Wohnungsleerstand in Deutschland. Zur Konzeptualisierung der Leerstandsquote als Schlüsselindikator der Wohnungsmarktbeobachtung anhand der GWZ 2011

Abstract

At present the housing market in Germany is characterized by contrary trends: Strained markets with partly distinct housing shortage are facing each other with relieved markets even with very high vacancies. For both situations the vacancy rate is a decisive indicator for evaluation. However, the vacancy rate so far is not systematically investigated and elaborated as an indicator but rather is quantified and qualified differently by various scientific and political debates. Against this background the paper suggests a systematic categorization of vacancy rates based on relevant literature. Additionally it develops a heuristic for a differentiated evaluation of housing vacancy rates from different perspectives. This heuristic is then backed up empirically by data from the building and housing census (GWZ) 2011. Thus, it can be demonstrated that the majority of German municipalities has indeed a moderate vacancy rate between 3 and 5 %, but also that substantially regional and spatial-structural differences appear. In respect of the analysis of vacancy rates no spatially-extensive generalization or simple conclusions for housing and urban renewal policies can be drawn. This underlines that a qualification of vacancy rates is necessary in order to be utilized for planning and political decisions.

Keywords

• Housing vacancy
• Housing market
• monitoring
• Building and housing census
• Indicator