- Transactions in the first half of the year already reached 75% of the full-year 2025 total
- If the current trend continues, the number of transactions in 2026 will be 50% higher than in 2025
- Number of transactions across Europe expected to increase by 27.24% for the full year
Frankfurt am Main, 2 September 2026 — Clear signs of recovery visible in the real estate transaction market: Due diligence platform Drooms expects a significant increase in the number of real estate transactions in Germany. This forecast is based on the transactions recorded on the platform in the first half of 2026, which already amount to around 75% of the total recorded for the full year 2025.
Drooms’ latest Real Estate Trends Report [do we have a link to the latest report that we can add?] found that transaction times had levelled off in 2025, interpreting this as a sign of recovery. The latest data now show that the recovery is also reflected in the number of transactions. If the trend seen in the first half of the year continues through to year-end, the number of real estate transactions in 2026 could be 50% higher than in 2025.
“The number of transactions remained relatively stable in recent years, fluctuating by only a few percentage points. For the first time since the start of the Ukraine crisis, we are seeing a more pronounced upward movement,” says Alexandre Grellier, CEO of Drooms. The number of transactions increased by just around 4.11% between 2024 and 2025. This trend is also reflected across the European market. If the market continues along the trajectory seen in the first half of the year, the number of transactions could rise by 27.24% overall.
“Germany’s transaction market stands out in Europe for its sharp increase in momentum. It appears that price discovery between buyers and sellers is working better, or simply that the pressure to sell has become strong enough,” says Grellier. “Given the global uncertainty, no one can say how long this positive sentiment will last. Owners looking to sell should therefore remain transaction-ready so that they can capitalise on this kind of market momentum.”
Transaction volumes also increased in the first half of the year. CBRE recorded growth of 13%, with volumes reaching just under €16.2 billion and an average deal size of around €20 million. The consultancy recorded a total of 800 transactions in Germany in the first half of 2026.
“The market is continuing its gradual recovery. Geopolitical uncertainty is still prompting caution, but the market is fundamentally recovering. Price discovery is working better than in 2025, and the underlying fundamentals remain intact,” says Jan Linsin, Head of Research Germany at CBRE. “The recovery is being driven by the top seven markets, large-volume office transactions, and portfolio deals in care and healthcare properties, logistics and residential.”
Could persistently long transaction times in Europe slow the recovery?
For 2025, Drooms found that transaction times across Europe remained unchanged at 363 days. In Germany, they even fell slightly from 405 to 398 days. “We are seeing a positive trend in transaction times. However, they remain at a very high level,” says Grellier. “Long transaction times could slow the recovery in the transaction market.”
