 more new homes were approved than in the same period in 2024, with the number of building permits for single-family homes rising by 15.4% (plus 1,900) to 14,200.
The positive trend for single-family homes has continued since December 2024. For two-family houses, the number of approved apartments fell by 9.7% (minus 400) to 4,000 in the first four months of 2025. For multi-family houses, the largest building type in terms of numbers, the number of building permits remained almost constant year-on-year at 38,600 apartments (minus 0.1% or minus 40 apartments).
"As expected, there are no signs of an extraordinary trend reversal," commented Iris Schöberl, President of the German Property Federation (ZIA), on the new figures for building permits published by the Federal Statistical Office. "The fact that the trend is positive again for the second time after a long lull can and should be seen as a good sign - but it is still far from enough to really relieve the housing market in the long term," adds Schöberl.
Graphic: © Federal Statistical Office, Destatis, 2025
