With property prices in most major cities around the world still near record highs, buying in Berlin might seem like a great idea. An aversion by Germans to buying real estate coupled with an economy that has been stalled for years has made Germany one of the cheapest property markets in western Europe – and Berlin is one of the cheapest metropolitan markets in Germany. The most popular flats are in the former East Berlin districts of Mitte and Prenzlauer Berg, with areas such as Friedrichshain, Kreuzberg and Charlottenburg coming a close second. But the structural problems that made Berlin property cheap in the first place have yet to change and, ironically, the collapse of the global real estate market will have to leave a mark on German property prices. So if you decide to buy, don’t expect much appreciation on the investment.

Non-citizens can buy property as easily as German nationals and buying a property means you own it forever, regardless of whether it’s a house, flat, loft or pond.