How to get a cooperative apartment in Hamburg: A practical guide
Finding a nice, affordable apartment in Hamburg is like winning the lottery. Those who are members of one of the cooperatives have a clear advantage. But how do you get a cooperative apartment – even without membership? An inquiry by NDR Hamburg to the cooperatives in the Hanseatic city provides answers.
In Hamburg, the approximately 30 cooperatives provide a total of 135,000 apartments to their members. And at favorable conditions: the average cost per square meter is 7.61 euros.
Cooperatives: Non-members also have chances
Cooperatives primarily offer vacant apartments to their existing members. Only if there is no interest from this side do external applicants have a chance – and these are not bad at all. According to the “Hamburger Wohnungsbaugenossenschaften e.V.” association, 40 percent of cooperative apartments go to non-members or new members. Depending on the cooperative, it can even be more. The “Baugenossenschaft Hamburger Wohnen” states that 50 percent of its apartments are allocated to new members. The “Eisenbahnbauverein Harburg eG” estimates that it is around 60 percent. At “mgf Gartenstadt Farmsen eG”, it is even 80 percent, according to the information.
How to apply?
If you are looking for an apartment, you can register online. Some cooperatives offer corresponding rental interest forms on their websites. For data protection reasons, these applications often have to be renewed every few months.
Chances mainly in peripheral areas
Chances are particularly good for those who are willing to move to less attractive districts. “In particularly sought-after districts such as Eimsbüttel or Neustadt, even members often have to accept longer waiting times,” says Matthias Saß from the “Allgemeine Deutsche Schiffszimmerer-Genossenschaft”, who is also chairman of the board of the Hamburger Wohnungsbaugenossenschaften association. “In other locations, however, there are certainly chances of getting an apartment at short notice.” For example, “altoba” currently only accepts rental inquiries from non-members for the regions of Lurup, Niendorf, Osdorf, Schnelsen, and Steilshoop.
Who is the best fit for the available apartment?
According to the Hamburger Wohnungsbaugenossenschaften association, the income is not the only factor in the allocation, but above all, which household best suits the specific available apartment. For example, four-room apartments are usually rented primarily to families with two children and not to couples without children. Personal visits to the offices, however, do not increase the chances of preferential consideration. Rather, the date of application and the respective rental guidelines are decisive.
Cooperation with the Immomio platform
Some cooperatives work with the Immomio platform. There, interested parties can store key data such as the desired apartment size. If something suitable becomes available, they receive an email. The Immomio platform determines a scoring for each interested party, says Ulrich Stallmann from the “Walddörfer Wohnungsbaugenossenschaft”. This is used as a guide for selection.
Low fluctuation: Patience required
Even if chances exist for external applicants – patience is required when looking for a cooperative apartment. This is because members rarely move. “On average, our members live in their apartment for around 16 years, many even significantly longer,” says Friederike Sterling from “Baugenossenschaft Hamburger Wohnen”. The other cooperatives also mention similar timeframes.
New construction in some districts
Even if the environment for new construction is currently not easy: Some cooperatives continue to invest in expanding their portfolio. The “Baugenossenschaft Hamburger Wohnen” is currently building 59 new apartments with up to six rooms in Barmbek, almost all publicly funded. They are expected to be ready for occupancy in early 2027. South of the Elbe, the “Eisenbahnbauverein Harburg” is currently building 95 new apartments on Bremer Strasse in Harburg.
Family members generally welcome
It may also be worthwhile for people looking for an apartment to check whether parents or grandparents are already members of a cooperative. Children and grandchildren can often be admitted as members.
Additional Information
- Average rent: 7.61 euros per square meter.
- Percentage of apartments for non-members: Up to 80% depending on the cooperative.
- Areas with higher chances: Lurup, Niendorf, Osdorf, Schnelsen, Steilshoop.
- New constructions: Barmbek (Baugenossenschaft Hamburger Wohnen – 59 apartments, ready early 2027), Harburg (Eisenbahnbauverein Harburg – 95 apartments).
Contact for further information:
- Hamburger Wohnungsbaugenossenschaften e.V.
- Individual cooperative websites (e.g., Baugenossenschaft Hamburger Wohnen, Eisenbahnbauverein Harburg eG, mgf Gartenstadt Farmsen eG, altoba)
- Immomio platform for online registration.
Source: https://www.ndr.de/nachrichten/hamburg/wie-kommt-man-in-hamburg-an-eine-wohnung-bei-einer-genossenschaft,genossenschaftenhamburg-100.html
