General

Due to climate change, there will be more and more extreme weather situations in the future, such as hail, heavy rain, winter storms and even earthquakes, floods and forest fires. In order to assess and reduce the risk of damage to real estate, the Federal Institute for Research on Building, Urban Affairs and Spatial Development (BBSR) has developed the web tool "GIS ImmoRisk Naturgefahren". This...

A roof made of sheet metal is no longer a rarity these days. Whether made of aluminum, copper or stainless steel, each material brings different advantages. For example, an aluminum roof has a very low weight and is easy to form. Copper can also be formed well, especially at low outside temperatures. In addition, copper is well suited for complicated building connections and...

Over the next four years, the Energiesprong volume deal agreed at the end of November 2019 is to be implemented. Participating in the deal are 22 housing companies, four construction companies and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BmWi). Part of the deal is the serial refurbishment of 11,635 apartments provided by the 22 housing companies. With the deal based on the...

In a legal dispute before the Federal Court of Justice (BGH, AZ VIII ZB 26/17), the question was who had to bear the costs of the court proceedings incurred by a facilitated termination of a co-tenancy in a two-family house with reference to Section 573a (1) BGB. A married couple, who were both owners and landlords of a two-family house, rented out one of the two apartments...

An old building apartment is characterized by high stucco ceilings, light-flooded rooms as well as large windows and a wooden floor. When we speak of an old building apartment, we usually mean apartments that were built before 1945. The historic premises have a very special charm, but because of their age they also require very special care. Before furnishing or...

A study is currently analyzing the relationships between local public transport (PT), housing construction and real estate prices in new urban neighborhoods. The study is being carried out by project and area developer BPD (Bouwfonds Property Development). Together with the Institute of the German Economy (IW), this involves newly built urban neighborhoods in metropolitan...

Especially in the dark season, good lighting in the outdoor area of the house is important. This is because homeowners and tenants have a duty to ensure safety on their property and minimize the risk of someone slipping or tripping on the steps. By lighting the front door and steps or the garden as well as the terrace, not only...

Anyone who wants to live more energy-efficiently and decides to install a heat pump to generate energy in the home has a choice of different models. What all heat pumps have in common is that they use regenerative energies, for example from the air, groundwater or the ground, and use them for heating, hot water or both...

If the sidewalks are icy or snow-covered in winter, the question arises as to who is responsible for clearing and gritting and who is liable in the event of damage. In principle, according to the law, the municipality is obligated to keep sidewalks passable and safe and to protect them from snow and black ice. However, if a property borders on a public sidewalk, the obligation to clear and...

Nowadays, bright and lift-flooded rooms are very much in vogue. After all, large rooms create space and promote togetherness. But what happens if you prefer to close the door behind you while cooking or want to watch TV undisturbed in the living room? A good alternative to make rooms appear large and bright, but still create privacy, is to install...