General

The 2009 inheritance tax reform aims to allow property owners to bequeath their family home to their partner or children tax-free. However, as this is not always possible due to strict conditions, the tax experts at Stiftung Warentest advise property owners on how to avoid tax traps. Above all, the experts advise homeowners and...

The quarterly investment market overview published by the consulting and investment management company JLL reports on current developments in the commercial real estate sector in Germany. According to JLL, the third quarter of 2019 was the strongest ever. This is because large-volume commercial real estate is particularly popular with investors with high liquidity reserves. Thus, JLL recorded by the end of...

Whether for new buildings or in the course of renovating existing properties, the right insulation for the house is a complex issue. This is because, in addition to the widely used insulating materials Styropor and mineral wool, there are also a number of ecological alternatives made from renewable raw materials, such as cotton or cork, to choose from. But beware - not every natural insulating material is actually...

Modern infrared heaters are an ideal supplement to classic heating systems in remote, rarely used rooms or as additional heating, for example, in the bathroom. Infrared heating converts electric current into heat radiation and heats not the air, but the objects and people in the room. Although heating with electricity is comparatively expensive, the many infrared heating...

To provide financial support for families buying or building their own home, the German government launched the Baukindergeld (child construction allowance) in September 2018. The state subsidy totaling 12,000 euros per child is subsidized for ten years with a contribution of 1,200 euros per year and does not have to be reimbursed. The prerequisite for applying is that the...

Nowadays, more and more people work from home. However, anyone who wants or needs to set up a study should pay attention to a few things. Above all, it is important that the home office is clearly separated from the private sphere. It is advantageous to set up the study in a separate room. If this is not possible, a room divider, for example, can be used to separate the work...

According to calculations by the construction experts at management consultants McKinsey, housing companies will increasingly opt for modular construction when building homes in the near and distant future. This is because building with industrially prefabricated parts has many advantages. It saves construction costs and shortens construction time. According to forecasts, modular construction in Europe and the USA is expected to reach a market volume of...

The installation of underfloor heating brings many advantages. The surface temperature of 23 to 24 degrees is evenly distributed throughout the rooms, radiators are no longer required, and heating costs can also be saved because underfloor heating systems have a lower flow temperature. This can save up to twelve percent energy. Also in combination with...

The German government has approved the draft of the 2030 climate protection program and decided to expand photovoltaics. According to this, 98 gigawatts of photovoltaic capacity are to be installed in Germany by 2030. The German Solar Industry Association (BSW-Solar) welcomes the plans of the Federal Cabinet, but continues to call for further improvements and a quick definition of the resolutions in the...

After carrying out modernization work on an apartment building in Berlin, the landlady wants to claim a rent increase. The landlady had insulation work carried out on the exterior façade and the top floor ceiling of the property, which was built in 1929, enlarged the balconies by five square meters and had a decommissioned elevator put back into operation.