23,000 apartments in Munich: vacancy despite pressing housing shortages

23,000 apartments in Munich: vacancy despite pressing housing shortages

In the Bavarian capital of Munich, around 22,000 apartments are currently empty, which also complicates the living space situation in the city. Despite the high rental prices and the pressing demand for living space, a significant number of real estate remains unused. According to an analysis of the Federal Association of Building Material Trade Trafe, there are significantly more housing offers in Munich than the current demand allows it, and this raises questions about new housing policy.

The study of the Pestel Institute shows that around 1,000 new apartments are needed by 2028 to cover the need for the growing population. Exactly 10,500 apartments in the metropolis are currently missing, which underlines the urgency of the problem. Interestingly, more than 22,000 units are not rented out, which makes up for around 2.7 percent of the total housing stock.

contradictions on the Munich housing market

The situation on the Munich real estate market is a contradiction: high rental prices and real estate vacancies do not seem to match at first glance. The Federal Association points out that a certain vacancy is necessary as a buffer to enable removals and renovations. However, this 3 percent mark is interpreted in different ways. While many owners hesitate to rent their real estate - be it due to financial uncertainty or due to legal questions - remains unused.

A third of the unused apartments in Munich have been empty for more than a year. Even in cases of inheritance disputes, real estate is not rented out, which contributes to further shortage on the market. Surprisingly, Munich is found as one of the cities with the slightest vacancy in Germany, together with Frankfurt am Main.

The President of the Building Office Trade Association, Katharina Metzger, is critical of the current standards in housing construction. It demands a reduction in these standards to get social housing going again. "Social housing will continue to fall by this federal government," she says. Your lack of understanding of the late political measures is obvious. Metzger reminds that 400,000 new apartments, including 100,000 socially funded units, stood in the government's promise of election campaigns and wonders why they are not implemented faster.

political relevance and real estate strategies

The challenges that arise from this situation are variety. The city urgently needs to develop strategies to reduce vacancy and at the same time to counter the lack of living space. Experts emphasize that the improvement of renovation conditions or the adaptation of regulations for rental price policy could be decisive. A more flexible handling of the standards could not only boost social housing, but also help to alleviate the existing housing shortage.

The importance of this problem goes beyond the numbers and statistics. It affects the life of millions in Munich who are looking for affordable living space. The balancing act between supply and demand remains a central challenge in the city, which is still the focus of the political discussion. The time pressure is given, and the signs indicate that the solution to this complex topic will play a decisive role in future political decisions.

A look at the future housing policy

How the political landscape will develop remains to be seen. However, it is certain that the pressure on decision -makers will grow to tackle the grievances. The uncertainties in the construction and the changed requirements for climate protection further tighten the problems, only a proactive and flexible strategy can cause change here. It will be exciting to observe how the situation will develop in the coming months and what effects this will have on the Munich housing market.

The current housing market in Munich is characterized by complex challenges. The gap between the vacancy of apartments and the acute lack of living space in the city is incomprehensible to many citizens and experts. In recent years, rental prices in Munich have increased drastically, which also exacerates the situation for many prospective tenants. According to the real estate portal "Immowelt", the average rent in Munich in 2024 was around 17 euros per square meter, an increase of 5.6 % compared to the previous year. Rental price increases to this extent make it increasingly difficult for many Munich to find reasonable living space.

Another aspect that contributes to confusion in the debate about the housing market is the fact that large parts of the living space in the city were acquired to serve as a capital investment. This also fueled the demand in a previously tense rental market. This situation contributes to the fact that many apartments are empty, while the search for new tenants is often lengthy and insecure for landlords.

Different approaches to solve the lack of living space

In order to address the conflict between empty apartments and the high demand for living space, different actors have developed different suggestions and approaches. Some demand de -bureaucratization in construction to accelerate the creation of new apartments. Others emphasize the importance of speed limits for housing and propose to check the legal requirements for new buildings. Many experts agree that a policy is necessary that promotes social housing and increases the efficiency of construction projects.

In addition, local initiatives have been created that work for the reactivation of empty apartments. For example, there are programs that encourage property owners to rent unused living space by creating financial incentives. These approaches could help reduce the gap between supply and demand and thus to stabilize the rental market in Munich.