Construction costs are currently skyrocketing

So, an acquaintance of mine bought a semi-detached house in northern Thuringia three weeks ago. Rural location, only 4 km to the highway. About 60 km to Erfurt.
Plot about 700 sqm, double garage, outbuilding with workshop and technology. Built in 1960. But everything renovated, newer kitchen, bathroom, heating, windows, roof, move-in ready for 72,000 euros.
Just as an example. An apartment in the small town was sold for 60,000€.

And now? That living in the province is not financially comparable to living in metropolitan areas is probably not a new insight.

At that price, do people want to live there? I ask myself that question as a country bumpkin.

We live so far away from any metropolitan area. In return, we have dilapidated shacks with pink 1950s bathrooms and night storage heaters, year of construction unknown.

So a friend of mine bought a semi-detached house in northern Thuringia 3 weeks ago. Rural location, only 4 km to the highway. About 60 km to Erfurt. Plot about 700 sqm, double garage, outbuilding with workshop and technology. Built in 1960. But everything renovated, newer kitchen, bathroom, heating, windows, roof, move-in ready for 72,000 euros. Just as an example. A condominium in the small town was sold for 60,000€.

And in Nuremberg, there is currently a 78 sqm 3-room condo for 430k€ on the ground floor where 8 sqm are terrace area deducted from the living space. 5 years ago, a similar 78 sqm condo, also on the ground floor with terrace but 4 rooms, cost 135k€ in Recklinghausen. What does this tell us? Nothing! Except that it is not comparable and prices have generally increased.

And now? That living in the provinces is financially not comparable to living in metropolitan areas is probably not a new insight.

So here with us in "Beelitz, Fichtenwalde, and the surrounding area," all the Berliners are moving to the countryside. I have the feeling that priorities have changed and people actually prefer to move from the big city to the countryside. Of course, this may also be due to the current prices in big cities, but I have often heard that people do want to move to the countryside.

You want that precisely when you are not (professionally) tied to the city, because no one wants to waste two or more hours every day. Yes, home office may have somewhat favored this change, but that certainly does not apply to all employees. As much as I enjoy living in the countryside - and that also includes the less good infrastructure - it is simply not sensible to increase daily commutes so drastically.

"Beelitz, Fichtenwalde, und Umgebung" I would describe as rural but not as provincial. There are quite different regions - as is indisputably evident from the land prices.