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KfW funding 2026: every programme for property buyers in Germany

Updated: 2026-07-12 · Reading time: 12 min · ImmoLens editorial team

For most people, buying a property is the largest investment of their lives. That makes it all the more important to know every available funding programme and to combine them well. The KfW bank (Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau, the German state development bank) provides low-interest loans and Tilgungszuschüsse (repayment grants) for this. In addition, the BAFA offers direct grants for individual measures. More on that in the section „KfW vs. BAFA: how they differ" at the end of the article.

1. Overview: the KfW programmes for residential property

KfW offers loans (low-interest, via your own bank) and in some cases Tilgungszuschüsse (repayment grants, money you keep). Here are the most important programmes at a glance:

2. KfW 124: the home ownership programme

The KfW home ownership programme (124) is the basic funding programme for anyone who buys or builds a property for their own use. It offers a low-interest loan of up to €100,000 per project.

Terms at a glance

Who gets KfW 124?

• Natural persons acquiring residential property for the first time or again
• The property must be owner-occupied (not a rental investment)
• New build or existing building, both are eligible
• No income limit, anyone can apply

3. KfW 308: Jung kauft Alt (top tip)

Since summer 2024 there has been the KfW 308 programme for families who buy anexisting property in need of refurbishment.

Requirements for KfW 308

• At least one child (under 18) in the household
• Taxable household income max. €90,000 (+ €10,000 per additional child)
• The energy class of the house must be F, G or H (or built before 1957)
• The property must then be refurbished for energy efficiency (at least to EH 70 EE standard)

4. KfW 300: Wohneigentum für Familien (home ownership for families)

The KfW 300 „Wohneigentum für Familien" (WEF) programme funds the construction or first purchase of a climate-friendly new build by families with at least one child under 18. A precondition is a taxable household income of no more than €90,000 with one child, plus €10,000 for each additional child. Depending on the number of children and the funding level, the low-interest loan goes up to €270,000.

5. KfW 261: loan for an efficient full refurbishment

KfW 261 is the central programme if you refurbish an older building to an Effizienzhaus standard (efficiency house standard). It offers not only low-interest loans but also Tilgungszuschüsse (repayment grants) of up to 25 %that do not have to be paid back: real money that you get to keep.

Important: KfW 261 only funds full refurbishments in which the entire building reaches a defined Effizienzhaus standard. For individual measures(for example only windows or only insulation) the BAFA is responsible, see section 8.

Worked example: EH 55 refurbishment

6. KfW 458 + 358: replacing the heating system

KfW funds a heating replacement along two tracks: a direct grant (KfW 458) plus an optional supplementary loan (KfW 358/359):

If you replace your old oil or gas heating with a heat pump, a biomass heating system or solar thermal, you first receive the KfW 458 grant. If you also need financing, you can use the supplementary loan 358 on preferential terms.

7. How to apply for KfW funding: step by step

1. Check eligibility – use the ImmoLens Analyzer to check your listing for funding potential free of charge.
2. Bring in an energy consultant – for KfW 261/300 an approved energy efficiency expert is mandatory. You can find one at energie-effizienz-experten.de .
3. Apply through your own bank – all KfW loans run through your bank. KfW grants (for example 458) are applied for directly in the KfW grant portal.
4. Purchase or building contract – only sign after the funding has been approved.
5. Submit proof – once the work is finished, the energy consultant confirms that it has been carried out.

8. KfW vs. BAFA: how they differ

KfW and BAFA are often confused, but they are two separate institutions with different funding priorities:

Rule of thumb: if you refurbish the entire building to an Effizienzhaus standard → KfW 261. If you carry out individual measures (only insulating the roof, only replacing the windows) → BAFA BEG EM. For a heating replacement, KfW is responsible (since 2024), not the BAFA.

9. Further reading

• KfW – all programmes for private individuals
• BAFA – Bundesförderung effiziente Gebäude (individual measures)
• Energieeffizienz-Experten – find a consultant
• Verbraucherzentrale – building and property financing