Real estate purchase

Attic: how to successfully convert

Builders or owners who want to convert their loft should find out the necessary budget and all the important steps in advance. This is because in some federal states, planning permission is required if you want to do this. This is the case, for example, if the statics of the house are affected by the addition of a balcony or the external appearance of the house.

House construction: How to avoid pitfalls

Building expert Tobias Beuler warns in his book "Bau keinen Scheiß" ("Don't fuck around") against the frequent tricks used by house builders who exploit the ignorance of clients. He emphasizes that building a house, although complex, does not have to be complicated if builders are well informed and prepared. Tobias Beuler advises prospective builders to insist on their own planning. Many construction companies rely on...

Buying a home: realistically calculating maintenance costs

In the current real estate landscape, condominiums from the 1970s and 1980s are increasingly attracting buyers due to their comparatively lower prices and the decline in new construction activity. However, buyers of such apartments should not only consider the purchase price. The Association of Private Builders (VPB) advises that the amount of the maintenance reserve should also be checked. The reason for this...

Prefabricated garages: Is planning permission required?

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...

Funding: banks support environmentally friendly housing construction

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...

Real estate: what unmarried couples need to know

Unmarried couples buying property together do not enjoy the same legal protections as married couples. It is therefore crucial to take legal precautions to avoid unexpected difficulties. Bausparkasse Schwäbisch Hall points this out. It recommends dealing with three main issues in particular: entry in the land register, the legal security...

ECB interest rate cut: advantages for real estate buyers?

The European Central Bank (ECB) has lowered its key interest rate by 0.25 percentage points to 4.25 percent. This first interest rate cut since 2019 makes loans cheaper. This is particularly attractive for property buyers. Due to potentially lower loan costs, the interest rate cut can make buying property considerably easier. Particularly in an environment of rising property prices, this...

Buying real estate: possibilities for state subsidies

For many people, buying a home is a financial challenge, particularly because of the high equity requirements. For example, buying a property worth 400,000 euros requires 80,000 euros of equity. In order to help potential buyers, the state offers various subsidies that can be used to save up equity capital or to help with the...

Building defects: vpb gives tips

Early detection and professional handling of construction defects is of great importance for private builders in order to protect their rights and prevent financial losses. The Verband Privater Bauherren (vpb) points this out, stating that building owners have the opportunity to inform those responsible about construction defects and officially document them with a notice of defects. A timely...

Buying real estate: Immoscout advises negotiating

The actual selling prices of properties are currently lower than the asking prices. "The gap between the asking price and the transaction price shows that it pays to negotiate," says Dr. Gesa Crockford, Managing Director of ImmoScout24. An analysis by Sprengnetter and ImmoScout24 shows that prospective buyers of condominiums in particular have room for negotiation, from around 8...

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