Construction costs are currently skyrocketing

Although it’s not as bad as it’s made out to be. In areas with high land prices, it simply doesn’t make sense to designate new single-family house areas. No normal person can afford that anymore, and with small apartment buildings you can accommodate more people well. But in rural areas, the communities also have an interest in that. No one moves to Hintertupfingen for a 3-room apartment in a block of flats.

In my state, Western Australia, water, electricity, and public transport are state-run. We don’t have to spend time looking for a "provider" who will supply me electricity 1 cent cheaper for the next 3 weeks.

Those who extract gas from the ground here, like Shell and co, have to "give" 15% of their production to our state for domestic consumption. Prices are regulated.

The healthcare system is state-run; alongside it, there is a private system that you can choose additionally if you wish. Visits to the general practitioner are usually free. Contributions to the state system amount to 2% of taxable income annually, 2.5% for higher earners. Dental costs must be paid by oneself or covered privately. Private insurances are only supplementary and do not cover surgeries completely.

On our "highway," the maximum speed limit is 100 km/h, in the bush 120 km/h. Most accidents happen there due to poor lighting, many trees, and narrow roads.

We have only a few traffic signs. Anyone approaching a T-junction must yield to the right and left.

There is no civil servant status here.

Pension is mostly privately financed; the employer must pay 10% of gross salary into a fund, one can also contribute additionally but does not have to. For non-earners and low earners, there is the state pension. So, one is somewhat dependent on the stock market. Overall, most have enough money in old age; the house is paid off, or they move into something cheaper. There are more homeowners than in Germany, naturally with a lower standard.

Our tax return is pre-filled by the authorities except for annual income, 14 days after the end of the financial year. All authorities, banks, insurance companies, etc., are networked. This has been the case for years; everything is online.

When I go to the pharmacy, they know if I have already bought various medications elsewhere that I am only allowed to purchase in small quantities over the counter. They are networked as well.

Information is presented clearly so that, for example, a former Bolivian farmer who now plants and sells strawberries here understands everything.

In a nutshell, a much more uncomplicated life .... nobody here would waste so much thought as people do in this thread over every pub.

Italian 10y bonds at 3.7%. It was around 1.37% on January 1st. Ouch

Again about the speed limit: first 30 km/h throughout the city, then we can talk about the highways. That saves much more CO2, prevents many more accidents, and also greatly increases the quality of life in populated areas. Anyone who does not demand this does not take the issue seriously at all and resorts to a placebo discussion.

I'm curious, sounds not bad, but we probably can't really hope for anything lower ... (we are gathering documents, but right now "pulling out" is definitely an option we are keeping open)

Another, younger family will be happy about such a house becoming available, and they will also tackle the backlog of renovations: the building in the town center is thus brought up to current standards, making the town center visually more attractive again. And the primary school might then perhaps not have to be closed after all..