August 2024

Outdoor lighting: aesthetics and functionality

The exterior lighting of a house offers aesthetic and practical benefits. By using recessed or surface-mounted luminaires and wall luminaires, for example, impressive lighting effects can be achieved that emphasize the character of the house. Lighting under a canopy or roof overhang provides ideal orientation light, making the surroundings safer and more secure.

New buildings: More expensive than existing properties with one exception

In most German regions, new-build apartments are significantly more expensive than existing properties - according to the "Postbank Housing Atlas 2024". The study by the Hamburg Institute of International Economics (HWWI) shows that the price differences are particularly pronounced in the Bavarian districts of Miesbach and Garmisch-Partenkirchen, with a calculated price difference of 382,474 euros and 340,000 euros respectively.

Heating subsidies: commercial homeowners have their turn

From the end of August, it will be possible for commercial homeowners to apply for state subsidies for heating renovations. Applications for funding can be submitted until November 30, 2024 for heating renovations that have already been commissioned since the end of December 2023. Applications for funding can be submitted via the "My KfW" customer portal. The so-called...

Energy efficiency class: an important criterion

The energy efficiency class of a building is decisive for its energy consumption and therefore influences both the environmental impact and the running costs. These classes range from A+ for very efficient buildings to H for the most energy-intensive. Classes A+ to B indicate new buildings with high standards such as passive houses. They are shown in green in the energy certificate, which indicates their...

Vacation apartments: City of Lübeck loses before the administrative court

The city of Lübeck has fought against the unauthorized use of residential space for tourist purposes - especially in the old town - but without success. Instead, the Schleswig-Holstein Administrative Court ruled in favor of the landlords (A 158/20). The decision took into account the so-called grandfathering, under which the use as a vacation apartment was legal at the time it was...

Bathroom: strategies for optical enlargement

Small bathrooms appear larger and more inviting with the right design strategies. One key approach is to maximize natural light. To do this, anything that could block the window, such as a dark sunshade or large plants, should be removed. Bright, reflective surfaces such as mirrors and chrome fittings, on the other hand, help to distribute the light in the room and thus make the bathroom...

Single-person households: High proportion in Germany

In Germany, the proportion of people living alone is significantly higher than in many other European countries. In 2023, 20.3% of the German population lived in single-person households. This is well above the EU average of 16.1%. In an EU comparison, there are only fewer people living alone in Estonia (21.5%), Denmark (23.5%), Sweden (24.1%), Lithuania (24.6%) and...

Building a house: advantages and disadvantages of doing it yourself

When building your own home, there is considerable potential for savings by doing the work yourself. Builders can save around 15 to 20 percent of the total costs if they are heavily involved in the construction of the house. These savings relate to labor costs, which usually account for 60 percent of the total costs. Material costs account for around 40 percent. When...

Solar systems: These are the problems with balcony power plants

Many balcony solar systems lose a lot of power in the shade. This is shown by a recent study by Stiftung Warentest. Of eight systems tested, none generated electricity when partially covered. Only one system achieved an overall rating of "good". There were problems not only with the performance under suboptimal conditions, but also with the inclination of the panels and the stability...

Ruling: Tenants must pay for monitoring waste separation

Tenants must pay for monitoring the correct separation of waste. This is the result of a ruling by the Federal Court of Justice (BGH; AZ: ZR 117/21). In the case in question, a residential real estate company in Berlin had passed on the costs of waste separation and smoke detector maintenance to its tenants. The tenants objected to the statement of operating costs and demanded a refund.

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