Königsbiene
2013-08-17 13:57:05
- #1
We faced the same decision as you. We now have two small children and have rented a big house. I'm glad we did it that way. And in two to three years, we will probably want to build. We went through so many existing properties; there was always something wrong with each, and in the end, they wouldn't have been really cheaper than a new build.
But now we have significantly more equity and already better ideas about how we want to live with children. As a childless person, you approach this topic quite naively. For example, our friends who are still childless have a really beautiful bathtub, which, however, will never work properly with a child. And the future children's room is located directly behind the TV in the living room... with other still childless friends...
And I can tell you, the life perspective changes enormously with children. Not in the first months, but gradually.
We calculate like this. One income has to be enough for everything.
So then repayment, interest, ancillary costs, reserves, living expenses, and so on and so forth.
Our two toddlers are very demanding, but I was still able to work again quite early with both of them or wanted to. How does your wife feel about this? Children and career are certainly not a walk in the park! It takes energy and should not be underestimated financially – we pay almost 800€ monthly just for the daycare. For example, we did not have this amount on our radar when planning our house purchase before the children.
And employment situations can always change. For other friends of ours, the woman recently stopped working because things didn’t work out with the children at school. Now she’s on pause at least throughout elementary school. And with yet other friends, the man got sick and no longer works at all.
So, one salary has to be enough. Otherwise, the pressure is definitely too high. And in my opinion, both partners must also have the possibility to take a few years off their careers, for whatever reasons.
And if both always work full-time, then the house is simply paid off after 10 years, and you buy a vacation home somewhere or invest the money or whatever.
If I were in your position, I would definitely prefer the new build over the existing property for 400,000€!
Wait another two years, then you will know whether your wife actually went back to work, and you have probably been promoted and earn more money... and what are two years compared to a current financing that will put a lot of pressure on you?
But now we have significantly more equity and already better ideas about how we want to live with children. As a childless person, you approach this topic quite naively. For example, our friends who are still childless have a really beautiful bathtub, which, however, will never work properly with a child. And the future children's room is located directly behind the TV in the living room... with other still childless friends...
And I can tell you, the life perspective changes enormously with children. Not in the first months, but gradually.
We calculate like this. One income has to be enough for everything.
So then repayment, interest, ancillary costs, reserves, living expenses, and so on and so forth.
Our two toddlers are very demanding, but I was still able to work again quite early with both of them or wanted to. How does your wife feel about this? Children and career are certainly not a walk in the park! It takes energy and should not be underestimated financially – we pay almost 800€ monthly just for the daycare. For example, we did not have this amount on our radar when planning our house purchase before the children.
And employment situations can always change. For other friends of ours, the woman recently stopped working because things didn’t work out with the children at school. Now she’s on pause at least throughout elementary school. And with yet other friends, the man got sick and no longer works at all.
So, one salary has to be enough. Otherwise, the pressure is definitely too high. And in my opinion, both partners must also have the possibility to take a few years off their careers, for whatever reasons.
And if both always work full-time, then the house is simply paid off after 10 years, and you buy a vacation home somewhere or invest the money or whatever.
If I were in your position, I would definitely prefer the new build over the existing property for 400,000€!
Wait another two years, then you will know whether your wife actually went back to work, and you have probably been promoted and earn more money... and what are two years compared to a current financing that will put a lot of pressure on you?