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Vocational training in Germany (Ausbildung)

Real estate clerk (Immobilienkaufmann/-frau)

Immobilienkaufmann / Immobilienkauffrau

You manage, let and sell homes and commercial property: a 36-month training, paid from the first year, mixing office work, viewings and client care.

Check my eligibility →Occupation brochure

LevelBaccalaureaterequired

Duration3 years36 months

GermanB2required level

Pay during training€1,170 to €1,390gross / month, during the training

The occupation in 30 seconds

What a real estate clerk does

The Immobilienkaufmann manages buildings and land, lets, buys, sells or brokers them, organising viewings, contracts and budgets.

Let and sell

Organise viewings, prepare tenancy agreements and handle negotiations with clients.

Manage

Advise tenants and owners, process damage reports and arrange repairs.

Calculate

Draw up budgets, service-charge statements and profitability calculations for a property.

This occupation is for you if…

you enjoy negotiating and persuading with integrity
you are comfortable with clients in writing and in person
you like organising files and appointments
you accept hours that sometimes fall in the evening or at weekends

Less suitable if…

you dislike working at a screen
you dislike contracts and figures
you want fixed hours every day

Day to day

A typical day in the workshop

08:30

Reviewing filesLook through client requests and property listings before planning the day.

10:00

Viewing a flatShow a flat to a prospective tenant and answer questions about the property.

12:30

Preparing a contractDraft a tenancy agreement ready for signature and check the documents required.

14:00

Reporting damageProcess a tenant's damage report and arrange for a contractor to attend.

15:30

Service-charge calculationPrepare a service-charge statement and check the payments received.

17:00

Team meetingReview the properties in progress and share out tomorrow's tasks.

Skills and qualities

What you will learn, what is expected of you

Technical skills

Letting and selling propertyBuilding managementTenancy agreementsProfitability calculationsBookkeeping and budgetsBuilding maintenanceCondominium law basics

Personal qualities

NegotiationPeople skillsAccuracyOrganisationPerseverance

The training

How the Ausbildung works

In Germany you learn by working: this is the “dual system”. You are an employee of a company and a student at a vocational school (Berufsschule) at the same time.

3 to 4 days a week at the company

1–2 days school

Year 1

Basics and letting

Bookkeeping and organisation
Letting homes
Basic marketing

Year 2

Management and sales

Condominiums, commercial units
Building maintenance
Sales and brokerage

Year 3

Building and options

Works and financing
2 options chosen in the contract
Final exam

Exams and qualification

A written intermediate exam (Zwischenprüfung) of up to 120 minutes takes place in the middle of the second year. The final exam has three written papers (real estate, commercial control and documentation, economics and social studies) and a client conversation or team meeting of up to 30 minutes, under the authority of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (IHK). You receive the IHK final certificate.

Pay

You are paid during the training

Gross monthly pay during the training. These amounts are averages: they vary by region, sector and collective agreement.

1st year

≈ €1,170

2nd year

≈ €1,278

3rd year

≈ €1,390

Requirements

What you need to apply

Education level

Baccalaureate level is required.

German level

The required level is B2. Good technical vocabulary for the trade is a real plus.

Physical fitness

The work is mostly office-based at a screen, with site visits for viewings and handovers; hours can include evenings and weekends.

Documents to prepare

CV and cover letter in German
Translated baccalaureate diplomas and transcripts
German B2 level certificate

The reality of the job

Advantages and difficulties

Advantages

Paid from the first year
Varied work between office and field
Legal and commercial skills
Further training towards Fachwirt is possible

Difficulties

Hours sometimes in evenings and weekends
Contracts and law demand accuracy
Negotiations can be long and demanding
A lot of writing in technical German

After the training

Where it can lead

Straight away

Qualified real estate clerk

Jobs with housing companies, developers, estate agents or property departments.

With experience

Property manager

Look after a portfolio of properties or run construction and renovation projects.

Longer term

Immobilienfachwirt or degree

Take the Immobilienfachwirt (real estate specialist) or a Bachelor in real estate economics.

In the same category

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See all trainings in this category →

Your pathway with Campus Germany

We are by your side from day one until you arrive in Germany

Four steps to move forward, all run by our own structures.

Check my eligibility

Take the test online or at the office

The eligibility test is done online on our website, or by visiting our Douala office directly.

Talk to an advisor

Talk to our team

Germany: +49 (0) 7033 694 18 80
Cameroon: +237 622 20 81 64

Prepare your German

DZK, our language centre

Deutschzentrum KAGEDEV (DZK) is our own language centre in Douala. Outside Douala: partner language centres, call us to find the nearest one.

Get the contract

AZUFA is always us

AZUFA is our platform: it connects you with German companies that recruit apprentices and follows your application through to the training contract.

From German A1 to the first day of training in Germany

Each step is run by one of our structures. You keep the same contact from start to finish.

1
Check my eligibility
The test is done online on our website or at our Douala office.
Run by Campus Germany
2
Talk to an advisor
Review your profile, your wishes and the chosen occupation.
Run by Campus Germany
3
Learn German, from A1 to B2
Courses adapted to your starting level, up to the required B2 level. In Douala at our own language centre; elsewhere, with our partner centres.
Run by DZK
4
Prepare the application file
CV and cover letter in German, translated baccalaureate diplomas and transcripts, B2 level certificate.
Run by Campus Germany
5
Find the company and sign the training contract
We connect you with German companies that recruit apprentices, and follow your application through to the contract.
Run by AZUFA
6
Prepare the visa and paperwork
Support to gather the documents and complete the administrative steps.
Run by Campus Germany
7
Prepare your departure and settling in
Travel, housing and first steps in Germany: we prepare you before you leave.
Run by KAGEDEV e.V.
8
First day of training in Germany
You arrive prepared and supported, with a team that has known you since day one.
Run by AZUFA

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Our structures for this occupation

AZUFA
Our platform for recruiting apprentices and skilled staff from Africa: matching with German companies through to the training contract.

Deutschzentrum KAGEDEV (DZK)
Our own German language centre, in Douala. Outside Douala: partner centres.

Training offers for this occupation

No offer is open here at the moment. Browse apprenticeship offers on AZUFA, or receive an e-mail as soon as a partner company recruits.

See offers on AZUFA →

Real estate clerk (Immobilienkaufmann/-frau)

Occupation brochure

Take this sheet with you

A 5-page document to read offline or show your family: the occupation, the training, the pay and the whole pathway, from German A1 to the first day of training.

Download the brochure (PDF)

Frequently asked questions

You may be wondering…

What German level is required?

Level B2 is required. You do not need perfect German, but you must be able to follow lessons and understand safety instructions.

How long does the training last?

36 months, i.e. 3 years.

Am I paid during the training?

Yes. You receive a monthly pay throughout the training, and it generally increases each year.

Where can I take the eligibility test?

Online on our website, or directly at our Douala office.

Where can I learn German?

In Douala, at our language centre DZK. Elsewhere, at our partner language centres: call us to find the nearest one.

Can I work for myself after this training?

Yes, for example with an estate brokerage firm. It requires experience and compliance with the rules that apply to the activity.

What is an option chosen in the contract?

Two specialist modules (for example building management or brokerage) are set in the training contract and assessed in the final exam.

Ready to find out whether this occupation is for you?

Take the test online or come and see us at the office. We are by your side from day one until you arrive in Germany.

Check my eligibility →Write on WhatsApp

Germany+49 (0) 7033 694 18 80

Cameroon+237 622 20 81 64

Douala office : Rond-point Maetur Bonamoussadi – Nice Cream building (4th floor), opposite the COGENI hardware store, Douala, Cameroon

Check my eligibility WhatsApp

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