The rise in office vacancies in the Ruhr region gives businesses a unique opportunity to optimise their space, establish new locations and expand. “Higher vacancy means more choice for businesses and a greater willingness among owners to invest in bespoke modernisation,” explains Eckhard Brockhoff, Managing Partner at Brockhoff. “Now is the right time to secure office space in the Ruhr region that can provide a lasting competitive advantage.”

Before the Covid pandemic, the situation in many Ruhr cities was very different: many markets were almost fully let, with a vacancy reserve of only around 3%. Large spaces of several thousand square metres were rarely available. Essen’s vacancy rate was then about 3%, rising to 7.8% in 2024, more than double. Around the main station alone, several office buildings with a combined area of more than 60,000 m² are vacant, available for large leases or smaller units. This creates opportunities that simply did not exist a few years ago.

Vacancy is concentrated mainly in existing buildings

Available space is concentrated mainly in existing properties that can be occupied immediately or after modernisation. Many developers already have planning permission but will build new offices only once a specific tenant requirement is confirmed. New construction in the Ruhr region therefore remains limited, while businesses can benefit from existing space in the short term.

Frankfurt as an example: businesses are already acting

Frankfurt, where office vacancy currently stands at around 11.3%, shows how businesses are responding to the changed market and securing new locations. Frankfurt’s office market recorded nearly 340,000 m² of take-up in the 1st half of 2025.

This example shows that businesses are already using the office market’s opportunities to create modern, future-ready workplaces, a trend that could also point the way forward for the Ruhr region.

Opportunities for the Ruhr region

Brockhoff GmbH helps businesses make the most of the current market. With 38 years of office-leasing experience across Ruhr cities, Brockhoff’s OFFICE team offers market analysis, tailored location recommendations and support with space requirements and workplace design, alongside brokerage. “Our comprehensive advice helps businesses find a prominent location that will serve them well over the long term,” says the real estate expert.

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About Brockhoff

Brockhoff GmbH is one of Germany’s leading commercial real estate brokers and the market leader in the Ruhr region. The owner-managed company, based in Essen, was founded by Eckhard Brockhoff in 1987 and has extensive expertise in marketing properties across the OFFICE, INVEST, RETAIL and LOGISTICS sectors, backed by 37 years of real estate experience. Its portfolio includes the nationwide sale of office and investment properties, office leasing focused on the Ruhr region, brokerage of retail properties in prime 1A locations in German cities of all sizes, and the leasing and sale of logistics properties. In 2021, ADOMO Beteiligungs GmbH acquired a 41% stake in the company. The remaining 59% is still held by the founder and Managing Partner Eckhard Brockhoff.