Gordon Group’s English site says German commercial-property purchase contracts must be notarised. It describes a transaction-specific notary escrow account as a way to release funds once contractual conditions have been satisfied, and says advance real-estate payments are prohibited: payment is permitted on full or partial completion.
RBC’s 2021 account of forward deals describes a 10% deposit held in notary escrow and full payment after construction, acceptance and registration of the priority notice of conveyance.
Sources: Gordon Group, English-language site, RBC, 2021.