German mortgage rates for foreign buyers
Two numbers decide what you can buy in Germany. The interest rate, which is public and moves weekly, and the share of the price a bank will actually lend you, which depends on your tax residency and which almost nobody publishes. Both are below.
Published by LDP Group, a firm near Munich that finds and manages rental property in Germany for expats and coordinates the financing. We do not lend and do not broker loans: our partner FM Zinswerk, a mortgage broker licensed under § 34i GewO, advises and brokers, and the bank decides. To see what the figures mean for one flat, run a real client purchase with your own numbers.
German mortgage rates, every second Tuesday
Rates by fixed period
| Fixed period | Best rate | 70% LTV | 80% LTV | Over 90% LTV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 years | 4.31% | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| 10 years | 4.09% | 4.19% | 4.3% | 4.56% |
| 15 years | 4.24% | 4.41% | 4.51% | 4.77% |
| 20 years | 4.34% | 4.49% | 4.6% | 4.69% |
| 30 years | 4.58% | n/a | n/a | n/a |
As of 20 October 2026. Best rate from Dr. Klein (best available effective rate (Topzins), top-tier profiles, as of 20.10.2026); LTV bands from Interhyp Zins-Charts (effective rate by loan-to-value band from Interhyp's condition offers, week of 12.10.-18.10.2026 (latest published table as of 20.10.2026)). These are market references, not offers. Your rate depends on the lender, the property and your profile.
What you can actually borrow: residency, not nationality
Most rate comparison sites segment by loan-to-value, few by residency, which is the constraint most foreign buyers hit first. Your passport matters far less to a German lender than where you live, pay tax and earn.
| Your status | Maximum loan-to-value | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| German tax resident, including EU Blue Card holders | 80 to 100% | Employment and tax residency in Germany put you in the standard pricing bands above. 80 to 90% is the standard band; with a strong income profile banks finance the full purchase price, and our own client cases include 100% and 105.5% financing. |
| Non-resident buyer | 50 to 60% | Banks price the risk of income and enforcement outside Germany. The lower cap is the larger effect on your budget; the rate premium on top is secondary and varies by lender. |
On a €400,000 apartment, that gap is the whole decision. A German tax resident at 80% needs €80,000 toward the price. A non-resident at 55% needs €180,000. Both then pay purchase costs on top: roughly 5.5 to 8.5% for transfer tax, notary and land registry, more where an agent is involved. These normally come from equity.
The practical consequence is that an EU Blue Card, or any route to German tax residency, is worth more to a buyer than a slightly better headline rate.
Forecast: where German mortgage rates are heading
Rates edged lower again. Dr. Klein's best available ten-year rate, read on 20.10.2026, stood at 4.09% effective, after 4.11% on 17.10.2026; the best fifteen-year rate eased to 4.24%, the best twenty-year rate to 4.34% and the best thirty-year rate to 4.58%, while the five-year rate held at 4.31%. Interhyp's new table for offers from 12.10. to 18.10.2026 confirms the slight decline: ten-year rates of 4.19% at a loan-to-value below 70% (previous week 4.22%), 4.30% at 80% (4.34%) and 4.56% above 90% (4.62%). The outlooks still point sideways. In Interhyp's bank panel of 15.10.2026, 80% of the experts expect unchanged rates over the coming weeks, 20% expect falling rates and none expects a short-term rise; over the medium term 60% expect falling and 40% rising rates. Commerzbank expects one more ECB hike in December. Dr. Klein's expert panel expects stable to slightly rising rates through the end of 2026 and a corridor of 4.0% to 4.5% for the best ten-year rate, which the current 4.09% sits near the bottom of; it calls a clear drop before year end extremely unlikely. The ECB raised its deposit rate twice in 2026, to 2.50% from 16.09.2026; its next decision is due on 29.10.2026.
Source: Dr. Klein rate table (20.10.2026) and expert panel summary; Interhyp rate table (12.10.-18.10.2026) and bank panel of 15.10.2026.
Work out your own numbers
Rates only mean something against a specific purchase. Our mortgage calculator gives you the monthly payment, the split between interest and repayment, and the balance left when the fix ends. The affordability calculator works the other way round and applies the residency-based loan-to-value caps above. German-language versions live under /reports/rechner/.
Frequently asked questions
What are current mortgage rates in Germany?
As of 20 October 2026, ten-year fixed rates run from about 4.09% for the strongest profiles to roughly 4.56% at loan-to-values above 90%. Shorter and longer fixed periods sit either side of that. Rates move weekly, so treat any published figure as a reference point rather than an offer.
What mortgage rate can I get in Germany as a foreigner?
Your nationality does not set the rate. Your tax residency does. A German tax resident, including an EU Blue Card holder, borrows at 80 to 90% loan-to-value as standard and up to 100% with a strong income profile. A non-resident is typically capped at 50 to 60% and pays a premium on top, which varies by lender.
How much deposit do I need to buy in Germany as a non-resident?
With a cap of 50 to 60% loan-to-value, expect to fund 40 to 50% of the price yourself, plus the purchase costs: roughly 5.5 to 8.5% for transfer tax, notary and land registry, more where an agent is involved. For a non-resident the bank will normally not finance any of that, so it comes out of equity on top of the deposit.
Does a bigger deposit get me a better rate in Germany?
Yes, and the steps are visible. Lenders price in loan-to-value bands with breaks around 90%, 80% and 70%. Crossing one of those thresholds often moves the rate more than shopping between lenders does.
Can I get out of a German fixed-rate mortgage early?
Under § 489 BGB you can terminate any mortgage ten years after full disbursement with six months' notice, with no early repayment penalty, whatever the contract says. Before that point, breaking a fix usually triggers a Vorfälligkeitsentschädigung.
Where do these rates come from?
Dr. Klein and Interhyp Zins-Charts, read on 20 October 2026; the note under the table states which day or week each figure covers. We republish them with the source named rather than quoting a rate of our own, and we refresh this page every second week.