If you are interested in buying a condominium in Berlin and renting it out, then sooner or later your attention will be drawn to the trendy Berlin district of Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg.
In this article you can find out all about the former working-class district of Friedrichshain, which is now part of the Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg district and is not only popular with artists from all over the world, but also with young families due to its high level of education and excellent infrastructure.
The location of the Friedrichshain district in Berlin
What is the purchase price trend for apartments in Berlin Friedrichshain?
The Berlin district of Friedrichshain was originally considered a working-class neighborhood. Many old apartments and prefabricated buildings date back to the GDR era and are now owned by housing associations. However, Friedrichshain’s reputation has changed drastically in the years since reunification. Initially, it was mainly the art scene that was drawn to the then somewhat run-down area. Gradually, bars, hip cafés and restaurants settled here and today Friedrichshain is one of the most popular districts in the German capital. Numerous people from the art scene congregate here. Studios and exhibitions can be found in many buildings and fill the streets with life. Even at night, Friedrichshain never seems to stand still. The parties in the clubs and bars make the warm summer air hum and people crowd together. Friedrichshain is a real trendy district, but it also attracts tourists. The many clubs and emblematic buildings create a lively atmosphere and give the district its incomparable charm.
Stock
Median offer price
5,160 EUR/m²
- +3,20 %
Median asking rent
16.45 EUR/m²
- -7,50 %
New building
Median offer price
9,680 EUR/m²
- +18,70 %
Median asking rent
21.15 EUR/m²
- +3,60 %
The fact that Friedrichshain is so popular is of course also reflected in the prices of real estate. These have risen continuously in recent years, as Friedrichshain is a district worth investing in. Many old buildings have been renovated or completely refurbished in recent years. In some streets, gaps have been filled with new buildings that offer living space for young families and students, for example. Friedrichshain can be described as a hip district where young couples, families and affluent singles feel at home. But there is one thing Friedrichshain is definitely not: cheap! Prices per square meter for condominiums have risen by more than 47 percent in the last 5 years. ( as of December 2022 )
Prices per square meter for houses in the Friedrichshain district are currently around €5,669/m². Overall, the prices for houses in Berlin are above the average nationwide real estate prices. A price per square meter of €5,350/m² is estimated for condominiums in Friedrichshain. In comparison, apartments in Hellersdorf are the cheapest at €3,081/m² – in Berlin-Mitte, prices for condominiums are currently the highest in the capital at €6,985/m². To buy a condominium in Berlin, buyers currently have to put an average of €4,320/m² on the table.(as of December 2022)
How have property prices developed in Friedrichshain?
Purchase prices for land have risen steadily in recent years. Land prices are particularly expensive between 600 m² and 700 m². They cost around 800 €/m² . Significantly cheaper are properties that are between 700 m² and 800 m² are large. Their average price is € 488/m ². In 2021, the areas of Lichtenberg and Müggelheim will offer the most plots of land. Land prices alone now average between € 431/m ² and 924 €/m². (as of October 2021)
What is the rent index in Berlin Friedrichshain?
There is above-average investment potential in Friedrichshain. Many houses and apartments have recently been sold, renovated and re-rented or used as living space by their owners. Nevertheless, there are still apartments in need of renovation and refurbishment, which is reflected in the wide range of rental prices. In the fourth quarter of 2022, rents for apartments ranged between €11.53/m ² and 24,26 €/m². The average rental costs are € 12.99/m² and € 17.13/m² for houses.(as of December 2022)
If you want to invest in a condominium in Friedrichshain in order to rent it out, you don’t need to worry about tenants. The proportion of rental apartments in 2017 amounted to a full 95.7 percent in contrast to condominiums. The area is extremely popular and new tenants are found immediately. Depending on the type of investment, it must be assumed that renovation work will be necessary. The implementation should of course be planned down to the last detail before the purchase and the start of the project.
What do tenants in Friedrichshain look out for?
Until a few decades ago, Friedrichshain was a rather run-down area of Berlin. This did not change immediately after reunification, but Friedrichshain is now considered a real scene stronghold in the German capital. Many artists and politically engaged people live and gather here.
However, Friedrichshain is also very popular with young families. As the prices are relatively high, even for Berlin, these are mostly families with a high level of solvency. Educational facilities and leisure activities have been greatly expanded. Friedrichshain’s kindergartens enjoy a very good reputation and there are numerous youth facilities. All of these aspects are extremely important when looking for the right investment property, which is why condominiums in Friedrichshain are highly sought after by people from a wide variety of backgrounds. Rental prices for a new-build apartment currently average €25.00/m² and are therefore lower than in Berlin Mitte, for example. (as of December 2022)
Buying a condominium in Berlin Friedrichshain
Most of the buildings in the district date from the years 1900 to 1920, but as you walk along the streets, you will notice a constant stream of new buildings between the old ones. The buildings that were erected between the end of the war and the fall of the Berlin Wall do not play a particularly important role for the sales market, as most of them belong to the city administration or have been converted into public facilities.
If you want to buy an apartment in Friedrichshain, you basically have a free choice. In addition to renovated old buildings and turnkey new-builds, there are also apartments in need of thorough renovation or even refurbishment. The search for the right apartment in this area is largely driven by price expectations. No matter what project you have in mind, you will find the right property for your investment in Friedrichshain.
Buying an apartment in an old building in Berlin Friedrichshain
Renovated and refurbished apartments in old buildings have a high price tag, but also offer owners excellent guarantees. Old apartments in need of renovation are in a completely different price range. However, you must not forget the renovation costs, which are sometimes much higher than initially assumed. Before buying a property, this factor must be analyzed and weighed up in detail.
Knorrpromenade is not only one of the most beautiful streets in Friedrichshain, but is also a listed building due to its historical monuments and buildings. Bänschstraße is located directly next to the Samariterkirche church in the Samariterviertel district. Many of the buildings here are also listed. The street is lined with beautiful old trees.
Buying a new-build apartment in Friedrichshain
The district of Friedrichshain is in the process of strategically and continuously closing gaps. For a long time, it was considered a place where you could clearly feel the division of Berlin. However, many apartments have now been renovated and new living space is being created. Between Ostbahnhof and Warschauer Straße, for example, a residential district is being built. In Boxhagener Strasse and on the former site of the Böhmisches Brauhaus, a total of around 800 apartments are being built. The average purchase price for a new-build apartment is currently €9,400/m² . (as of December 2022)
Which special locations should you definitely take a closer look at when looking for a home?
Around a third of Friedrichshain is one of the German capital’s protected neighborhoods. The five areas cover a total of around 340 hectares in the Friedrichshain district. They are as follows:
- Weber meadow
- Samaritan quarter
- Petersburger Straße
- Boxhagener Platz
- Stralauer Kiez
Warschauer Strasse is currently (as of December 2022) still in the investigation phase, but is also very likely to be declared an environmental protection area.
Overall, Friedrichshain is a very attractive district for medium and long-term investments. The considerable potential for value appreciation contributes to this. Despite the extensive regulations, prices and the popularity of Friedrichshain are experiencing a consistently rising trend.
The Boxhagener Platz
The garden monument was completed at the beginning of the 20th century and is now a meeting place with large meadows. A meeting place where the whole of Friedrichshain and the surrounding area seems to gather, especially at weekends. The buildings around the square also date from the last century and have since been renovated to a high standard. During the renovation work, care was taken to retain the typical charm of the buildings. The ceilings are high and most of the apartments have parquet or other wooden floors. The area around Boxhagener Platz is particularly popular with young people on high incomes. Residents enjoy the central location and the hustle and bustle. Boxhagener Platz, with its extensive lawns, mature trees and large children’s playground, would probably be described as a park by outsiders.
There is often a flea market here at weekends. The transport connections are excellent and Boxhagener Platz is a very important cultural meeting place in the area.
The Frankfurter Allee
Frankfurter Allee is around 3.6 kilometers long and is one of the oldest traffic routes in Berlin. It originates from Karl-Marx-Allee and leads in the direction of Frankfurt a. d. Oder. Today it is part of the B1 and the B5, which is why it is one of the busiest roads in Berlin. Frankfurter Allee is home to many commercial buildings and investment apartments. Residents love the central location, the excellent transport links and the huge department stores that invite you to stroll and store. Thanks to rising trends, condominiums on Frankfurter Allee can be a safe investment.
Warschauer Strasse
Warschauer Straße is part of Berlin’s inner city ring road and is therefore a very important thoroughfare. It has an S-Bahn and U-Bahn station and is very well connected to the city center and the other districts of Berlin. Warschauer Straße leads to Stralauer Allee, which runs along the River Spree. Due to its location and flair, it is one of Berlin’s most important trendy streets. The old buildings are in good condition and in recent years numerous new housing estates have been built around Warschauer Strasse. The small stores, cafés and bars that line the street contribute to the hustle and bustle, exuberant parties and great joie de vivre. The nightlife in Warschauer Straße is more than lively. The street can be described as dynamic and thus perfectly reflects the character of Friedrichshain.
The Rigaer Straße
Rigaer Straße is a residential street with many listed buildings. Modern new buildings have been placed in the gaps, creating a mosaic with an interesting overall architectural impression. Rigaer Straße is located in the Samariterviertel and runs slightly north, almost parallel to Frankfurter Allee. It is picturesque, but has had to contend with squatters in the past and has become notorious for repeated police interventions.
Things to know about Berlin Friedrichshain and the surrounding area
Find out what makes Friedrichshain special and what you should definitely look out for if you are considering buying a property.
How lively is the nightlife in Berlin Friedrichshain?
Friedrichshain is not only a well-known part of the German capital in terms of art and culture, but also the area of Berlin where the most exuberant parties are held. If you want to mingle with young people and don’t want to pay overly high prices for your drinks, Friedrichshain is the place to be. Berliners and tourists party in the numerous clubs late into the night and in many cases even into the morning of the following day. Berlin is generally regarded as a “hot spot” in this respect “ and is internationally renowned for its trendy districts and wild parties. However, Friedrichshain stands out from the other districts due to its comparatively low prices and large clubs, some of which are located in old buildings.
How high is the crime rate in Berlin Friedrichshain?
Berlin as a whole is characterized by a relatively high crime rate, although some districts are more affected than others. Together with Berlin Mitte and Neukölln, Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg is one of the districts with a relatively high crime rate.
Warschauer Brücke leads directly to Friedrichshain’s party mile and is close to Boxhagener Platz and Simon-Dach-Kiez. When the tourists are passing through Berlin, Warschauer Brücke is more than busy. But as soon as the season is over and tourists only occasionally come to the bridge to explore the area, crime in the area rises sharply. Assaults and drug-related crimes are particularly common.
Rigaer Straße is a beautiful residential street, but has repeatedly attracted attention in the past due to the presence of Berlin’s left-wing autonomous scene. Damage to property was recorded particularly frequently. In autumn 2020, the “Liebig 34” housing project in Liebigstraße was cleared after a long period of time with an extremely large police force and has been undergoing renovation ever since.
Kindergartens, schools & more: Does Friedrichshain have sufficient educational facilities?
Overall, Berlin is a stronghold for the arts and scene as well as politically engaged people. However, the German capital has managed to combine these qualities with a high degree of family friendliness, which is anything but easy. In Berlin you will find a wide range of educational institutions and leisure activities. Kindergartens, daycare centers, elementary school and secondary schools are available to young families and are used enthusiastically. The Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg district has a total of 61 general education schools(as of December 2022). However, in addition to the state institutions, there are also numerous private contact points. From toddler groups to youth clubs, in Berlin and especially in Friedrichshain, there is something for every member of the family. Free, subsidized development is extremely important to the residents of the district. It is not uncommon for committed parents to get together at the playgrounds and plan outings together.
Even though there is plenty on offer, the population density in Berlin should not be underestimated. Parents must apply and register in good time in order to be able to get the highly coveted places in the desired educational institutions.
The infrastructure in Berlin Friedrichshain - the best transport connections in the district
Friedrichshain is very popular with tourists. The district is centrally located, but still shows the division between West and East Berlin to this day. When you enter it, you quickly realize that large crowds of people stroll through the streets every day to visit the main tourist attractions and breathe in the incomparable Berlin Kiez air. The sidewalks are wide in most streets and allow for a relaxed stroll. The intersections are sometimes very large, especially on the busy streets, but have sufficient traffic lights and therefore hardly restrict pedestrians.
In 2021, Friedrichshain received an award for its excellent pop-up cycle paths. The extensive network enables cyclists to reach their destination safely and comfortably in the middle of the German capital. The planned Y-Trasse high-speed cycle route is also to run through the district. It is to have a total length of around 17 kilometers and run through the districts of Treptow-Köpenick, Neukölln and Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg. This is particularly interesting for people who cycle to work and are therefore dependent on suitable cycle paths. However, families planning a weekend trip by bike also benefit from Friedrichshain’s excellent transport infrastructure.
Warschauer Straße and Frankfurter Allee are among the most important thoroughfares in Berlin. They are used by hundreds of thousands of motorists every day, which is why traffic comes to a standstill, especially at peak times. If you want to get around Berlin and can’t use your bike, you usually opt for public transport.
Friedrichshain is served by several suburban trains, regional trains, streetcars, subway trains and buses. With the Stadtbahn in the south, the Ringbahn in the east, the two subway lines U5 and U1, as well as the streetcar, there are good connections to other districts of Berlin. Ostkreuz station is also located in the Friedrichshain district and is one of the largest transfer stations in Germany with around 120,000 daily users. Friedrichshain has a central location and is easily accessible by public transport. The surrounding districts are very well connected to Friedrichshain.
At 26.3 percent, Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg has the largest proportion of traffic area of all Berlin districts (as of 31.12.2021). With a total area of just over 20 square kilometers, it is also the smallest of all Berlin districts.
The parking situation in Friedrichshain
As is now the case in all central districts in Berlin, non-residents in Friedrichshain now also need a parking permit. This regulation makes parking a lot more pleasant for residents of a parking space management zone and the parking situation has eased. Where you used to have to spend hours looking for parking spaces, you can now usually find a free space for your car very quickly.
Resident parking permits can be applied for as follows:
- You can easily complete the application online
- To apply for a resident parking permit by e-mail, please send your documents to the e-mail address of the Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg district office: BueA.Vignetten@ba-fk.berlin.de (Please note that the application must be attached as a legible PDF file).
- You can send postal applications to this address:
Bezirksamt Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg von Berlin
Bürgeramt 3 – Bewohnerparkausweise / Gästeparkausweise
Frankfurter Allee 35/37
10247 Berlin
In order to be issued with a resident parking permit, you must be registered with the authorities in the parking zone you are applying for, which must be presented at the time of application.
The resident parking permit in Friedrichshain is valid for a maximum of two years, after which you must reapply and have the permit reissued.
The costs for the application are manageable: you will be charged 20.40 euros. The processing time takes around four weeks. (as of December 2022)
Further information on the requirements and necessary documents can be found on the Service Portal Berlin website.
Demographic facts about Friedrichshain and the district of Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg
Almost 290,000 people live in Berlin Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg, which corresponds to around 7.6 percent of Berlin’s population. At just under 139,456 inhabitants, the Friedrichshain district has slightly fewer inhabitants than the Kreuzberg district(as at 30.06.2022). Friedrichshain has 14,039 inhabitants per square kilometer(as of November 2022). As the smallest district, Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg is also the most populous – not only in Berlin, but also one of the most populous in Germany and Europe. The average living space per inhabitant in 2022 is 37.2 square meters.
Overall, the proportion of women and men is very balanced at 48.6% to 51.4%. In addition, the trendy district is mainly home to single people, young couples and families with an above-average income. The average age is 38.2 years(as at 30.06.2022) and is therefore the lowest of all districts in Berlin (Berlin average: 42.8 years). It is striking that over 60 percent of households are single-person households. Only just over 20 percent of households have children. Among the family households, around 55% are married couples with children and just under 30% are single parents with one or more children.
At 6.4%, unemployment in Friedrichshain is slightly above the Berlin average of 5.8%.(31.12.2021)
Population structure in the Friedrichshain district (as at 30.06.2022)
As in Berlin as a whole, the district of Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg is home to a colorful mix of different cultures. With a share of 47.2 percent, which corresponds to almost 138,000 people, Germans with a migration background make up the largest population group in Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg. Around 68,500 Germans without a migration background and almost 86,000 foreigners also live in this district.(as at 30.06.2022)
Party shares in the Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg district: How do people vote?
In the 2021 Bundestag election, the Greens are the absolute frontrunners in the Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg district with 37.8% of first votes and 36.7% of second votes. They are well ahead of the SPD and DIE LINKE.
CDU, FDP and AfD bring up the rear in this election.
The cultural offerings in Berlin Friedrichshain are wide-ranging
The cultural offerings could not be greater and more pronounced than in the Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg district of Berlin.
Berlin is a stronghold of art and culture anyway. It is a city where a wide variety of people can mingle and express themselves creatively. This is reflected in the huge number of museums, theaters, cinemas, art galleries and exhibitions.
No matter what kind of art and epochs you are interested in, you will find what you are looking for in the Friedrichshain district and can spend hours strolling from one production to the next. The offer is particularly large at weekends, but also much busier. If you want to take your time to explore the various forms of art, visit the exhibitions and theater performances during the week.
The Architektur Galerie on Karl-Marx-Allee and the Grafik Studio Galerie on Rigaer Straße are particularly popular. There is a ceramics gallery on Samariterstraße and the “Im Namen des Raumes” gallery is located directly on Straußberger Platz.
The best running routes in Berlin Friedrichshain
The Berlin district of Friedrichshain is not primarily known for its green spaces. It scores above all with its trendy culture, bars, restaurants and cafés, where hundreds of people come together every day to breathe in the Berlin air. Nevertheless, sports enthusiasts also get their money’s worth in Friedrichshain. The district has several fitness studios and very nice running routes.
The most popular route for joggers runs through Volkspark Friedrichshain. No matter where you enter the Volkspark, just stick to the circular route and enjoy the 3.5-kilometre route, which takes you up and down the Bunkerberg, among other things. The hill is 78 meters high and is popular with joggers who want to push their muscles even harder. Otherwise, the entire route is extremely flat and the paths are well maintained. Another plus: the lighting is extremely good, which is why the route is very popular with runners who want to go for an early morning or late evening jog.
Our conclusion on the Berlin district of Friedrichshain
Hardly any other district in Berlin has so much to offer in such a small area as Friedrichshain. And the German capital is already known for its mix of different cultures, its party miles and its charming neighborhoods.
If you are looking for the right property in Berlin Friedrichshain, we definitely recommend that you visit the individual streets in person. Numerous condominiums are offered on the Internet, but you will definitely get the best impression of the condition of the property on site. Before buying, analyze not only the property, but also the surrounding houses and get a comprehensive picture of this district, its advantages and possible risks during your excursions through Friedrichshain. Take your time to weigh up all the factors and always bear in mind that real estate in Berlin Friedrichshain has risen continuously in price over the last 10 years and will most likely continue to do so in the future.
