General

In addition to energy-efficient renovation and modernization measures, such as good external insulation of the building envelope or the installation of new windows, residents can reduce their energy consumption, cut costs and do something for the environment at the same time with numerous everyday measures. The German Association of Energy and Water Industries (BDEW) presents a range of...

Anyone who owns a condominium is also part of a condominium owners' association (WEG). It is therefore important that future condominium owners inform themselves about their rights and obligations and find out, for example, what is hidden behind the terms declaration of division, special and common property or community rules. Likewise, future...

Intelligent door intercoms provide convenience and security. Especially with the expansion of a modern voice system by an additional video door intercom, residents can be quite sure who is actually at the door. To ensure good audio and image quality of the video door intercom system, prospective buyers should seek advice from a specialist. Because the...

Anyone who buys a house has to pay land transfer tax for the purchase of the land and the building. Every year, the federal states raise the land transfer tax, which resulted in additional revenue of 15.8 billion euros in Germany in 2019. This represents a 12.1 percent increase in the real estate transfer tax compared to the previous year. This development is causing a stir in the real estate sector and...

High humidity in rooms and cooled exterior walls can quickly lead to mold growth. If you then ventilate the rooms incorrectly and do not heat them sufficiently, you give indoor fungi the opportunity to spread. If the air humidity is more than 65 percent, mold growth is pre-programmed. To prevent mold growth and its consequences, such as...

Nowadays, every builder should address the issue of energy-efficient construction. What exactly goes into an energy-self-sufficient house is revealed by independent energy and building consultants. To build energy-efficiently, builders are advised to opt for a compact building form with the smallest possible building surface. Solid houses in particular offer a good...

The tenant of an apartment in Dresden agreed in writing to the rent increase demanded by the landlady in 2007, 2009, 2011 and 2013. In a legal dispute in 2013, he demands that the landlady repay part of the rent already paid (AZ VIII ZR 234/18). He justifies this demand with the fact that the floor space of his apartment was calculated incorrectly. Because...

To improve customer service in rental management and increase process capability, new digital tools in rental platforms match and structure the profiles of prospective tenants with the desired profiles of owners. This allows a landlord to see at a glance how well the prospective tenant fits at the beginning of the rental process. Digital...

Numerous developers and investment brokers see nursing care real estate as a lucrative capital investment for investors. They forecast high returns of four percent and more for up to 25 years. Stiftung Warentest investigates this forecast and sheds light on whether investing in a care apartment is actually as lucrative and profitable as promised. What profits can be made with...

In Germany, the installation of smoke alarms in new buildings is mandatory. This is because they alert the occupants of a house or apartment as soon as a fire starts. Fire alarms must also be retrofitted in older buildings. The building regulations in the respective federal states provide information on whether owners or tenants are responsible for installing the smoke alarms...