Financing through building savings? I don't see the catch.

We were below 72%, accordingly 2.6%. This is an actual offer and still can be found online.

Well, what is posted online and what you specifically calculated is very far from what is stated in the offer when an individual offer is actually made by the bank. Online, there is only a number. At the bank, you really have to bare all... Besides the equity capital, these are: profession, employment relationship, and income. Age, children, place of residence. Current payment obligations (are there other loans running, etc.), term, repayment amount, type of construction (banks often calculate a higher loss in value for timber frame than for brick)... all of this can influence the interest rate. A web banner on a bank's website is not sufficient for that, I think you were a bit too hasty. Then I’m also not surprised anymore why the difference is so high.

Dear emer, I honestly don’t know what to make of your post right now. You present it as if we were chasing fantasies. But I’m afraid I have to disappoint you. The fact that the offer is still found online doesn’t mean that we picked it out ourselves and sugarcoated it. The advisor found it, checked it for us, and then submitted it. A rate of just over €1.2k (including KfW) for two civil servants with a combined income of over €4k (after deduction of private health insurance) and other total liabilities of €0.5k/month with a total remaining debt of less than €20k and paid off in 2 or 4 years stands there with their pants down, so I don’t assume that WE were the big problem. At least, that was always the reaction of the now three advisors. Oh, and we are 30 and 27 years old, so not retiring tomorrow either. The house will be a solidly built, basemented one with garage and co. Interior not luxury, but thanks to complete underfloor heating, sauna and co, still upscale. The problem is the rural location, since we live just outside the commuter belt of the nearest major city ([HB]).

I'm not saying that you have insecure jobs, low income, or anything like that – I didn't know/couldn't know about that. I was merely stating which factors play a role in finding the interest rate.

1. The "offer" with the 2.6% reads from your post yesterday as if you found it somewhere online. Or received a rough direction in an initial conversation.
You calculated your own equity, thought to yourselves: "That's a lot, and the income is good too" (which it is), and then:

2. You got a consultant/contact person, whoever it may be, gave them all your data (that's what I mean by “dropping your pants” – but everyone who wants a loan has to disclose this), who now presents the result: 3.25% interest. Now you are shocked about that.

But that’s what my post this morning is trying to say.

There is a difference between point 1 and point 2. Namely the advertised offer and your own calculations/rough estimate (1) and the bank’s calculation, which uses completely different formulas and risks (2).

You don’t have to justify yourself to me, I haven’t raised your interest rate :)
I’m just trying to explain it. And it can’t be explained any other way / or interest rates have risen so massively since your first inquiry. Which I almost doubt at the current levels. It didn’t jump like that as a joke or prank. Or the first one was a bait offer... no idea.

The topic here is also called: "Financing via building society savings contract? - maybe now you’ve found the catch.

Hello Emer,
gladly again.
We went to the consultant, who (allegedly) analyzed our situation in several conversations, ALL data was available, including location and building plan, and then presented the offer.
We then calculated everything again at home in detail and therefore asked about the catch here. Since apparently none was found, we then had the request sent off (by the consultant).
That means, we had the figures prepared by a financing consultant of a large financing brokerage company and only checked them at home (and here).
From your posts, I therefore gather that the gentleman probably didn’t have much of a clue. We never calculated an offer ourselves, merely recalculated the existing ones, which are apparently cheaper/better.

The reason for the higher interest rate is the revaluation of the house according to Basel III, due to which the loan-to-value ratio has increased from 71% to 88%.
According to our consultant, this will also “bloom” for us at any other bank.

Then I cannot assign "the offer on the internet." That is what prompted me to "dig deeper" there once again.