I own a single-family house in Germany, and consider to sell it. It has been rented out for about ten years, and the tenant gives the impression he wants to stay forever (he does not yet know about my ideas). I know that the plan to sell is not a legal reason to terminate the rental contract; probably there is no legal way to get the tenant out at all. What are my chances and options to sell the house while rented, and how should I proceed?
The house is in good shape, well maintained, and in a pricy and sought-after area. However, prospective buyers in that area typically want a house to move in, not for investment. I have not yet tried to contact local realtors (I live 8000 miles away). The rent is not very high, as the official usable area calculation does not take into account the fully-usable half-basement (it has not the officially necessary minimum height).
- Should I tell the tenant and ask him if he wants to buy (that would be an easy option; but if it goes ugly, it can't be un-told)?
- Should I just try to find a realtor and let him handle it?
- What percentage of an 'empty-house-price' can I realistically expect?
There are no bank, tax, or mortgage issues. The point is just how to approach the sale for an optimal deal. Any experiences and/or recommendations?