At first glance, selling a house seems straightforward: create an exposé, publish an advert, a few viewings, a notary appointment - done. In reality, things look different. There are many steps between the first photo and the signature at the notary's office that determine whether selling property in Nuremberg is a smooth, structured and successful process - or a tough, nerve-wracking and perhaps even disappointing one in the end.
In this article, I will show you what really happens between the exposé and the notary appointment, which points owners often underestimate and how I organise these phases so that they work reliably.
Why the exposé is more than just „a few pretty pictures“
The exposé is the first serious contact between your property and potential buyers. It is a sales document, filter, source of information and basis of trust all in one.
What many underestimate:
- An exposé decides whether prospective buyers even see your property as an option.
- It reduces or increases the number of queries.
- It influences how seriously buyers take price and specifications.
Important building blocks of a strong exposé:
- clear, professional photos
- Clean floor plans
- Comprehensible area information
- honest, structured descriptions
- Information on the condition, modernisation and energy situation
- Consistent link to pricing strategy and market value
A good exposé does not sell on its own - but a poor exposé often prevents serious discussions from taking place at all.
How valuation and exposé are connected
An exposé is only really good if the figures behind it are correct. Otherwise everything looks „nice“, but nothing is reliable.
The core of the valuation is the market value: it describes the realistically achievable market value of your property under normal conditions. This value is based on various factors:
- Standard land value: Orientation for the property value in your location in Nuremberg.
- Market analysis: How many comparable properties are there? How high is the demand? What prices were actually realised, not just advertised?
- Reference properties: real sales of similar houses or flats.
- Material value method: Valuation based on land, construction costs and building fabric - particularly important for owner-occupied single-family homes.
- Income capitalisation approach: Valuation based on rental income and yield - decisive for rented properties.
The better these components fit together, the more credible the asking price in the exposé will appear - to buyers and banks.
The post-publication phase: why many processes run in parallel here
As soon as the exposé is online, the phase begins that „only“ looks like communication with interested parties from the outside - but can actually be the most demanding part in terms of organisation.
What actually happens in the background:
- View and prioritise requests
- Answer queries about documents, areas, year of construction, energy parameters
- Plan and coordinate visits
- Pre-qualify interested parties: Who really fits?
- Evaluate initial impressions from discussions
Without structure, this phase quickly becomes confusing. Suitable interested parties are then lost, while you lose a lot of time with unsuitable cases.
Tours: more than just „a tour of the house“
Viewings are the moment when prospective buyers decide: „Can I imagine living here?“ or „Is this property suitable as an investment?“.
What many underestimate:
- The course of a viewing influences how seriously buyers take the property.
- Unclear answers or contradictory statements lead to mistrust.
- A crowded, unstructured day of sightseeing can do more harm than good.
Important principles according to which I organise tours:
- Clear route through the property
- Sufficient time for questions
- Honest, calm explanation of condition, modernisation and possible investments
- Comprehensible categorisation of the price with reference to market value, standard land value and market analysis
The aim is not to „convince“ someone, but to show the property in such a way that an informed decision can be made.
What happens between viewing and offer
Many owners think: „If someone likes the property, they just make an offer - and then we're almost done.“ However, there are a few important steps in between.
What I do in this phase:
- Obtain feedback: Who is seriously interested, who is not?
- Sort interested parties: Which questions are still open, which additional documents are needed?
- Check financial feasibility: Is there already a discussion with the bank, a financing confirmation or a clear framework?
- Categorise offers: Does the price offered match the valuation, the market analysis and the reference properties?
This is where it is decided whether an offer just sounds good - or whether it is actually viable.
Why the highest price is not automatically the best offer
Several interested parties is a good situation - but it can lead to wrong decisions if you only look at the number.
Questions that I ask myself with every offer:
- Is the financing realistic - also taking into account the ancillary purchase costs? Ancillary purchase costs: These include land transfer tax, notary fees and costs for land register entries. Buyers must pay these in addition to the purchase price.
- Are there any conditions, for example long transition periods, conversion requests or dependencies on the sale of another property?
- Does the schedule match the seller's objectives?
- Does the offer match the market value and the market analysis - or is it more of a „lucky strike“ with a high risk?
A slightly lower but solidly financed offer can ultimately be a much better choice than a figure that stands on shaky legs.
Preparing for the notary appointment: the most underestimated part
As soon as the seller and buyer agree, many people think: „Now the notary will do the rest.“
In practice, it is precisely this phase that is highly sensitive. Unclear points, missing documents or details that have not been discussed can lead to delays or even withdrawals.
What needs to be organised in this phase:
- Submit complete documents to the notary's office
- Clearly clarify special features such as usufruct, residential rights, rights of way or existing tenancies
- Coordinate handover date and payment date
- Precisely formulate open questions about renovations, inventory, remaining work or special agreements
Issues such as possible speculation tax belong in the hands of a tax advisor, but can influence the timing or structure of the sale. It can become relevant if certain deadlines are not met between purchase and sale. It is important to consider these points in good time - not just shortly before notarisation.
The purchase contract: why every detail counts
The draft purchase agreement is not a form that you „just sign“, but the result of evaluation, negotiations and individual agreements.
Important points that must be clearly regulated:
- Exact designation of the plot and property
- Purchase price and payment modalities
- Time of transfer of benefits and encumbrances
- Dealing with existing tenancies or third-party rights
- Regulations on defects, condition, agreed work or inventory sold with the property
My job is to make sure that both sides understand what is in the contract - and that what is there matches what was discussed beforehand.
Handover after the notary: the last step that is often underestimated
The sale is legally secured with the notary's signature - but in practice it is not yet fully finalised.
The handover includes:
- Record meter readings
- Hand over keys completely
- Create a handover protocol
- Hand over relevant documents such as operating instructions, plans, invoices
A well-prepared handover prevents subsequent discussions and ensures that the sale is not only finalised legally, but also practically.
Why the path from exposé to notary needs a common thread
From the first photo to the last signature, many cogwheels interlock:
- Valuation and market value determine the pricing strategy.
- Standard land values, market analyses, reference properties, the asset value method and the capitalised earnings value method form the professional foundation.
- A strong exposé attracts suitable prospective buyers.
- Structure in communication filters out serious buyers.
- Proper preparation of the documents prevents delays.
- Clarity about ancillary purchase costs, financing and possible speculation tax protects against unpleasant surprises.
- A well-prepared notary appointment ensures that the sale can be completed safely and according to plan.
It is precisely in these phases that it is decided whether selling property in Nuremberg will be calm, transparent and successful - or whether the process will be unnecessarily difficult.
If you don't underestimate these steps, but consciously manage them, you won't experience sales as constant stress, but as an organised path with clear stages.
