If I purchase a Ferienwohnung in Germany, am I permitted to use it as a residence all year round?

Question

I have seen them advertised, and was curious if they are like our timeshares, or do you own the property

Answer 1

A "Ferienwohnung" is not a Time share. It is an Apartment or maybe even a house you rent, incl. kitchen, living room, bedrooms....everything you need. Ideal for a large family or a group of people. You rent it just for your vacation, 1 week, 2 weeks, etc

Answer 2

Normally you own the property. It is like a condo here in the States. It means you have a title for the property and it says that you own for ex. 1300/ 1000 parts of the yard together with the condo itself.

I am a native German and a banker in real estate.

Answer 3

pro_and_contra and Bimbilein are both right. But "Ferienwohnung" can also mean that you buy an apartment or house, and then you really own the property - I'm not sure if you're allowed to buy property without being an EU-resident (find it out first!!!). Anyway, if you don't possess resident status you need to obtain a (tourist) visa each time coming in even if you own property.

Answer 4

You can buy yourself a Ferienwohnung, but that doesn't mean that you can use it year round. You would need to have a permit to be able to stay here more than 3 months at once. Otherwise, you can use it whenever you want.