Have construction costs increased so much in the last 2 years?

yes, that's about right

whereas salary agreements are also made from 2 % pA

The price increases of 5..10... % are often used as a selling point, but they certainly cannot be denied. You can also see how difficult it is to find craftsmen. Accordingly, prices are developing as well. Supply and demand - a relatively simple principle. And you can see that people are willing to pay it! If they couldn’t, they wouldn’t do it. Building a house is not necessarily just a trend. And based on the number of people dealing with the topic, it seems that most of us are not doing badly. Especially when I see what kind of incomes people under 30 have around here, you can sometimes be quite surprised. I wish it to everyone, no question!!! Ultimately, the question is how healthy both developments are. But that regulates itself in a market.

Rumor has it that next year the craft industry will have more room because people cannot build anymore due to fewer plots of land.

Can anyone assess this??

Can anyone assess this??

Gladly. That is nonsense.

Can that really be the case and how are normal mortals, non-nobles or children not subsidized by their parents supposed to still afford that?

We have this kind of discussions regularly in the forum and I will answer with my standard explanation, which best fits my personal worldview: The absolute costs do not matter at all. These will always depend on how much people can afford, purely based on the monthly installment and with the retirement age as the end date of the financing. That has been the constant over the past decades. Since interest rates are so low, incredibly high absolute amounts can be paid, but the percentage of income and the duration remain similar over the years. The majority of people buy what they can just about afford. At the end of the day, supply and demand applies, so one has to conclude: People can and want to have houses at this price. Whatever the situation for your children will be in 20 to 30 years, they will have the chance to own a house.

And, even though we actually already cleared this up bookstar, the financing costs have halved and have not just “slightly” decreased.
In addition, the Baukindergeld is starting to take effect.

The 500k for your friends’ place will also not be a basement-free, low-tech building with “only” 140-150sqm on a flat plot. It would definitely be 100k cheaper if you check the requirements.
As an example, controlled residential ventilation can be mentioned. Yes, I also have one and yes, I think it’s cool but seriously, 12,000€ that in the end are still optional. 10k photovoltaic, 20k KNX. Raffstore costs extra etc.