Why Weißensee and Karlshorst are the new neighborhoods of the future
Berlin has changed – only many people haven't noticed yet. While public debate revolves around rising rents, scarce living space, and political intervention, a transformation is taking place that is structurally redefining the city. The classic inner-city location is losing relevance, while neighborhoods that not only offer space but also a functioning environment are in demand.
The future of living no longer lies between Friedrichstrasse and Ku’damm – it is emerging in neighborhoods that combine quality of life with urbanity. Those who recognized this early on can shape the future today. Those who miss the boat will have no answers in five years' time.
Weißensee and Karlshorst are two neighborhoods that reflect this change perfectly.
Weißensee: The underrated up-and-comer
There are locations that grow because the market discovers them – and there are locations that develop because they had the potential from the outset. Weissensee belongs to the second category.
For a long time, the district was perceived as a mere alternative to Prenzlauer Berg. A stopgap solution for those who could no longer afford the old apartments in the Kollwitzkiez neighborhood. Today, it is clear that Weissensee is not a fallback location, but has developed its own dynamic.
What makes Weissensee so strong is precisely what inner-city neighborhoods are increasingly lacking:
- Urban density with open space, which makes city life worth living.
- The lake is a locational advantage, a genuine local recreation area that does not need to be artificially developed.
- A mature structure that means neither interchangeable new-build neighborhoods nor an overcrowded city center.
The market has now understood this. Today, buyers are deliberately moving here because they are not compromising, but making a decision.
We recognized this change early on and invested in Weißensee when others were still talking about supposed peripheral locations. Today, everyone wants to be there.
Karlshorst: The location that speaks for itself
When it comes to locations of the future, many people think of hip new developments or undeveloped outlying areas. Karlshorst is different. Karlshorst doesn't need a grand narrative – it has its own history.
The district has exactly the qualities that will determine quality of life in the coming years:
- A high quality of life thanks to established neighborhood structures and an urban yet relaxed atmosphere.
- Good connections without hustle and bustle, perfect for anyone who needs a connection to the city but doesn't want to live in the middle of the hustle and bustle.
- A real neighborhood, not just a cluster of new buildings, but a mature environment with schools, daycare centers, and local amenities.
While Berlin debates the future of living, it already exists here. Karlshorst shows that not every location has to be artificially invented to work.
The city center is losing its status as a natural place to live. Central locations remain expensive and prestigious, but life is increasingly shifting to neighborhoods where you can really live. The city center is increasingly becoming a meeting place, a business location, a stage for representation—but no longer automatically the center of life.
The city of tomorrow no longer needs pure dormitory towns – it needs neighborhoods like our Zwieseler Hof with real substance.
We decided early on to invest heavily in Karlshorst because we know that this district will play a key role in ten years' time.
