Always late so far....

A possible way with many risks. Often you don't know what you are buying.
Your financing must be arranged beforehand.

It can be cheaper (more affordable), but as always in life: such things involve a risk.

I would involve experts here beforehand.

This is how I got my condominium.

However, I knew what I was buying because the bank had the apartment shown through a realtor. In addition, the apartment was vacant. If you bid on something where the owner still lives there and possibly does not vacate the property voluntarily—that would have been too risky for me as well.

Financing does not necessarily have to be arranged beforehand. I had the check needed for bidding amounting to 10% of the market value issued from my savings.

Real estate agents are indeed dispensable and usually do not contribute anything substantial to property brokerage ... the really interesting properties are directly mediated to customers pre-registered by the agents.

Personally, I do not think much of real estate agents. But in the quoted area, the argument is somewhat contradictory.

There are actually two primary providers for offered properties.
1. The seller himself. If he has a property that is good and is likely to sell quickly at the desired price - AND he also has time for a few viewings - it is worthwhile for him to market it himself. Why should he incur costs if he can save them?
2. The agent: If the seller does not have the time and inclination to take care of it himself, he commissions an agent.
2a) For good properties, is right: These often go to registered interested parties whom the agent has stored on his list of prospects. Thus, he would have the possibility to close quickly on interesting properties.
2b) All remaining items, which are not so easy to sell, are offered through the agent. The song by Die Prinzen comes to mind: "Spoiled food, at exorbitant prices."

Point 2a) may make it interesting for you to get in touch with an agent. However, if you come across a property of your desire through him (even if it is only the mention of the address or an online listing) and then arrange everything else yourself, to my knowledge you still have to pay the commission to him.

I would also recommend that you take a closer look at new construction. Especially when the market for used properties is heavily picked over, you often get junk properties offered at high prices (plus subsequent high modernization costs), which makes new construction more worthwhile in the end. After 3 years of searching in the used market, we took the step to new construction.

It can indeed be sensible to purchase a property ready for demolition in a really good/interesting location and build new there. This way, for example, you are more likely to acquire an individual plot on the outskirts of a village, near a developed settlement, and avoid the usual single-family house new development areas. The renovation, modernization, and conversion of existing properties generally involve costs at least equivalent to a new build of comparable size/volume.

However, in this case, the demolition costs must be taken into account, the demolition/support wall for directly adjacent buildings and deep foundations, and the building and planning law situation of the plot, which should of course be as advantageous as possible for future development. Therefore, even in this case, a surveyor should be consulted who can assess the situation considering all these aspects.

It can indeed make sense to purchase a property ready for demolition in a really good/interesting location and build new there. This way, for example, you are more likely to get a single plot on the outskirts of a village, near an established town, and avoid the usual single-family house new development areas.

That’s exactly what a good friend of mine did in southern Germany. Of course, after thorough examination, obtaining offers for demolition and disposal, and so on. It was quite some work. When selling the plot (with the old house on it), the house ready for demolition was *not* factored in – almost purely the price of the land. So it was a fair deal.

Everything then worked out perfectly. And the demolition wasn’t that bad after all – ultimately not even in terms of costs relative to the entire project.

Last weekend, I happened to see such an offer in a real estate agent’s shop window. House: ready for demolition, but the land okay, and the price for 900 sqm of land too!!

The problem is that currently houses are being offered that are economically not really worth renovating, but the selling prices are still so high that demolition is too expensive.

The problem is that currently houses are being offered that are economically actually not worth renovating, but the sale prices are still so high that demolition is too expensive.

Yes, if you go through the country with open eyes and look around, you are often mildly surprised at what is put on the market. Year of construction anno_tuck_zumal, energy values that make you want to run away, the only things that are high: purchase price & expected renovation costs.