General

Photovoltaic systems are particularly popular for generating renewable electricity for private households. However, it is also possible to produce and use one's own electricity with small wind turbines on one's own property. Especially business owners, for example from real estate or agriculture, who have a high electricity consumption, but also private...

The German Property Federation (ZIA) and the German Retail Association (HDE) have developed a code of conduct for owners and tenants of retail properties, which recommends how both parties could deal with the losses in rental payments and the level of future rents caused by the Corona crisis. For both the real estate industry and the...

Those who own a garden and a terrace usually want to enjoy a beautiful view of the outdoors - for example, of nature, a forest, the mountains or the sea. This can be achieved with the right patio door. A generous glass front with floor-to-ceiling windows, for example, not only creates a far-reaching view and ensures great light incidence and bright rooms, but also connects...

Sustainability aspects and environmental criteria are playing an increasingly important role in financing decisions and real estate investments. Investors and financiers are concerned with aspects of climate protection and environmental compatibility as well as social concerns. This is the result of the DIFI Report (German Real Estate Financing Index) of the real estate service provider JLL in cooperation with ZEW....

Level showers in the bathroom enjoy great popularity. They provide safety, freedom of movement and a modern look. In the bathroom design of many new properties, level-access showers are gaining acceptance, and even in older existing properties, a barrier-free bathroom can be retrofitted. In total, there are three systems of walk-in showers: a...

According to the Building and Financing Info Service of the LBS Landesbausparkassen, around 40 percent of Germany's entire housing stock was built before the introduction of the first Thermal Insulation Ordinance in 1977. A large proportion of properties built in the decades after the war, between 1949 and 1978, have major deficiencies and weak points in terms of energy efficiency and...

The restrictions imposed on public life as part of the Corona crisis are also having an impact on the real estate sector. A number of rulings have already been handed down in the field of tenancy and real estate law, such as in connection with the eviction period in residential tenancy cases (AZ 67 S 16/20). A tenant sentenced to eviction applied to the court for an extension of the deadline by three months until...

When designing the front garden, the path to the house plays an important role not only in terms of appearance, but also in terms of safety. Whether the walkway is straight or curved, it should be easy to walk on and slip-resistant in any case. Appropriate and sufficient lighting also reduces the risk of falls and injuries. To give the front garden a structure...

From the RICS Global Commercial Property Monitor of the first quarter of 2020, a significant drop in sentiment can be seen among investors and tenants due to the changes and consequences of the Corona crisis in the real estate sector. This emerges from a measurement of different indicators that provide information about the market dynamics and the sentiment of investors and tenants. In a total of 34...

Building in a joint building venture brings with it many advantages. Above all, cost savings of up to ten to twenty percent are possible due to the joint construction costs. But joint construction is not suitable for everyone. The guidebook "Bauen in der Gemeinschaft" ("Building in a Community") published by the German Association of Private Building Owners (VPB) provides prospective builders with an overview of what...