A revival in take-up is emerging in the Berlin office property market, though accompanied by growing differentiation. While modern assets in established locations remain in demand, properties with outdated fit-outs are coming under noticeable pressure. Industry representatives reached this conclusion at the specialist conference 'Between growth and vacancy: How is the Berlin office property market developing?', attended by Martin Schubert (HIH Real Estate), Jan Trenn (CELLS), Mareike Lechner (immobilien-experten-ag.), Alexander Lackner (neworld), and Heiko Maaß (Berlin Hyp).
Major deals shape the letting result
According to surveys by Martin Schubert, Berlin office take-up reached around 550,000 square metres in the first three quarters of 2026. A result of significantly more than 600,000 square metres is expected for the full year, surpassing the previous year's figure of just under 500,000 square metres. Jan Trenn, however, calls for a more nuanced perspective: individual major leases, including the letting of around 40,000 square metres by Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe, underpin the result significantly. The market remains well below pre-crisis figures of more than one million square metres annually.
At the same time, the framework conditions for concluding contracts are changing fundamentally. Companies are assessing their space requirements more defensively and sometimes reduce space requests even while negotiations are underway. Schubert points to an increased advisory requirement, as tenants have specific demands regarding energy efficiency, daylight, cooling, and flexible zones. Trenn reports negotiation periods of up to eighteen months. In addition, competition is intensifying with incumbent landlords seeking to retain existing occupiers through concessions. Landlords are increasingly having to grant fit-out contributions and rent-free periods for new lettings.
Quality criteria and distinctive submarkets
In central city locations, mixed-use premium assets are holding their ground. At the FÜRST project on Kurfürstendamm, which combines office space with retail, hotels, and leisure and healthcare facilities, CELLS is recording rent levels well above the market average. The Adlershof Technology Park, with around 1,300 companies and university institutions, demonstrates that decentralised locations can also offer stability. According to Mareike Lechner, net cold rents on the 'AM OKTOGON' campus range between 16 and 20 EUR per square metre, while rates of 21.70 to 22.10 EUR are achieved in the approximately 26,000-square-metre 'OFFICE LAB CAMPUS', frequently combined with laboratory or test areas.
Sustained demand is also being recorded in the flexible workspace sector. Alexander Lackner notes that operator Scaling Spaces' six Berlin locations have an average occupancy rate of over 80 per cent. These offerings are particularly sought after by established medium-sized enterprises and advanced start-ups that value functional private offices, modern building specifications, and direct public transport links.
