Family transfers shape Upper Austria’s property market

More than 64,000 properties changed hands within families in Upper Austria over the past five years, according to figures from property platform IMMOunited reported by ORF. Inheritances and gifts accounted for a substantial share of ownership transfers alongside conventional sales.

IMMOunited recorded 33,438 inherited properties and 30,695 gifts in the province during the period. Around 90,000 properties were sold, meaning family transfers made up a significant portion of all changes in ownership.

The district of Braunau had the highest rates of both inheritances and gifts per resident, followed by Gmunden and Ried. Gifts outnumbered inheritances in several districts, including Perg, Schärding and Vöcklabruck, suggesting that some owners transferred properties to the next generation during their lifetimes.

Inheritance and gift rates per resident were considerably lower in the statutory cities of Linz and Steyr than in many rural districts.

Across Austria, 610,943 properties were inherited or gifted between 2021 and 2025, while about 630,000 property purchase contracts were officially registered. In the weaker market years of 2023 and 2024, inheritances and gifts became more significant.

IMMOunited managing director Roland Schmid said family transfers can affect the property market years later, when heirs renovate, rent out or sell a property. An inheritance does not necessarily bring a financial benefit: older houses can require substantial spending on renovations, maintenance or modernisation, and heirs may also need to pay out other beneficiaries. Decisions to keep or sell a property often depend on the heirs’ financial circumstances and differing interests.