• 87 percent rely on digital channels – word of mouth remains the most important option
• AI is still rarely used in the search for accommodation

From recommendations from neighbours to swiping on smartphones – anyone looking for a flat today usually has to resort to a variety of options at the same time. A recent population survey now shows how Germans really search – and that traditional word of mouth still plays a major role alongside digital channels. Forty percent of German citizens have searched for a new flat or house at least once in the past five years. The most commonly used method is information from friends and acquaintances, which 97 percent of searchers have resorted to. This is closely followed by digital channels, which were used by 87 per cent. These are the results of a survey of 1,003 people in Germany aged 16 and over, commissioned by the digital association Bitkom. According to the survey, online portals such as immobilienscout24.de, immowelt.de and classified ads are the most popular digital options – 81 per cent looked for their dream property here. Far behind are the websites of housing companies, which 19 per cent have used. 12 per cent search via social media posts and 10 per cent read newsletters from estate agents, for example. Searching via AI chatbots is still an absolute exception, with only 2 per cent having tried it. ‘The search for accommodation has long been hybrid: we click and scroll – and still ask friends. Personal networks continue to play a central role, while online portals and social media make the search process more efficient and widely accessible,’ says Nastassja Hofmann, Bitkom expert for Retail & PropTech.

In contrast, completely analogue methods of searching for accommodation are becoming less common: 9 per cent have enquired with cooperatives, while 7 per cent of those searching have looked for flats or houses in newspaper advertisements or on notice boards. 5 per cent sought help from their employer.

Note on methodology: The information is based on a survey conducted by Bitkom Research on behalf of the digital association Bitkom. A total of 1,003 people in Germany aged 16 and over were interviewed by telephone, including 402 people who had looked for a flat or house in the past 5 years. The survey took place between calendar weeks 33 and 38 of 2025. The overall survey is representative. The question asked was: ‘What options have you used in the past five years to find a flat or house?’