Buying land and paying part in cash normal?

Despite that, it is simply done a hundred times over.

How do you know that for sure? And doesn't an official have a special obligation not to simply look the other way?

There is, to put it mildly, a certain discrepancy between the prices that the notaries report to the [Gutacherausschüssen der Kreise] and which then flow into the geodata values, and the usual market prices. ok? It feels like this discrepancy grew where the state set the real estate transfer tax at 6.5%. Could also be coincidence. Or deception. Who knows. Karsten

I honestly find it disgusting how a high-ranking official paid with tax money justifies tax evasion here and occasionally even calls for it. And as their own justification then invents completely absurd alleged local traditions. Simply bizarre.

Then put me on ignore, willo.

Honestly, I find it disgusting how a high-ranking official paid with tax money justifies tax evasion here [...]

Well. According to their own statement, describes, does not justify. However, I had read it differently, see above. It is unfortunate to present such topics "just like that" without any context. Especially after the previous course of events.

My amazement actually began much earlier, when others loudly considered it could be a pleasurable experience to bring the crook down (with the identical collateral damage to the public, but hey, who cares?) — by showing the fraudster what it’s like through an even cleverer fraud.

That’s why I also found the subsequent description of an alleged practice of organized fraud very ambiguous, precisely because of the purely descriptive tone. Between the lines, there is a justification creeping in, namely one of customary law.

One question remains unanswered: If "one" supposedly knows about it, why is nothing done about it?

There is, to say the least, a certain discrepancy between the prices that the notaries report to the surveyor committees of the districts and which then flow into the geodata values, and the usual market prices. ok?

What follows from that?

This discrepancy seems to have grown where the state set the real estate transfer tax at 6.5%.

And from that? Mentioning something like that almost in passing opens the door wide to speculation. Do you accept it? Do you think it’s good? Do you think it’s bad but unavoidable? Bad and changeable? Is the state itself to blame if it enacts a law that people don’t want to comply with?

P.S.: Your statement that organized fraud can only be countered by excessively restricting freedom, of course, already sounds like a justification, even if it is meant differently.

the question is what the state can practically do about it. I personally also find the real estate transfer tax really wrong and only very hard to justify with normal considerations. nevertheless, it is the applicable law and of course I have paid it (in full). but from my own experience and also that of friends, I have heard that many try to reduce it somewhat (deducting kitchens and furnishings after 20 years from the new price, etc.). the notaries are at least quite relaxed about it according to my experience, as long as the buyers/sellers agree. how is the state supposed to track and prove that about 15-20k€ was faked just to subsequently demand 800€ more in real estate transfer tax. the process costs more than that, even if it is of course illegal.