Germans prefer shares to real estate

Shares are the most popular form of investment among Germans. This is the result of a representative survey carried out by the German Savings Banks Association (DSGV) to mark World Savings Day. Property and investment funds rank second, while real estate ranks third. This is the first time that shares have found more favour with investors than real estate.

“Germans have come to appreciate shares as an attractive option,” said DSGV President Helmut Schleweis at a press conference held in Berlin to present the Wealth Barometer. “We can see quite clearly that people are adjusting their savings patterns to the low interest rates. They are keen to find other investment products and are also increasingly prepared to take risks,” Schleweis went on to say. One in five respondents stated that they were willing to take a little more risk for a higher return.

The appeal of real estate has mainly decreased because of the high price. Schleweis: “By their own account, half of those who decided against real estate did so because they lacked the necessary capital. For 14 percent, prices are simply too high.”

This year, for the first time, the survey also distinguished between people living in cities, in suburbs, close to cities and in the countryside, so as to show how self-assessments relate to the place of residence. The desire to own a home is strongest among city-dwellers, but high prices prevent many from planning a purchase. In the countryside, many people are already home owners, and consequently only 17 percent of them plan to buy a property.

The Wealth Barometer has been published since 2001. For this representative study which is conducted on behalf of DSGV this year approx. 5,800 people all across Germany were asked questions about their investments and accumulation of assets. Please go to www.dsgv.de/vermoegensbarometer to find the complete results of the study.

Please go to www.dsgv.de/vb2019regional  to download regionalised graphs and information for all the federal provinces.