Real estate investment in 2026: Which regions are currently generating returns?
In 2026, it will not be "the" city that decides, but rather the micro-location, tenant profile, and price discipline. This orientation highlights regions with potential—plus an audit trail for clean deals.
2026 is not a year for gut feelings. Anyone investing in residential real estate or apartment buildings now will not win by making headlines, but by being precise: micro-location, tenant structure, rent development, maintenance – and a purchase price that reflects reality.
In Germany in particular, returns are generated where demand remains stable and the entry price is negotiated with discipline. This could be a prime location – or an unspectacular B-city with a strong labor market. Standard has never been the best deal.
Regions to watch in 2026: In North Rhine-Westphalia, Düsseldorf and Cologne remain attractive thanks to good transport links and high purchasing power – but returns often depend on the neighborhood, not the skyline. In the Ruhr region, selected micro-locations offer opportunities if rentability, maintenance fees, and capex are carefully examined. In southern Germany, the Nuremberg metropolitan region and axes such as Erlangen/Fürth score highly with their technology and SME profile, often with a predictable tenant base.
Your audit trail for a resilient investment: First, examine demand drivers (employers, universities, infrastructure) and vacancy rates. Second, calculate rents vs. purchase price realistically (not with your desired rent). Third: clearly quantify management (reserves, energy status, modernization risks). Fourth: define your exit strategy – sale, inventory, or portfolio strategy. If you would like to discuss this further, please write or call us. Supanz-Immobilien will accompany you discreetly – from valuation to closing.
Redefine Entry: In 2026, micro-location will be the deciding factor—not the metropolis
Intended as introductory text: short, clear, active. Focus on interest rates, energy/ESG, demographics, shortage of new construction—and why returns today are generated through purchasing and risk management.
In 2026, returns are a risky business. Interest rates remain a real filter: those who buy too expensively lose leeway – in terms of capex, vacancy rates, and exit. That is precisely why it is not "the" city that wins, but the micro-location: the street, the block, the demand in the immediate vicinity. A neighborhood with stable rentability and a clean target group can perform better in a B city than an overheated submarket in an A metropolis.
At the same time, energy/ESG is shifting the market. The energy status has a direct impact on financing, running costs, and rentability. Added to this is demographics: aging owner structures, smaller households, migration to labor market clusters. And while new construction remains scarce in many places, pressure on existing stock is increasing—but only where infrastructure, public transportation, and local amenities are right.
The logic for 2026 is clear: returns are generated through purchasing and management. You calculate conservatively, plan maintenance realistically, and only buy when the price matches the risk. If you want to clearly define your target regions and micro-locations, write or call us. Supanz-Immobilien provides you with access, structure, and discretion.
Redefine regions: In 2026, it's the cluster that counts—not the hype
Regions and city clusters as navigation aids – with concrete selection criteria instead of hype. Focus on North Rhine-Westphalia/Düsseldorf and the Nuremberg metropolitan region, supplemented by B cities and affluent suburbs.
Anyone looking for returns in 2026 needs two things at the same time: cash flow security in their portfolio and an exit story that will appeal even to conservative buyers. This is rarely achieved through "the one top city," but rather through resilient regional clusters: labor market, commuter routes, influx of new residents, shortage of new construction, plus a price level that still leaves room for capex and rental risk.
For North Rhine-Westphalia, this means that Düsseldorf remains a strong anchor, but returns often arise from the surrounding areas – affluent suburbs with S-Bahn/U-Bahn connections, a stable tenant structure, and a clear target group (families, professionals, furnished living only where there is demonstrable demand). For the Nuremberg metropolitan region, the industrial and tech backbone is what counts: if employers, public transport, and local amenities are right, "solid" quickly becomes "scalable" – with clean purchasing.
Your selection criteria instead of gut feeling: 1) Rentability (vacancy rate, target tenants, fluctuation), 2) True costs (building maintenance fees, reserves, heating, modernization), 3) Exit audience (owner-occupiers, capital investors, portfolio buyers), 4) Micro-location check in 15 minutes on site. If you want to prioritize regions and submarkets: write or call us. Supanz-Immobilien structures your deal – discreetly, precisely, without drama.
Redefine NRW: In Düsseldorf, it's not the zip code that wins – it's the block
What typically works in Düsseldorf/NRW: good transport links, robust demand, realistic purchase price factors – plus reference to furnished living, condominiums vs. multi-family homes, regulations.
In 2026, North Rhine-Westphalia will deliver returns not through volume, but through micro-location. In Düsseldorf, the 10-minute reality counts: S-Bahn and U-Bahn, employer clusters, local amenities, routes to the city center—plus a tenant profile that matches the apartment. A desirable address can decline if turnover is high or the target group moves away. Conversely, unspectacular locations can be profitable if demand is stable and the purchase fits the risk.
For investors, the product type is the lever: WEG (condominium) often brings more competition and emotional prices, but clear exit options towards owner-occupiers. MFH (multi-family house) is a management game: tenant structure, maintenance, capex plan, rent index reality. For furnished living, the rule is: only where demand can be proven (project business, interim, business locations) and the calculation is viable even without "peak rent." And: regulations belong in due diligence—from tenancy law to neighborhood protection/preservation statutes (where applicable) to energy requirements that can influence financing and rentability.
Redefine Nuremberg: Stable market – upside only with discipline
Which submarkets and demand drivers could be relevant in 2026 (employer structure, proximity to universities/research centers, public transportation) and where price discipline is particularly important.
In 2026, the Nuremberg metropolitan region will demonstrate its strength in areas where the job market not only "sounds good" but also delivers measurable results: industry, small and medium-sized businesses, technology, and logistics ensure a broad demand base. This reduces vacancy risks—not automatically, but often in areas where public transportation, local amenities, and short commutes to work come together. For capital investors, this is the key point: they are not buying "Nuremberg," they are buying rentability at street level.
Selective upside arises primarily in submarkets with clear drivers: proximity to universities, research facilities, and clinics (steady fluctuation, often solid creditworthiness), hubs along subway/light rail and commuter routes toward Erlangen/Fürth, plus neighborhoods with a stable tenant structure and predictable maintenance. Price discipline counts double here: in popular locations, "premium" prices are quickly priced in, while capex (roof, facade, heating, pipes) remains real in the portfolio. Calculate conservatively, check the energy status and property management – and negotiate consistently based on facts. If you want to prioritize submarkets or explore off-market options, write or call us. Supanz-Immobilien brings structure, access, and clean due diligence to your deal.
