Story No. 1 · Frankfurt · Single, around €90k
Her first apartment: one property, to test the waters.
She came to Financemate after months of passively consuming content about real estate investing. Her goal was modest: test the waters with one property, find out whether she was eligible at all, and see whether buying could make sense for her financial future.
Once through onboarding she booked a whiteboard calculation with Karim. We teach the concept first, before looking at any property, because the property is only the tool. It gets matched after you understand your goals and how the mechanics work.
Then Sven went to work on tool candidates. The one that made it: a newly renovated 40 m² apartment in central Frankfurt with a 3-year rental guarantee, 100 % financed.
The people on this deal
Two people carried it from the first call to the notary.
Financemate expert
Karim Beltaji
Co-Founder
Spent years in finance before building the company he wished had existed for internationals like him.
On this deal
Walked the numbers in the whiteboard calculation and through every scenario before the buyer signed.
Property partner
Sven
Real estate partner
More than 20 years in real estate and an active property investor himself. Sources and evaluates off-market projects for the Financemate network and supports buyers through to the notary and the bank.
On this deal
Sourced the apartment, took care of the financing, and stays on as investment mentor till the notary.
The goals
The brief, before any listing was opened.
What the buyer wanted going in. Every scenario below was tested against it.
- 01
Test the waters with one property
One 40 m² apartment in central Frankfurt, 100 % financed, 28.320 € of own capital.
- 02
Find out whether she is eligible at all
Eligible on a 90.000 € salary. The bank financed the full purchase price.
- 03
See if property can support her financial future
About 171.000 € total wealth if sold in 2036, six times her own capital, on the assumptions below.
- 04
Keep the monthly gap affordable on one salary
Worst month about 366 € before tax benefits, slightly positive after.
- 05
Understand the concept before seeing any listing
Whiteboard calculation with Karim first. Sven brought candidates only after.
The deal
What was bought, and on what terms
Central Frankfurt, 40 m², newly renovated. Bought for 354.000 €, financed 100 % at 4,5 % fixed 10 y, against a 90.000 € income, with 28.320 € of the buyer’s own money.
Rent 32 € / m²·Rental guarantee 3 years·Repayment 1 %·AfA 3 %·Appreciation 3 %·Income growth 0 %
Own capital covers the purchase costs only: 6 % transfer tax, 1,5 % notary and land registry, 0,5 % financing costs. Hessen, single filing.
- Worst month before tax benefits
- −366 €
- In 2027, narrowing every year as rent rises
- After tax benefits, first full year
- +43 € / month
- The apartment carries itself from year one
- Total wealth if sold in 2036
- 170.939 €
- 6,04× own capital · 19,7 % annualized
Projection from the assumptions above. Rent is indexed 2 % a year, the salary stays flat, and the apartment is sold after the 10-year holding period, so the gain is tax-free.
What we stress-tested
Click a column to see its charts- Total wealth at sale
- 170.939 €sold 2036
- Own capital multiple
- 6,04×19,7 % a year · 10 years
- Cashflow before tax benefits
- −28.428 €over the hold
- Cashflow after tax benefits
- +9.121 €over the hold
- Tax benefits over the hold
- +37.549 €10 years
Base case, year by year
Cashflow before tax benefits
per month · rent minus loan and costs
−28.428 €
Cashflow after tax benefits
per month · including the tax refund
+9.121 €
Tax impact
per year · income tax saved
+37.549 €
2026 is a part year. The purchase closed in Oct 2026, so those 3 months of ownership carry a full calendar year of tax effect, and the first bar sits far above the years that follow.
The same three charts every client sees for their own property in the Financemate scenario planner.