Everything is unbelievably complicated and over-engineered, and every layer is immune to change. Every rule was rational when it was added, and now everyone has a financial stake in continued complexity. The German notary is the highest-paid notary in the world, and the highest-earning professional in the country.
That said, I think a lot of the frustration comes from a mismatch of expectations. Germany wasn't designed for randos to start companies and thrust change on society. All the bureaucracy is a filter, and what it filters out is change itself.
You were never supposed to incorporate a company. You were supposed to get a job at Volkswagen.
"The notary serves as a neutral party ensuring both buyer and seller understand their obligations. In 2026, combined notary and land registry fees typically range from 1.5% to 2% of the property price."
This is actually lower than the real estate agent percentage in USA which can be 5 to 6% split between two agents.
Also, the GP "The German notary is the highest-paid notary in the world, and the highest-earning professional in the country."
I thought for sure pilots, aviation specialists, medical fields would earn more. I'm dubious of the claims that a notary is the highest earning profession. Perhaps some cherry picking is being done.
> I thought for sure pilots, aviation specialists, medical fields would earn more
You'd be thinking wrong. A notary in Germany's largest cities can earn in a day what a doctor earns in a year.
Notary's job in real estate deals is (briefly) to check that property is good for sale (has all necessary documents, up to date drawings, liabilities (mortgages, upstanding payments for services), there's no court orders upon the property, etc.) and inform seller, buyer (and creditor if there's a mortgage), what documents to bring and who pays who by which date. Also sends copies to national registry of real estate.
It does not matter if property is a shack for 10k€ or mansion for 5M€ - you pay a percentage on the value. I'd even argue that more expensive properties are easier to work with, because rich owners have their papers up to date, etc. And notary gets cool 50-100k€ from such property deal just to go through a list of procedural checkboxes and filling in blanks in a standard contract.
I don't know what actual legal liability for notaries exist if there's serious disputes, but I haven't heard any. Biggest real estate scandals are when someone develops somewhere where it's not allowed, but got approval through corruption. Notaries neither help, nor care here, because their responsiblity is only check that papers are good (not that they were acquired through corruption).
I forgot what's the actual percentage in my country, but it's in ballpark as for OP (maybe less - around ~1%, which is still too much). To make it worse: this fee is mandated by law and has a cap. So if you are top 1% property owner - you get reduced rates for notary!
I don't know what real estate angents are responsible for in USA, but notary is not a real estate agent. Where I live you can buy/sell without real estate agent (but many people still do), notary is mandatory (with law mandated fees) though.
https://www.wiwo.de/erfolg/beruf/grosse-einkommensunterschie...
A German notary handling a €1 million residential purchase typically earns 3 to 6 times as much in fees as a Dutch notary handling an equivalent transaction and assuming the same legal responsibility.
It implies German cultural and/or moral superiority and was used in earnest during the 19th century by nationalists. It's use often has a more ironic character now, but it's proponents are alive and well.
This is it. They can't fathom a world in which people do their own thing.
What gives me pause for thought though, is the fact that the German economy does comparitively well within the EU.
That's well in the past. It's at the bottom in the EU by GDP growth now, and little hope for a come back.
