Finance Senator Matthias Kollatz is still open to the purchase of thousands of apartments from the real estate groups Deutsche Wohnen and Vonovia - even if it appears that the companies will not merge.
"We still assume that both companies will approach the state of Berlin in a timely manner, whether and, if so, how the purchase will proceed," said the SPD politician on Saturday.
"We were offered a mixed portfolio." Now it is the turn of the corporations to inform the country whether the offer is valid.
As part of the planned takeover, the groups had reached an agreement with the Berlin Senate on the sale of around 20,000 residential units to the state.
In view of the housing shortage in the capital, the government coalition wants to bring as many apartments back into state ownership as possible.
Necessary 50 percent not achieved
On Friday evening, the companies announced that not enough shareholders had accepted Vonovia's purchase offer.
Instead of the necessary 50 percent, around 47.6 percent of the shareholders of Deutsche Wohnen agreed to sell their shares.
The plan is therefore considered to have failed for the time being.
Vonovia announced on Friday evening that it would examine further options.
This includes, among other things, a new offer or the acquisition of additional shares.
Deutsche Wohnen is Berlin's largest private landlord and rents around 114,000 of the nationwide more than 155,000 own apartments in the capital.