Guide for sellers
Selling a flat or house, step by step
You want to sell your condominium or house privately? Entirely doable if you know the process: from the documents to a realistic price, the binding purchase offer, the contract and the tax. Here is what actually matters in Austria, and your listing goes online on wohnwahn for free.
The 7 steps at a glance
- 01
Gather the documents
Land-register extract, energy certificate, plans and service-charge statements; for condominiums also the condominium contract and utility-value report, for houses the building permit and completion notice.
- 02
Estimate the value realistically
Area times the square-metre price of comparable offers in your district is the first orientation (table below), then honestly adjust: floor, condition, outdoor space, micro-location.
- 03
Create the listing
Honest title, clear key facts, good photos, the energy certificate values. On wohnwahn your listing is automatically enriched with real location data for your address.
- 04
Enquiries and viewings
Enquiries go straight to you. Serious buyers ask concrete questions about financing, the reserve fund and owners-meeting minutes.
- 05
Purchase offer: careful, it binds
A written purchase offer is binding in Austria once you accept it. Only accept complete offers (price, date, conditions) and have someone glance over it in doubt.
- 06
Contract and escrow
The purchase contract is drawn up by a notary or lawyer; the price is settled via an escrow account. That protects both sides and is the usual way.
- 07
Handover and land register
Handover protocol with meter readings and keys; the registration of the new owner is handled by the contract firm.
Documents and obligations: what you need
The energy certificate is mandatory for sales too
As with renting, the Austrian Energy Certificate Act (EAVG) applies: heating demand (HWB) and overall efficiency factor (fGEE) must appear in the listing itself, since 30 May 2026 the efficiency class as well. The certificate must be presented at signing at the latest; fines of up to 1,450 euros are possible. It is valid for 10 years.
- Land-register extract
- Shows ownership, liens and easements; buyers and banks ask for it first.
- For condominiums
- Condominium contract, utility-value report, recent service-charge statements and reserve-fund status, owners-meeting minutes.
- For houses
- Building permit, completion notice, plans; inspection reports (electrics, chimney) if available.
- Photos and floor plan
- Bright, tidy, landscape; a dimensioned floor plan spares you half the questions.
What is your property worth? Asking prices per district
The first honest orientation is the square-metre price of comparable offers in your district. The table shows current asking prices for existing condominiums per Viennese district:
Asking prices, not actual sale prices; source: immopreise.at / derStandard-Preisspiegel, as of Dezember 2025. Deals usually close below asking.
From that starting value it honestly goes up or down: floor and lift, condition, balcony or garden, noise and the exact micro-location quickly make a 10 to 20 percent difference. How your location objectively stands (accessibility, green, noise, sun) is shown in the district atlas.
See your location in the district atlas →
Costs and the real-estate gains tax: what selling costs
For you as the seller, the biggest item is usually the real-estate capital gains tax (ImmoESt): 30 percent on the profit, the difference between sale and purchase price. The good news: with the main-residence exemption it does not apply, if the property was your main residence for at least 2 continuous years since purchase or at least 5 of the last 10 years, and you give it up. For old cases (purchased before 2002) more favourable flat rules apply.
The buyer usually bears the transfer tax (3.5 percent) and the land-register fee (1.1 percent), plus the contract costs (negotiable, often taken by the buyer). Useful for negotiations: buyers calculate with roughly 5 to 10 percent transaction costs on top of the price.
If you hire an agent, up to 3 percent plus VAT per side is customary. Selling privately saves that, and on wohnwahn the listing costs nothing either.
This guide is orientation, not legal or tax advice. The ImmoESt depends on the individual case (purchase date, exemptions); a brief tax consultation before selling is worth it.
The sale listing: free and online in minutes
- Live in minutes
- An automatic quality check reviews your listing; if it passes, it goes online right away, no waiting for approval.
- Real location data included
- wohnwahn automatically adds what no portal shows: accessibility, sun hours, climate, noise and the surroundings of your address. That makes your offer more credible and supports your price.
- Provider account included
- You see views and enquiries per listing, edit it yourself at any time and mark it as sold with one click.
- Enquiries straight to you
- Interested buyers contact you directly, no middleman, and wohnwahn earns nothing from it.
Common questions about selling
May I sell my property without an agent?
Yes, there is no agent requirement. You save the commission (customarily up to 3 percent plus VAT per side). What you need instead: complete documents, a realistic price, and a notary or lawyer for the contract.
What does selling cost me?
The listing on wohnwahn: nothing. The relevant items are the real-estate gains tax (30 percent on the profit, waived under the main-residence exemption) and possibly an agent commission if you hire one after all. Transfer tax and land-register fee are usually borne by the buyer.
Do I need an energy certificate?
Yes, for sales too. HWB and fGEE must appear in the listing itself (since 30 May 2026 the efficiency class as well), and the certificate must be presented at signing at the latest. Fines of up to 1,450 euros are possible without one.
When is the gains tax waived?
Mainly under the main-residence exemption: if the property was your main residence for at least 2 continuous years since purchase or at least 5 of the last 10 years, and you give it up with the sale. There is also a builder exemption for self-built houses. Best clarified in a brief tax consultation.
Is a purchase offer really binding?
Yes. Once you accept a written purchase offer, the sale is essentially agreed, even though the formal contract follows. So: formulate offers completely (price, handover date, conditions) and do not sign anything you do not mean.
How long does a private sale take?
Realistically a few weeks to a few months: documents and photos, viewings, then 4 to 8 weeks from agreement through contract and escrow to handover. A realistic price is the biggest lever for speed.
Read on
- Vienna property prices: all 23 districts at a glance →
- For the buyer side: costs & process when buying →
- Writing the listing: structure, title, template →
- Renting out a flat, step by step →
Last updated: July 2026 · Orientation, not legal or tax advice