Freshly squeezed news:
The Urbyo Magazine

News for professionals and commercial investors

Here we talk openly about market trends, financing, deals and strategies for your property portfolio. Real insights from professionals – from office to residential, from ESG to exit.

A Life Dedicated to Real Estate – From Intern to Managing Director

Jonas Kastl is the Managing Director of the KENSINGTON offices in Hamburg, Bremen, and Lüneburg, and one of the defining figures in northern Germany’s real estate scene. His journey began unusually early: at just 14 years old, he completed a school internship with a property developer – and instantly knew he wanted to stay in the world of real estate. Jonas was a guest our Urbyo Podcast to shares his story and his passion for real estate. Find the most notable moments in this article.

In Conversation with Benedikt Hildebrandt: “Getting 1% Better Every Day” — How Monvest Is Conquering the Munich Real Estate Market

In this interview, Benedikt shares how he and his brother broke into the real estate market as career changers, the challenges they had to overcome, and why building a strong network is the key to their success.

A Conversation with Willi Kluge of EDSI: How the real estate market in Dresden is changing and why networks are crucial

Willi Kluge is the founder and CEO of the ESDI group of companies. In our interview, Kluge talks to us about the Dresden location, his assessment of market trends and his approach to challenges in the construction sector and project development.

In conversation with Ralph Büchele: Affordable housing as a societal location factor

How to create affordable housing in times of rising construction costs? Ralph Büchele of Bayernheim provides insights into strategies for sustainable neighborhood development, economical construction methods and close cooperation with local authorities.

A conversation with Dimitry McDuffie: From professional athlete to real estate developer at Ten Brinke

Dimitry McDuffie, project developer at Ten Brinke, had a somewhat unusual start in the real estate world. Initially, McDuffie was an up-and-coming basketball star with promising career prospects. But then the dream was shattered by a stroke of fate: a complicated knee injury forced the then 21-year-old McDuffie to pursue a new path. In our article and accompanying podcast, Dimitry explains how he found his way into the real estate world.

KfW funding program "Jung kauft Alt" launched

On September 3, 2024, the new KfW funding program "Jung kauft Alt" ("Young Buys Old") was launched in cooperation with the German Federal Ministry for Housing, Urban Development and Building (BMWSB). The goal of the program is to support young families with low to medium incomes in purchasing and renovating existing properties. But who exactly benefits from this program — and what are the requirements?

Buying 2 Properties At the Age of 23: Getting Started With Minimal Equity

Not many people find it easy to think of their financial future and independence when they are 23 years old. Paulina shows how she took her first steps in our episode of "einfach gemacht."

Urbyo Talks: How Urbyo Professional revolutionizes the financing of largescale projects

Until now, there have been some hurdles when financing largescale projects, such as hotels or office buildings. Janina, our Head of Mortgage, revealed to Vivien in an interview how Urbyo Professional has changed that.

From the Classroom to Her First Investment Property

In 2023, Alexa invested in her first property as part of her retirement plan — even though she’s never been particularly interested in topics like investing or wealth management. Find out why she believes real estate is an exciting option for anyone looking to build wealth with minimal effort and low risk. 🙌

Urbyo Talks: Who decides which property is put on the Urbyo marketplace?

Vivien grabbed our VP Business Development & Operations Marcel and asked him what criteria a property has to meet to end up on the Urbyo marketplace and what advantages brokers have when they work with us.

Urbyo Talks: Is investing in real estate in the current market still worth it?

What is the current interest rate market status? Is it still worth investing in real estate, and if so, what should you look out for when financing? Vivien asked our Head of Mortgage, Janina, these questions today. You can read her answers here.  

Urbyo Talks: CEO Philipp Schormann on creating Urbyo

Our social media manager Vivien recently spoke with our CEO Philipp and asked him a few questions about how Urbyo was founded, what he did prior and how the founders even met. You can read the full interview here.

"Einfach gemacht" #4: First Property as a Student & Financially Free by 30?

Tom bought his first property at just 23 — while he was still a student. Only two years later, he already has five properties in his portfolio, and his goal is clear: to be financially independent by the age of 30. How he plans to make that happen? Find out right here. 🎧

"einfach gemacht" #3: 50 Properties In 6 Years

Although Alex had no real interest in real estate as an investment class for many years and only started four years ago, he now owns several properties. His goal? To purchase a total of 50 properties within six years — with Urbyo’s support. Curious how he plans to make that happen? You can find out right here. 🎧

"einfach gemacht" #2: Financing Three Properties on €1,800 Net/Month

Urbyo user Kai’s story breaks the typical real estate investor stereotype. His example shows that even people with middle or lower incomes can invest in property. This makes us proud, as our mission is to give more people access to the market. Read the full story here. 👇

Energetic upgrading: How to modernize properly

Do you want to make your property more energy-efficient and heating-efficient in times of rising costs? Find out how to do it, what to look out for, and how to get the right loan. 👇

Micro Location: These 7 Factors Matter Most!

If you’re buying a property as an investment, the location of your property is extremely important. But we don’t just mean the city or region – we’re also talking about the immediate surroundings: the micro location. Here, we’ll show you which factors you should pay attention to.

Property Tax & the 2022 Property Tax Reform

The property tax has been a hot topic lately due to the recent reform.

In this overview, we explain what the property tax is, what the 2022 reform means, why millions of letters are currently being sent out, and what property owners now need to do.

Read on to stay informed and understand what actions may be required from you as a property owner. 👇🏠

Why you can keep your cool
when interest rates go up

The time has come: The ECB is raising all key interest rates by 0.75%. Find out here what the key interest rates are and how this increase will affect your existing and future loans.