# German — Real Estate Sub-Lexicon

Auto-generated from translation experience. Maps German real estate legal terms to their
correct English equivalents.

## Core Real Estate Terms

| German | English |
|---|---|
| Immobilie / Liegenschaft | real property / real estate |
| Grundstück | plot of land / parcel |
| Flurstück | cadastral parcel |
| Gebäude | building |
| Wohnimmobilie | residential property |
| Gewerbeimmobilie | commercial property |
| Industrieimmobilie | industrial property |
| Grundeigentum | land ownership / freehold |
| Erbbaurecht | heritable building right (leasehold equivalent) |
| Wohnungseigentum | condominium ownership |
| Teileigentum | part-ownership (non-residential unit) |
| Sondereigentum | individual ownership (within a condominium) |
| Gemeinschaftseigentum | common property |
| Grundbuch | land register |
| Grundbuchauszug | land register extract |
| Grundbucheintragung | land register entry |
| Grundbuchblatt | land register folio |
| Abteilung I (Grundbuch) | Section I (ownership) |
| Abteilung II (Grundbuch) | Section II (encumbrances and restrictions) |
| Abteilung III (Grundbuch) | Section III (mortgages and charges) |
| Auflassung | conveyance (transfer of title to real property) |
| Eintragungsbewilligung | consent to registration |
| Vorkaufsrecht | right of first refusal / pre-emption right |
| Vorkaufsrechtsverzichtserklärung | waiver of the right of first refusal |
| Vormerkung / Auflassungsvormerkung | priority notice (in the land register) |
| Grunderwerbsteuer | real estate transfer tax |
| Maklerprovision / Maklercourtage | brokerage commission / agent's fee |
| Notarkosten / Beurkundungskosten | notarial fees |

## Purchase and Sale Terms

| German | English |
|---|---|
| Grundstückskaufvertrag / Immobilienkaufvertrag | real estate purchase agreement |
| Kaufvertrag über Wohnungseigentum | condominium purchase agreement |
| Verkäufer | seller / vendor |
| Käufer / Erwerber | buyer / purchaser |
| Kaufpreis | purchase price |
| Kaufpreisfälligkeit | purchase price due date |
| Notaranderkonto | notary escrow account |
| Notarielle Beurkundung | notarial certification / notarial deed |
| Beurkundungspflicht | requirement of notarial form |
| Besitzübergang / Übergabe | transfer of possession / handover |
| Eigentumsübergang / Eigentumswechsel | transfer of title / transfer of ownership |
| Lastenfrei | free of encumbrances |
| Flächenberechnung | area calculation |
| Wohn- und Nutzfläche | living and usable area |
| Sachmangel | material defect |
| Rechtsmangel | defect in title |
| Gewährleistungsausschluss | exclusion of warranty |
| Due-Diligence-Prüfung | due diligence |

## Encumbrances and Security Terms

| German | English |
|---|---|
| Grundschuld | land charge |
| Hypothek | mortgage |
| Grundpfandrecht | real property lien |
| Briefgrundschuld | certificated land charge |
| Buchgrundschuld | non-certificated land charge |
| Zwangsvollstreckungsunterwerfung | submission to immediate enforcement |
| Dienstbarkeit | easement / servitude |
| Grunddienstbarkeit | easement appurtenant |
| Beschränkte persönliche Dienstbarkeit | restricted personal easement |
| Nießbrauch | usufruct |
| Wegerecht | right of way |
| Leitungsrecht | right to lay and maintain utility lines |
| Baulast | public-law building obligation |
| Reallast | real burden / rent charge |
| Altlast / Bodenkontamination | contamination / soil contamination |
| Altlastenfreistellungserklärung | contamination indemnity / environmental clearance |

## Lease and Tenancy Terms

| German | English |
|---|---|
| Mietvertrag (Gewerbe) | commercial lease |
| Mietvertrag (Wohnung) | residential tenancy agreement |
| Vermieter | landlord / lessor |
| Mieter | tenant / lessee |
| Miete / Mietzins | rent |
| Nettomiete / Kaltmiete | base rent / net rent |
| Bruttomiete / Warmmiete | gross rent (inclusive of service charges) |
| Nebenkosten / Betriebskosten | service charges / operating costs |
| Nebenkostenabrechnung | service charge reconciliation |
| Mietanpassung / Mieterhöhung | rent review / rent increase |
| Indexmiete | index-linked rent |
| Staffelmiete | graduated rent |
| Kaution / Mietkaution | security deposit |
| Mietfreie Zeit / Mietfrei | rent-free period |
| Mietdauer / Laufzeit | lease term |
| Verlängerungsoption | extension option / renewal option |
| Übergabeprotokoll | handover protocol / schedule of condition |
| Rückgabe / Räumung | surrender / vacation |
| Schönheitsreparaturen | cosmetic repairs / decorative repairs |
| Instandhaltung | maintenance |
| Instandsetzung | repair |
| Umbau / Mieterausbau | tenant fit-out / tenant improvements |

## Planning and Zoning Terms

| German | English |
|---|---|
| Bauleitplanung | urban land-use planning |
| Flächennutzungsplan (F-Plan) | preparatory land-use plan |
| Bebauungsplan (B-Plan) | binding land-use plan / local development plan |
| Baugebiet | zoning area |
| Bauland | building land |
| Baurecht | building right / planning permission |
| Baugenehmigung | building permit / planning permission |
| Bauvoranfrage | preliminary building enquiry |
| Bauvorbescheid | preliminary building approval |
| Denkmalschutz | listed building protection / heritage protection |

## Section Headings

| German | English |
|---|---|
| VERTRAGSGEGENSTAND | SUBJECT MATTER |
| KAUFPREIS UND ZAHLUNG | PURCHASE PRICE AND PAYMENT |
| BESITZ UND EIGENTUMSÜBERGANG | TRANSFER OF POSSESSION AND TITLE |
| BELASTUNGEN UND BESCHRÄNKUNGEN | ENCUMBRANCES AND RESTRICTIONS |
| GEWÄHRLEISTUNG | WARRANTIES |
| MIETBEDINGUNGEN | LEASE TERMS |
| NEBENKOSTEN | SERVICE CHARGES |
| ALLGEMEINE BESTIMMUNGEN | MISCELLANEOUS |

## Notes

- **"Grundschuld" vs "Hypothek"**: Both are real property security interests, but a
  Grundschuld is non-accessory (it exists independently of the underlying claim), while a
  Hypothek is accessory (tied to the secured debt). The Grundschuld is far more common in
  practice. Translate Grundschuld as "land charge" and Hypothek as "mortgage".
- **"Auflassung"**: The specifically German concept of the agreement between buyer and
  seller (declared before a notary) to transfer title to real property. Combined with
  registration in the Grundbuch, it completes the conveyance. Translate as "conveyance"
  with context note.
- **"Vormerkung"**: A priority notice entered in the land register that protects the
  buyer's right to eventual registration. No exact common law equivalent. Translate as
  "priority notice" with explanation.
- **"Zwangsvollstreckungsunterwerfung"**: A notarial declaration submitting to immediate
  enforcement without a court judgment (§ 794 ZPO). Standard in German real estate
  finance. Translate as "submission to immediate enforcement".
- **"Baulast"**: A public-law obligation registered in a separate register (Baulastenverzeichnis),
  not in the Grundbuch. Imposes obligations on the landowner vis-à-vis the building
  authority. No direct common law equivalent — translate as "public-law building obligation".
- **"Erbbaurecht"**: A heritable and transferable right to have a building on another
  person's land (similar to a long lease). Governed by the ErbbauRG. Translate as
  "heritable building right" or "ground lease" with explanation.
