Cologne and Düsseldorf 2026 BORISplus.NRW values: what changed and how to read GFZ and zone notes

What was published for 1 January 2026

Cologne and Düsseldorf have both set new official reference values with the valuation date 1 January 2026 and published them in BORISplus.NRW (BORIS‑NRW). In Cologne, the Committee of Valuation Experts (Gutachterausschuss) resolved the land reference values (Bodenrichtwerte) on 5 March 2026 and put them online on 13 March 2026. These values can be viewed free of charge in BORIS‑NRW. ([stadt-koeln.de](https://www.stadt-koeln.de/mediaasset/content/bekanntmachungen/2026/2026.03.16_0050-01_gutachterausschuss_grundstueckswerte_2026.pdf))

Düsseldorf announced on 19 February 2026 that it had presented the 2026 land and property reference values (Bodenrichtwerte and Immobilienrichtwerte). The city highlighted that the data are available free of charge via BORIS‑NRW. ([duesseldorf.de](https://www.duesseldorf.de/medienportal/pressemitteilung?cHash=dd5bb6ffafdf1c52cb96f2c0d23f5f0d&tx_pld_frontpage%5Bnews%5D=63968))

The Düsseldorf committee also ended printed BRW/IRW map production; from the 1 January 2026 valuation date onward, reference values are provided exclusively online through BORIS‑NRW. ([gutachterausschuss.duesseldorf.de](https://gutachterausschuss.duesseldorf.de/fileadmin/Media/Downloads/Newsletter_01-2026.pdf))

Since the end of 2025, all NRW committees have been required to deliver Immobilienrichtwerte (IRW) statewide under section 38 GrundWertVO NRW (state ordinance on official valuation). These are georeferenced €/m² living‑area factors per zone for typical properties (norm objects) such as condominiums and single‑ or two‑family houses. ([recht.nrw.de](https://recht.nrw.de/gvnrw/2020-s1186/?utm_source=openai))

BORIS‑NRW is the state’s central portal for official market information maintained by the committees and the Upper Committee. It hosts BRW, IRW, market reports and the online Immobilien‑Preis‑Kalkulator. ([gars.nrw](https://www.gars.nrw/images/user/GA_M%C3%BClheim_adR/pdf/GMB_MH_2025.01.pdf?utm_source=openai))

A federal press note from NRW confirms that detailed 2025 market data feeding the 2026 values can be downloaded from BORIS‑NRW. ([im.nrw](https://www.im.nrw/grundstuecksmarktbericht-nordrhein-westfalen-2026-mehr-grundstueckskaeufe-preise-ziehen-wieder-0?utm_source=openai))

What changed in 2026 for Cologne and Düsseldorf

Düsseldorf reported that prices for unbuilt land were largely unchanged in 2025, implying mostly stable Bodenrichtwerte for the 1 January 2026 valuation, while built‑property segments moved differently: −1.4% for detached houses, +0.8% for row houses, and +3.5% for income properties; condominium trends were mixed by building age. ([duesseldorf.de](https://www.duesseldorf.de/medienportal/pressemitteilung?cHash=dd5bb6ffafdf1c52cb96f2c0d23f5f0d&tx_pld_frontpage%5Bnews%5D=63968))

Cologne confirmed the new 2026 BRW were resolved and published (5 March and 13 March 2026 respectively). The one‑page notice does not quantify average BRW changes citywide. Buyers need to check the zone level in BORIS‑NRW for their address, because adjustments are made zone by zone rather than uniformly across the city. ([stadt-koeln.de](https://www.stadt-koeln.de/mediaasset/content/bekanntmachungen/2026/2026.03.16_0050-01_gutachterausschuss_grundstueckswerte_2026.pdf))

For context on 2025 pricing that feeds into 2026 values, the statewide NRW market report notes first‑sale prices for condominiums in mid‑quality locations: around €7,040/m² in Düsseldorf and €6,490/m² in Cologne. Those are not IRW or BRW, but observed transaction benchmarks that illustrate the premium level in Düsseldorf over Cologne in that period. ([im.nrw](https://www.im.nrw/grundstuecksmarktbericht-nordrhein-westfalen-2026-mehr-grundstueckskaeufe-preise-ziehen-wieder-0?utm_source=openai))

From a data‑access standpoint, Düsseldorf’s move to digital‑only maps from the 2026 valuation simplifies access; users retrieve both BRW and IRW directly in BORIS‑NRW without needing printed map sets. ([gutachterausschuss.duesseldorf.de](https://gutachterausschuss.duesseldorf.de/fileadmin/Media/Downloads/Newsletter_01-2026.pdf))

How to read a BORIS‑NRW BRW zone: GFZ and zone notes matter

A Bodenrichtwert (BRW) is the average land value per square metre within a zone, for a defined standard (reference) plot. The zone and its “reference plot” carry attributes such as use type, development status, the number of storeys, and especially the floor‑area ratio. ([gars.nrw](https://www.gars.nrw/images/user/GA_Hamm/gmb/GMB_112_2023_pflichtig.pdf?utm_source=openai))

GFZ stands for Geschossflächenzahl and expresses the ratio of total floor area of above‑ground storeys to plot size; it is one of the measures of use intensity in the federal Baunutzungsverordnung. In valuation, committees may specify not only GFZ but the “wertrelevante Geschossflächenzahl” (WGFZ) as defined by section 16(4) ImmoWertV 2021; this is the floor‑area ratio relevant for value derivation. BORIS’s BRW data model contains a field indicating which calculation rule applies (GFZBV: 01 = WGFZ under ImmoWertV, 86/90 = legacy BauNVO rules). Buyers should check which rule the zone uses before applying conversion tables. ([de.wikipedia.org](https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ma%C3%9F_der_baulichen_Nutzung?utm_source=openai))

Zone notes (“Bemerkungen”) frequently state whether a zone is “erschließungsbeitragsfrei” (development contributions already settled) or still contribution‑liable, and may list other assumptions. In NRW practice, “erschließungsbeitragsfrei” means the BRW includes settled road and sewer contributions; the committees’ market reports explain this convention. ([gars.nrw](https://www.gars.nrw/images/user/GA_Kreis_Kleve/gmb/GMB_313_2024_pflichtig.pdf?utm_source=openai))

In the BORIS map, click the value to open the full zone definition. Committees like Wuppertal explicitly note this in their guidance. Read the attributes and the notes before you multiply a BRW by your plot size; if your plot differs from the reference plot (GFZ, depth, width, development status), apply the committee’s official conversion rules from its market report. ([gutachterausschuss.wuppertal.de](https://gutachterausschuss.wuppertal.de/bodenrichtwertdefinition.html?utm_source=openai))

Important limits: BRW reflect land only (assuming an unbuilt state). They are not the same as a property market price for a built home. Where the plan allows different intensities (e.g., GFZ ranges) or where the committee provides WGFZ‑based tables, using the wrong GFZ/WGFZ leads to mispricing. If in doubt, ask a locally licensed valuer (öffentlich bestellte Sachverständige) to apply the committee’s tables for your specific plot. ([opengeodata.nrw.de](https://www.opengeodata.nrw.de/produkte/infrastruktur_bauen_wohnen/boris/BRW/BRW_Datenmodell.pdf))

Immobilienrichtwerte and the price calculator: what they are and are not

NRW’s Immobilienrichtwerte (IRW) are zonal comparison factors in €/m² living area for typical properties (condominium; single‑ or two‑family house). They extend BRW to the whole property (land plus building) for a standardised norm object in each zone. IRW are published together with official adjustment factors (Umrechnungskoeffizienten), so users can adjust from the norm object to their object. ([recht.nrw.de](https://recht.nrw.de/gvnrw/2020-s1186/?utm_source=openai))

Committees describe how to apply these factors in their market reports, and BORIS‑NRW embeds an online Immobilien‑Preis‑Kalkulator that applies the zone’s IRW and published adjustments (for example, for living area and year of construction). ([gars.nrw](https://gars.nrw/images/user/GA_Kreis_Soest/Soest_GMB_326_2024_pflichtig.pdf?utm_source=openai))

Düsseldorf confirms IRW are available for 2026; Cologne publishes IRW with their market report and via BORIS as part of the statewide system. ([duesseldorf.de](https://www.duesseldorf.de/medienportal/pressemitteilung?cHash=dd5bb6ffafdf1c52cb96f2c0d23f5f0d&tx_pld_frontpage%5Bnews%5D=63968))

If you need to automate checks, NRW also exposes IRW as an official map service (WMS) with 2026 availability. That confirms statewide publication, but investors should still read the PDF “local professional information” linked in each zone before relying on a number. ([data.gov.de](https://data.gov.de/suche/daten/immobilienrichtwerte-nrw889f6?ids=06ba5e9e-1f8f-4b1d-80db-00e067b7007c&ids=1a0ae610-7d96-4d77-8cec-5b66af70a88b&ids=3073b267-a9ff-4d8b-a8cb-ce675f764b51&ids=97a3f920-1fee-44d0-90de-7a5685a774fb&ids=cfd3c5e7-8f80-4945-b0fb-be821274dfb9&utm_source=openai))

IRW are not a bespoke market valuation or a bank appraisal. They do not replace a Verkehrswertgutachten under § 194 BauGB. For a binding value (e.g., financing, tax disputes), instruct a certified valuer. ([recht.nrw.de](https://recht.nrw.de/lrgv/rechtsverordnung/22062021-verordnung-ueber-die-amtliche-grundstueckswertermittlung-nordrhein/?utm_source=openai))

Checklist for foreign buyers using BRW/IRW in Cologne and Düsseldorf

- Find your zone in BORIS‑NRW, then open the data pane. Read every attribute: use type, development status, “erschließungsbeitragsfrei” vs “beitragspflichtig”, storeys, GFZ/WGFZ and any span shown. ([gars.nrw](https://www.gars.nrw/images/user/GA_M%C3%BClheim_adR/pdf/GMB_MH_2025.01.pdf?utm_source=openai)) - If your plot is not the reference plot (different GFZ/WGFZ, unusual depth/width, corner lot, pending road works), do not use a simple BRW × m² multiplication. Apply the committee’s official conversion factors from the market report, or ask a local valuer. ([gars.nrw](https://www.gars.nrw/images/user/GA_Hamm/gmb/GMB_112_2023_pflichtig.pdf?utm_source=openai)) - For built property, start with the zone’s IRW and use the online price calculator to adjust for year of construction and living area. Treat the result as an indicative comparison value, not a final appraisal. ([gars.nrw](https://gars.nrw/images/user/GA_Kreis_Soest/Soest_GMB_326_2024_pflichtig.pdf?utm_source=openai)) - Cross‑check market context. For 2025 feeding into 2026, NRW’s report shows first‑sale condo prices around €7,040/m² in Düsseldorf and €6,490/m² in Cologne in mid‑quality locations. This supports, but does not replace, local IRW/BRW. ([im.nrw](https://www.im.nrw/grundstuecksmarktbericht-nordrhein-westfalen-2026-mehr-grundstueckskaeufe-preise-ziehen-wieder-0?utm_source=openai)) - Risk points: using GFZ instead of WGFZ (or vice versa); ignoring whether contributions are already paid; assuming printed maps are current (Düsseldorf is digital‑only from 01.01.2026); and reading BRW as a house price. ([gutachterausschuss.duesseldorf.de](https://gutachterausschuss.duesseldorf.de/fileadmin/Media/Downloads/Newsletter_01-2026.pdf))