2024

Federal Minister of Justice Marco Buschmann (FDP) wants to simplify housing construction. He has presented a draft bill to this end. His aim is to simplify housing construction by relaxing certain comfort standards. This measure is intended to save up to ten percent of construction costs and concerns standards that do not affect the safety of the building. The draft proposes to...

The German housing market is showing signs of stabilization after a period of price corrections, according to the latest Germany Monitor published by Deutsche Bank Research. Despite some indicators of further price declines, there are positive signs pointing to a recovery in the housing market. The Europace Index, which is based on data provided by the corresponding platform...

Before deciding on a prefabricated garage, owners should find out whether planning permission is required. This is because while in some regions garages up to a certain size can be built without a permit, other countries require detailed building plans and specific distances from neighboring properties. This circumstance requires thorough...

To develop strategies against the challenges of climate change in urban areas, the Technische Universität Braunschweig has launched two new "Climate Future Labs" - the "Urban Climate Future Lab" and the future lab "Open Planning Cultures. Design Principles for Transformative Spaces". These future labs will develop innovative solutions for climate-friendly urban...

The ten-year speculation period for profits from property sales also applies if family members use the property. This has been clarified by the Federal Fiscal Court (AZ: IX R 13/23). A married couple from North Rhine-Westphalia had tried to avoid income tax by letting their mother-in-law live in the property free of charge. The court confirmed that this use did not qualify as...

Already 20 percent of the German population is over 65 years old. This trend is expected to increase. From 2030, one in three Germans will be over 65. More and more older people prefer to spend their twilight years in familiar surroundings. However, there are other forms of housing for senior citizens, including living in a multi-generational home or in...

A barrier-free bathroom can significantly improve everyday life for older or disabled people. Even if there is not enough space for wheelchair-accessible fittings, adaptations such as height-adjustable washbasins and non-slip tiles can make a big difference. It is important to design the room in such a way that the use of aids such as wheelchairs is also possible....

Deutsche Bank and the European Investment Bank (EIB) have initiated a loan programme to support environmentally friendly housing construction and energy-efficient modernization in Germany. The program provides for the provision of low-interest loans with a total volume of over 600 million euros to private individuals. The corresponding construction projects and refurbishment measures must...

Heat pumps are gaining popularity as sustainable heating systems. They can often both heat and cool. However, Peter Kafke from the consumer advice center emphasizes that the heating function is often more important for the energy balance and costs than the cooling function. A high annual coefficient of performance (COP), which is the ratio of heat generated to electricity required, should therefore be aimed for.

Video recordings made in the stairwell without the tenants' knowledge may not be used as evidence in court proceedings. This is a clear violation of data protection and the tenants' personal rights. This was recently decided by the Federal Court of Justice (case reference: VI ZR 1370/20). In the case in question, a Berlin housing company had hired a private investigator...