01
Cashflow from month one
Every unit we present is already renovated and tenanted, or let within an agreed period. You start collecting rent immediately instead of waiting out a vacancy.
For internationals living and working in Germany
Own German real estate. Without doing the work.
Source
We source off-market apartments, structure the financing and guide you through every step from the first call to handover. You build a portfolio that pays you rent and lowers your tax bill.
- Nationwide
- Sourcing
- Financing
- Guidance
Why SmartCapital
Everything that makes property investing hard, removed
Most internationals in Germany never buy, because the market runs on German paperwork, German banks and local relationships. We supply all three.
What the German market runs on
- German paperwork
- German banks
- Local relationships
The SmartCapital approach
02
Little to no capital needed
With a strong income profile our banking partners finance the purchase price and, in many cases, the transaction costs, so you can start without draining your savings.
03
Off-market inventory
We buy portfolios directly from developers, banks and estates. Most of what we present never appears on ImmoScout or any public portal.
04
Guided at every step
Notary, financing, purchase and handover: we guide you through the entire process personally. Your involvement is a signature and a bank account.
Why property works as an investment
Your tenant pays down the loan while the state helps through tax breaks
After ten years of holding, the sale is tax-free
A tangible asset with inflation protection and long-term appreciation
Bank financing lets you invest capital you do not have to own
Predictable rental income as a second income stream and retirement provision
The property types we broker
Existing stock
Renovated, tenanted flats with cash flow from the first month. The classic way in.
New build
Energy-efficient properties with low maintenance, current technology and attractive depreciation.
Care properties
Apartments in care facilities with long-term operator agreements and predictable returns.
Renovation cases
Bought below market value, upgraded through our network of trades, value created to plan.
The consultation is right for you if
- you live and work in Germany and want your income to work for you
- you want to build wealth
- you want to know what budget and which properties realistically fit you
- you expect an honest assessment, even when the answer is no
Nationwide
We buy wherever the numbers work
We search all across Germany for apartments that pay for themselves.
Pick a location
Example unit
Berlin
Berlin
3 rooms · 72 m² · Refurbished · tenanted
- Purchase price
- €316,000
- Cold rent
- €1,500 per month
- Gross yield
- 5.70 %
…and further locations across Germany.
Illustrative example units showing the kind of figures our sourcing regions produce. Rounded, not a current offer, and no guarantee of availability, price or rent at any given time.
Services
Four services, one point of contact
First purchase or ongoing project: we work with you across the whole of Germany, covering new-build, existing stock and care properties.
Smart CapitalImmobilien
One point of contact
First purchase, guided
We walk you through your first property purchase step by step: selecting the unit, financing, the notary appointment and handover, with clear numbers before every decision.
Consulting
An honest assessment of budget, strategy and property before you sign anything. We will also tell you when buying is not the right move yet.
Project support
We steer your project through every phase, coordinating developers, banks and notaries until it is complete.
Brokerage
Matching properties from our network: new-build, existing stock and care properties, anywhere in Germany.
What we handle
From first call to rent in your account
You are never handed a stack of German contracts and left to figure it out.
- Sourcing off-market units that fit your income and goals
- Financing support: bank selection, application and full document handling
- Notary appointment, translation and contract walkthrough
- Portfolio review and planning for your next unit
How it works
Five steps, roughly eight weeks
The first two steps are free and non-binding. You only commit once you have seen a specific unit with real numbers.
Step 01 / 05
Strategic consultation
A 30-minute call to understand your income, residency status, timeline and goals, and to tell you honestly whether this is a fit.
Income · Status · Goals
Example calculation
A property with no equity: what a €150,000 apartment really costs
Imagine it: you own an apartment. The transaction costs are financed cleverly or kept minimal, and the apartment itself is paid 100 % by the bank. The trick: your tenant and the tax office cover almost the entire instalment.
Monthly income
Rent
+ €500
Your tenant pays most of your loan. Every month.
Tax advantage
+ €199
As a landlord you deduct many costs from your taxable income.
- €137 from depreciation (AfA)
- €62 from interest & deductible costs
A remaining-useful-life appraisal can often raise the depreciation considerably.
Total income
+ €699
Monthly costs for the unit
Interest
− €600
The bank's fee. Thanks to the rental income it barely hurts. This example assumes 4.8 % interest.
Repayment
− €125
Not a real expense but saving: you pay down the loan and increase your net worth. (Example: 1 % repayment)
Management
− €25
Your peace-of-mind fee. Professionals handle everything.
Reserves
− €25
Your safety buffer for repairs.
Total costs
− €775
Your monthly contribution
€76
Put €76 a month into a savings account and after ten years you have a good €9,000. Put it into this property and you own a €150,000 asset that your tenant pays off and that grows in value. After ten years the sale is tax-free. That is exactly what separates saving from investing.
Simplified, illustrative example without guarantee. Interest, repayment, rent and tax effect depend on the property, the financing and your personal situation.
Our partner network
Further partners in financing, tax advisory and property management are introduced personally in your first consultation.
Requirements
Who we can work with
German banks lend against stability, not enthusiasm. These are their criteria, not ours, and we would rather tell you now than after three meetings.
- 01Permanent right to stay
- German citizenship, EU citizenship, or a permanent settlement permit (Niederlassungserlaubnis). An EU Blue Card on its own is generally not sufficient for our lending partners.
- 02Net income from €2,500 / month
- Your net household income after taxes and social contributions. Two incomes can be combined if you buy together.
- 03Permanent employment
- An unlimited German employment contract, past probation. Self-employed and freelance profiles are unfortunately outside our current lending programme.
- 04Clean credit record
- A SCHUFA record without active negative entries. Existing loans are fine as long as they are being serviced normally.
Not quite there yet? Tell us anyway. We will say what would need to change and when it makes sense to talk again.
Results
What our clients say
Verified reviews from investors we have worked with.
We started with one apartment, and once the financing and the process were in place, the next two almost followed on their own. Three apartments in one year is not something I would have believed beforehand.
K. Nowak
Consultant, Düsseldorf
3 apartments · in one year
I had been in Germany for six years and assumed buying was impossible without a German passport and a huge deposit. Two apartments later, both cashflow positive, I was wrong on both counts.
A. Sharma
Software engineer, Munich
2 apartments · positive cashflow
As a junior engineer I assumed buying without equity was impossible. The free financing check proved otherwise: I bought my first apartment without any capital of my own.
M. Rossi
Junior engineer, Frankfurt
1 apartment · no equity
At the notary
Where the decision becomes ownership
Every one of these appointments is a purchase contract that was notarised. A selection of our buyers on the day they signed.
Individual results depend on income, financing terms and the specific property. Past performance is not a guarantee of future returns.
FAQ
The questions everyone asks
Do I really need no money of my own?
Often, yes. With a strong income profile and a clean credit record, our partner banks finance the purchase price and in many cases the transaction costs as well. Whether that applies to you comes out of the free financing check. We never promise it in advance.
Can I buy if I am not a German citizen?
Yes. There is no restriction on foreigners owning property in Germany. The limitation is on the lending side: banks want to see a permanent right to stay, which is why a settlement permit or EU citizenship is on our requirements list.
Where are the properties?
Nationwide, across the whole of Germany.
What if the tenant stops paying or moves out?
Property management handles arrears, reminders and re-letting. We also budget a monthly reserve for vacancy and maintenance in every calculation we show you, so the numbers you see are the numbers after those risks are priced in.
How exactly does the tax saving work?
As a landlord you deduct depreciation on the building, loan interest and running costs from your rental income. If the result is a loss on paper, it offsets your employment income and reduces the tax withheld from your salary. We coordinate with your tax advisor. We do not give tax advice ourselves.
What does your service cost me?
The consultation, financing check and property presentation are free. We are compensated by the seller side on completed transactions, which is disclosed to you in writing before you sign anything.
How long does the whole process take?
Typically six to ten weeks from the first call to the notary appointment, depending on how fast documents come together and how quickly a matching unit becomes available.
What happens if I want to sell later?
You can sell at any time. After a ten-year holding period the capital gain is tax-free for private owners in Germany, which is why we plan every purchase with that horizon in mind.
The best time to start was five years ago.
The second best time is a 30-minute call that costs you nothing and commits you to nothing.
- 100% non-binding
- Individual assessment
- All your questions answered