Where the land for sale comes from
The majority of land listed on Bidorado comes from forced sales ordered by a German local court (Amtsgericht), often at the request of a mortgage creditor. The land may be building land, agricultural, wooded or wasteland, with or without a building. There are also voluntary sales by real estate auction houses and public tenders from public bodies, where you submit a written offer before a deadline. Plots from inheritances, bankruptcies or disputes are common. Each listing indicates the municipality, the cadastral reference and the court case number.
Checks before bidding
Read the expert report (Gutachten): it sets the market value (Verkehrswert), which is not a starting price. Check the cadastral plan, the actual area, the soil type, buildability and easements. Consult the land register (Grundbuch) for charges, mortgages and rights of way. Find out about the zoning plan (Bebauungsplan) and access to the public road. The owner is not obliged to allow viewings: an on-site visit is still useful. Budget for transfer tax (Grunderwerbsteuer, 3.5% to 6.5% depending on the Land) and land register fees, which are always payable.
Bidding, then taking possession of the land
Bids are made in person at the court, in German. At the first hearing, bids below 50% of the market value are refused, and those below 70% may be refused at a creditor's request. A deposit of 10% of the market value may be required, never in cash. There is no buyer's commission or notary: the court pronounces the award (Zuschlag). A foreigner can buy without special authorisation. Then arrange land register registration and, for an unfenced plot, boundary marking and maintenance at your expense.