Soil reference value map excerpt

Land reference values serve the transparency of the real estate market. They represent zone-by-zone average location values with value-influencing characteristics that should apply to the majority of properties in the zone. It is always assumed that the property is undeveloped, regardless of a real development. In the information, the land reference value is given in euros per square meter as well as with its value-determining characteristics. In addition to property market transparency, the land reference values also serve tax purposes.

The determination of the land reference values is based on actual purchase cases. According to the Building Code, notarizing bodies are obliged to send copies of the purchase contracts to the offices of the expert committees for property values. The expert committees evaluate the contracts for undeveloped areas and derive land reference values from them. If there are no or too few purchase contracts for an area, other variables can also be used for determination, e.g. index series or rents.

The soil reference values are determined and decided by the expert committees.

The expert committees are responsible for certain regions in Lower Saxony defined by the state; they are composed of chairpersons and honorary members. The presiding members are members of the surveying and cadastral administration. Honorary members are expert persons from the broad field of the real estate industry, e.g. from the field of architecture, civil engineering, agriculture, finance or brokerage.

A committee of experts is always self-employed and independent. To support the completion of tasks, each expert committee has an office, which is also located at the surveying and cadastral administration.