Largest residential real estate companies in Berlin, Germany in 2021, by units owned

In 2021, Deutsche Wohnen was the largest residential landlord in Berlin with approximately 114,000 residential units, followed by Vonovia with 43,000. On September 26, the majority of referendum voters in Berlin voted in favor of the expropriation of housing units from companies holding more than 3,000 properties. The referendum is not legally binding, which means that the outcome will be subject to a decision by the next Berlin senate.

Rents in Berlin have been skyrocketing in recent years, leading to concerns about housing affordability. In an attempt to contain the rising rents, Berlin's government passed a law, freezing rents for five years. The law, which was passed in January 2020 was later ruled unconstitutional by Germany's constitutional court.