Wohnungsgenossenschaft Karl Marx Potsdam

What Wohnungsgenossenschaft Karl Marx Potsdam does

Wohnungsgenossenschaft "Karl Marx" Potsdam eG is a registered housing cooperative (eingetragene Genossenschaft) founded on 18 May 1954 in Potsdam, Germany, and the largest of its kind in the city. As of 31 December 2025 it manages 6,702 own residential rental units, 66 commercial units, 243 garages and 691 parking spaces distributed across nearly all Potsdam districts, and serves 8,337 members who hold lifelong housing rights (lebenslanges Wohnrecht) in exchange for business share contributions (€615 for three entry shares plus apartment-specific shares). Core products are cooperative residential apartments (mix of publicly subsidized WBS-requiring and free-financed units), commercial space in new Potsdamer Mitte and Ahornstraße buildings, three furnished guest apartments for member use, and condominium management services for 397 individually owned apartments across nine owners' associations. Supporting offerings include the Treffpunkt Stern community center (since 1996), social worker services, guest apartments, garages/parking and digital member services such as the Mängelmeldung defect-reporting system and quarterly KM Magazine.

The business model is recurring, subscription-like residential rental income (Nutzungsentgelt = cold rent plus operating costs) from the member base, supplemented by commercial rents and ancillary parking/garage fees. Pricing is regulated by cooperative governance rather than free market: average cold rent of ~€5/m² is described as "very moderate" relative to Potsdam comparables, with one example Potsdamer Mitte 97 m² apartment at €2,861.50 warm rent/month against €1,640 cooperative share contribution. One-time revenue comes from the sale of 397 remaining Eigentumswohnungen over approximately ten years as decided by the 2025 Vertreterversammlung, plus guest apartment pay-as-you-go stays (€215-€245 per stay). Distribution is fully direct through the Saarmunder Straße 2 Geschäftsstelle; no intermediaries, resellers or franchise channels are used, and new memberships are currently not being accepted without a concrete housing offer due to the tight Potsdam housing market.

The operating platform is non-proprietary and modest: TYPO3 Immomanager for property listings and tenant data, Matomo open-source analytics, Brunata for utility billing, and Google Maps for location display. Financially the cooperative reports a balance sheet total of €343,117,303, fixed assets of €314,072,993, equity of €175,667,304 (a 51.2% equity ratio described by the auditor as a "super quote"), and a 2025 annual surplus of €6.6 million (up ~€1 million YoY) on a headcount of approximately 72 employees (69 staff plus 3 apprentices). Member engagement is delivered through democratic governance (Vertreterversammlung of 56 elected representatives, Aufsichtsrat, Vorstand), Werkstatt forums (since 2004), Genossenschaftstour events, the community center, and digital channels including the KM AKTUELL newsletter.

Name

Wohnungsgenossenschaft Karl Marx Potsdam

Legal name

Wohnungsgenossenschaft "Karl Marx" Potsdam eG

Website

https://wgkarlmarx.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1954

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Wohnungsgenossenschaft "Karl Marx" Potsdam eG is Potsdam's largest housing cooperative, managing 6,702 residential apartments, 66 commercial units and 243 garages across nearly all city districts and serving 8,337 members with lifelong housing rights at socially balanced rents.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cooperative Housing

SIC

Operators Of Apartment Buildings (6513), Services-To Dwellings & Other Buildings (7340)

akta.pro primary industry

Cooperative (Co-op) Housing Association Management (BPAJAHAC)

Keywords

• Housing cooperative
• Residential rental services
• Cooperative membership
• Commercial property leasing
• Property management

Headquarters

HQ city

Potsdam

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Residential Rental Income: Primary revenue from renting approximately 6,702 cooperative apartments (Genossenschaftswohnungen) to members. Members pay a usage fee (Nutzungsentgelt) comprising cold rent plus operating costs. Revenue is recurring from approximately 8,337 members as of December 31, 2025.
2. Commercial Property Rental: Revenue from renting 66 commercial units and managing 243 garages and 691 car parking spaces.
3. Guest Apartment Rental: Three furnished guest apartments are rented to members for minimum 2 nights, with all incidental costs including cleaning included in the price.
4. Sale of 397 Condominiums: The cooperative is selling 397 remaining owner-occupied apartments (Eigentumswohnungen) over approximately 10 years, to concentrate on the cooperative housing stock. These sales are one-time transactions generating proceeds but not recurring revenue.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Wohnungsgenossenschaft "Karl Marx" Potsdam eG operates as a registered housing cooperative managing 6,702 residential rental apartments and 66 commercial units across Potsdam, primarily serving its 8,337 members through cooperative membership that grants lifelong housing rights (lebenslanges Wohnrecht) at socially balanced usage fees. The cooperative also provides three furnished guest apartments, condominium management for 397 owner-occupied units, parking facilities, community programs at Treffpunkt Stern, and social work services for members.

Product overview

Wohnungsgenossenschaft 'Karl Marx' Potsdam eG operates as a housing cooperative managing 6,702 residential rental units and 66 commercial properties across Potsdam. The core offering is cooperative membership (Genossenschaftsmitgliedschaft) granting lifelong tenancy rights, combined with residential apartments ranging from publicly subsidized (WBS-required) to free-financed units. Supporting services include commercial property leasing (Gewerbeobjekte), three furnished guest apartments (Gästewohnungen), community facilities (Treffpunkt Stern), 243 garages and 691 parking spaces, condominium management (Wohnungseigentumsverwaltung) for 397 apartments in nine owner associations, digital member services (online defect reporting, newsletters, ePaper magazines), and social work support. The cooperative operates through a vertically integrated structure including its own building management (Hauswarte), technical management team (Bautechnik), and customer service administration (Mietwohnungsverwaltung).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Genossenschaftswohnungen (Residential Apartments) Approximately 6,702 rental apartments offered exclusively to cooperative members across nearly all Potsdam districts, ranging from single rooms to multi-bedroom units. Some units are publicly subsidized and require a Wohnberechtigungsschein (WBS) housing entitlement certificate, while others are free-financed. Lifelong tenancy rights at socially balanced usage fees are included with cooperative membership.
• Gewerbeobjekte (Commercial Properties) Approximately 66 commercial units including offices, retail premises, and practice rooms offered for rent. Commercial offerings include new construction spaces in Potsdam Mitte (built 2024), the Ahornstraße commercial building in Babelsberg, and offices at Zum Jagenstein in Waldstadt. Tenants include a care service, a vocational training provider, gastronomy operators, and professional practices.
• Gästewohnungen (Guest Apartments) Three furnished guest apartments available exclusively to cooperative members for hosting relatives and friends, rented for minimum two-night stays. Locations include Wall am Kiez 1 (city center, 16th floor, 63 m², 3 beds), Breite Straße 22 (city center, renovated 2023, 4 beds), and Schilfhof 18 in Am Schlaatz (2 rooms, 2 beds, balcony). Prices from EUR 215.00 or EUR 245.00 per stay including all incidental costs and cleaning.
• Treffpunkt Stern (Community Center) Community meeting center operating in the Am Stern residential district since 1996. Offers a daily member program including crafts, English language learning, museum visits, Potsdam tours, game afternoons, ceramic workshops, and a weekly singing group. Located in a converted space at Otto-Haseloff-Straße 15 and open to all cooperative members.
• Garagen and Parking Spaces 243 garages and 691 car parking spaces available across the cooperative's property portfolio for member use, including parking in underground garages attached to new construction projects such as Quartier Waldgarten, Zum Kahleberg, and Potsdamer Mitte.
• Wohnungseigentumsverwaltung (Condominium Management) Management of approximately 397 privately-owned apartments across nine Wohneigentümergemeinschaften (condominium owner communities) in Babelsberg, Waldstadt, and Am Stern districts. The cooperative manages common property, facilitates decisions in owner meetings, and oversees maintenance and modernization of shared building infrastructure.
• Mitgliedschaft (Cooperative Membership) Cooperative membership requiring three business shares (Geschäftsanteile) totaling EUR 615.00, with additional apartment-related shares required before taking occupancy. Members receive lifelong tenancy rights (lebenslanges Wohnrecht) and democratic participation rights including voting representation every four years via the Vertreterversammlung.
• Sozialarbeit und Nachbarschaftshilfe (Social Work Services) On-staff social worker services (Sozialarbeiterinnen) assisting members with neighborhood conflicts, personal concerns, and rent payment difficulties. The cooperative also supports community-building initiatives and actively recruits new members for the representative volunteer program.

Quantifiable outcome

• 94% of 142 buildings in energy classes A-C (green range) as of 2023/2024
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Verband Berlin-Brandenburgischer Wohnungsunternehmen e.V. (BBU)coreOthers · 1 January 1954The BBU is the primary industry and audit association for housing enterprises in Berlin and Brandenburg. Karl Marx is a member and the BBU serves as the designated Prüfungsverband (audit association) registered with the cooperative register. BBU Lentzeallee 107, 14195 Berlin.
• GdW Bundesverband deutscher Wohnungsunternehmen e.V.coreOthersNational association of German housing enterprises. Membership provides representation at federal level and access to industry expertise and standards.
• BBA Akademie der Immobilienwirtschaft e.V.minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerThe cooperative sends apprentices to BBA Berlin for theoretical training. The cooperative covers tuition fees for apprentice Immobilienkaufleute (property management apprentices).
• AGV Arbeitgeberverband der Wohnungswirtschaft e.V.minorOthersEmployers' association for the housing industry based in Düsseldorf. Membership provides collective bargaining and labor relations framework.
• rente 21 Branchenversorgungswerk der Wohnungs- und Immobilienwirtschaft e.V.minorOthersIndustry-specific pension and benefits scheme for the housing and real estate sector, providing retirement benefits for employees.
• Genossenschaftsforum e.V.minorOthersCooperative forum based in Berlin that promotes cooperative housing and provides networking among housing cooperatives.
• IHK Industrie- und Handelskammer PotsdamminorOthersChamber of commerce and industry for the Potsdam region. Membership supports business and trade interests.
• Arbeitskreis StadtSpurenminorOthersUrban history research initiative documenting cooperative housing history in Potsdam. The cooperative participates in this initiative.
• Potsdamer Genossenschaftstag (Joint event with other Potsdam cooperatives)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnnual cooperative day event jointly organized by all Potsdam housing cooperatives, including Potsdam-West eG. The 2026 event includes a bike tour through cooperative housing areas and presentations by the mayor and BBU.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Berliner Bau- und Wohnungsgenossenschaft von 1892 eG: One of Berlin's oldest and largest housing cooperatives, managing several thousand cooperative apartments under the same Genossenschaftsmodell as Karl Marx. Directly comparable cooperative governance, lifelong Wohnrecht, and member-driven model, with geographic adjacency in the Berlin-Brandenburg region.
• Potsdamer Wohnungsgenossenschaft eG: Another large housing cooperative operating in Potsdam, managing thousands of cooperative apartments for member-tenants. Directly comparable business model (eG structure, lifelong housing rights, member governance) and geographic overlap with Karl Marx, competing for the same member pool and municipal development pipeline.
• Münchener Wohnungsgenossenschaften (e.g., GWG München, Vereinigte Münchner Wohnungsgenossenschaften): Large German housing cooperatives operating outside Potsdam with the same Genossenschaft business model. Comparable in member-driven governance, lifelong housing rights, energy retrofit programs, and member service offerings, providing a benchmark for cooperative-scale operations in a different major German city.
• Wohnungsgenossenschaft 'Einheit' Potsdam eG: Another Potsdam-based housing cooperative with cooperative apartments, lifelong tenancy rights, and member governance. Directly competes for tenants and members in the same Potsdam neighborhoods, and participates alongside Karl Marx in the joint Potsdamer Genossenschaftstag events.

Broad incumbents

• Deutsche Wohnen SE: Major German residential landlord with a heavy Berlin-Brandenburg concentration. Operates tens of thousands of apartments in the same regional market as Karl Marx, with overlapping regulatory exposure (rent caps, Mietendeckel legacy, modernization rules). Comparable in operating model though investor-owned rather than cooperative.
• Vonovia SE: Germany's largest residential property company with ~500,000+ apartments. While investor-owned rather than cooperative, it competes in the same multifamily rental market in Potsdam and across Germany, and is a relevant comparison for scale, modernization investment, and rent management practices.
• TAG Immobilien AG: German-listed residential property company with portfolios primarily in northern and eastern Germany, including Berlin-region exposure. Comparable in apartment count and target tenant demographic; relevant benchmark for value-add modernization and tenant retention strategies.
• LEG Immobilien AG: Listed German residential specialist focused on North Rhine-Westphalia with ~166,000 units. Comparable as a large-scale, professionally managed German residential landlord; useful for benchmarking modernization cadence, energy retrofits, and rent per m² economics against Karl Marx's cooperative model.
• Wohnungsbaugenossenschaft Berlin-Brandenburg (BBU) member cooperatives (e.g., degewo, GSW-nachfolge): The BBU is the industry association Karl Marx belongs to; member cooperatives and municipal Wohnungsbaugesellschaften in Berlin-Brandenburg share the cooperative/Wohnungswirtschaft framework, regulatory environment, and tenant base. degewo is one of Berlin's largest municipal housing companies and a structural peer in scale and mission.
• Adler Group S.A. European residential property company with significant German exposure, including former Adlershof/Berlin-area assets. Relevant peer for German multifamily rental scale economics, though investor-owned and currently undergoing restructuring — useful cautionary comparison for cooperative vs. listed operator models.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wohnungsgenossenschaft-karl-marx-potsdam

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Wohnungsgenossenschaft Karl Marx Potsdam