Secure follow-up financing for your mortgage online in good time and save thousands of euros
19 Jun 2025
Katrin Straub
Managing Director at nextsure
The end of your fixed interest rate is approaching and you're worried about rising installments? Act now, as a well-planned follow-up financing for your mortgage can save you over €10,000. We will show you how to successfully navigate the process online in good time.
The topic in brief and concise terms
Begin planning your follow-up financing at least 12 to 36 months before the interest rate lock expires to avoid time pressure.
Always compare the offer from your current bank (renewal) with refinancing from a new provider, as there is often potential to save thousands of euros here.
Make use of your statutory right of termination under § 489 BGB to exit an expensive loan after ten years without any additional costs.
Die Zinsbindung Ihres Hauskredits läuft in den nächsten Jahren aus und eine beträchtliche Restschuld bleibt bestehen. Dies ist ein kritischer Moment für jeden Immobilienbesitzer, denn die Konditionen der Anschlussfinanzierung bestimmen Ihre finanzielle Belastung für das nächste Jahrzehnt. Wer passiv auf das Angebot der Hausbank wartet, verschenkt oft pures Geld. Eine proaktive und frühzeitige Planung ist der Schlüssel, um sich die bestmöglichen Zinsen zu sichern. Dieser Artikel führt Sie durch die strategischen Optionen, rechtlichen Möglichkeiten und den digitalen Prozess, um Ihre Anschlussfinanzierung für den Hauskredit rechtzeitig online zu sichern und Ihre Finanzen nachhaltig zu entlasten.
Mitigating the Rise in Interest Rates: Why Early Action is Crucial
Your bank is legally obliged to present you with a new offer at least three months before the end of the fixed interest period. However, waiting that long puts you under time pressure and may result in missing out on the best terms available in the market. Experts advise looking into follow-up financing as early as twelve to 36 months in advance.
A difference in interest rate of just one percentage point can have a significant impact. With an outstanding debt of 150,000 euros, this means an additional interest burden of 1,500 euros per year. Over a period of ten years, this amounts to 15,000 euros.
The current development of building interest rates shows that the historically low interest rates from 2015 to 2021 are now a thing of the past. Early engagement with this topic protects you from unpleasant surprises and provides the necessary room for negotiation. This lays the foundation for choosing the right financing strategy.
Strategic Decisions: Forward Loan or Refinancing?
There are mainly three ways to secure your follow-up financing: the extension, the refinancing, and the forward loan. The extension, i.e., the renewal with your house bank, is convenient but rarely the cheapest option. Refinancing or a forward loan often offer significant savings potential.
Your strategic options at a glance:
Forward Loan: With this, you lock in today's interest rates for a payout in up to 66 months. This makes sense if you expect rising rates, but it comes with an interest premium of about 0.01 to 0.03 percentage points per month of lead time.
Refinancing: You switch to a new bank with better terms at the end of the rate lock period. Already an interest advantage of 0.2 percentage points can make refinancing worthwhile despite low costs for the transfer of title.
A forward loan is a bet on interest rate development and involves an obligation to take even if rates unexpectedly fall. Therefore, carefully weigh whether to commit yourself with a forward loan for the long term or prefer the flexibility of later refinancing. Knowledge of your legal rights can significantly influence this decision.
Your right: Exercising the special termination right under § 489 BGB
A powerful tool for any borrower is the special termination right under § 489 of the German Civil Code (BGB). Regardless of the agreed fixed-interest period, you can cancel any construction loan after ten years. The notice period for this is six months, and the bank may not demand any early repayment penalties.
The ten-year period begins the day after the full disbursement of the loan. Caution is advised with follow-up financing or a forward loan: here, the date of the contract signing already counts for the start of the period. Creating a calendar entry for this date can secure you thousands of euros in flexibility.
This right enables you to respond to a more favourable interest rate level even during a long fixed-interest period and to undertake debt restructuring. This allows you to avoid the often high costs of an early repayment penalty. With this knowledge, you can confidently start the online comparison process.
In five steps to the optimal online follow-up financing
Securing follow-up financing for your home loan in a timely manner online is straightforward if you proceed systematically. The digital process offers transparency and saves time. Stick to the following five-step guide:
Inventory Check: Review your current loan agreement. Note the remaining debt, the end of the fixed interest rate period, and the current interest rate.
Request a Prolongation Offer: Ask your bank for an offer. It serves as an important reference but is rarely the best option available.
Compare the Market: Use an online calculator to get an overview of current conditions. A favourable mortgage can often be found with a new provider.
Prepare Documents: Gather all necessary documents. These usually include the last three payslips, the land registry excerpt, and your current loan agreement.
Finalise and Conclude Offers: Obtain binding offers from two to three favourites and choose the best option.
By conducting this structured comparison, you lay a solid foundation for negotiation and avoid common pitfalls.
Conclusion: Proactive Planning as the Key to Success
The follow-up financing for your home loan is not automatic but a strategic decision. Early and digital planning, at least twelve months in advance, is crucial. It gives you the necessary lead to compare offers without pressure.
Use your right to special termination after ten years and do not shy away from the effort of refinancing. Switching to a cheaper provider can reduce your monthly payment or shorten the remaining term by several years. Even an interest advantage of 0.5 percentage points can mean savings of over €10,000.
Take action now to actively shape your financial future in your home. A professional analysis of your situation can help you exploit all potential. Have your options examined by experts to find a tailor-made solution for your mortgage.
Request an individual risk analysis now: Have your insurance situation evaluated for free and receive specific optimisation proposals.
More useful links
Wikipedia explains the term follow-up financing in the context of real estate loans.
The Bundesbank offers statistics on interest rates for housing loans to private households in Germany.
The Bundesbank contains data on interest rates and yields for housing loans to private households and mortgage loans on residential properties.
The Bundesbank refers to its MFI interest rate statistics, which include stocks and new business.
The Bundesbank provides an Excel file with data on mortgage interest rates.
The Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) provides a PDF document with experimental data on mortgage contracts.
The Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) leads to a page about construction prices and the real estate price index.
FAQ
Was ist der Unterschied zwischen Umschuldung und Prolongation?
Bei einer Prolongation verlängern Sie Ihren auslaufenden Kredit bei Ihrer bisherigen Bank zu neuen Konditionen. Eine Umschuldung bedeutet, dass Sie zu einer neuen Bank wechseln, die Ihre Restschuld bei der alten Bank ablöst. Eine Umschuldung ist oft mit günstigeren Zinsen verbunden.
Lohnt sich ein Forward-Darlehen?
Ein Forward-Darlehen lohnt sich, wenn Sie in einer Phase niedriger Zinsen sind und erwarten, dass die Zinsen bis zum Ende Ihrer Zinsbindung deutlich steigen werden. Sie zahlen dafür einen Zinsaufschlag. Sinken die Zinsen entgegen der Erwartung, zahlen Sie jedoch mehr als nötig, da Sie an den Vertrag gebunden sind.
Wann kann ich meinen Baukredit nach 10 Jahren kündigen?
Gemäß § 489 BGB können Sie einen Darlehensvertrag mit Sollzinsbindung immer zehn Jahre nach dem vollständigen Empfang der Darlehenssumme kündigen. Die Kündigungsfrist beträgt sechs Monate. Eine Vorfälligkeitsentschädigung darf die Bank dann nicht verlangen.
Welche Unterlagen benötige ich für eine Anschlussfinanzierung?
Für den Vergleich und Abschluss benötigen Sie in der Regel Ihren alten Darlehensvertrag, einen aktuellen Grundbuchauszug, die letzten drei Gehaltsnachweise sowie eine Aufstellung der Restschuld zum Stichtag der Ablösung.
Kann ich eine Anschlussfinanzierung auch bei geringer Restschuld umschulden?
Ja, auch bei einer geringen Restschuld unter 50.000 Euro kann sich eine Umschuldung lohnen. Alternativ können Sie prüfen, ob eine Ablösung durch Eigenkapital oder ein Ratenkredit günstiger ist als die Prolongation bei Ihrer Hausbank.
Was passiert mit meinem KfW-Darlehen bei einer Umschuldung?
Ein KfW-Darlehen kann separat behandelt werden. Läuft es zum selben Zeitpunkt wie Ihr Hauptkredit aus, kann es mit umgeschuldet werden. Andernfalls müssen Sie es bei der KfW prolongieren oder separat umschulden. Auch für KfW-Darlehen gilt das Sonderkündigungsrecht nach zehn Jahren.
