House move - How to plan interim financing?

It is understandable that the bridging loan must be proven entirely as equity, but of course, this is also an obstacle. For example, if I calculate €450,000 and pay 5% p.a., that would be €45,000. We do have the equity, but that would be intended for renovation measures, e.g. solar panels or heating. That would be €1,875 per month, but then another €1,000 comes on top due to the old loan. Whether the bank then says that my net income of just under €4,000 is enough to cover both... we'll see.

You did mention your ETFs. Of course, you can also declare those as equity, which would make the bank happy. You really don't have to touch them if everything goes as planned. At the end of the day, banks just want securities for their lent money.

Then you just take a holiday home. see above. What would be the consequence? But well, if you set your priorities or rather no-gos in such a way that "things are out of the question," then you have to live with it.

Even then you can't just relocate the cats and let them out there. That requires an adjustment period during which they are not allowed outside at first. That is stress and effort for everyone. It's not for nothing that cats (at least outdoor cats) are not simply placed in an animal boarding facility during vacations, but an attempt is made to have them cared for at home. If you love your animals, you try to find another solution.

Exactly. We also don't see a real need for the interim move, since you still have to pay rent, and to be honest, we wouldn't find it very classy to tell the landlord "we're moving again" after maybe 3 months. A move isn't exactly free either. You might save a bit, but in the short term it probably won't make much of a difference.

And overall, we are still making a very good deal; the house cost €240,000 11 years ago and is now worth more than twice that.

Tip: I don't know where in Cologne, but €450,000 for 130 sqm terraced house (like new, energetically top) at €1,000 per sqm seems very low to me. Even though real estate prices are partly falling, I would still start negotiations at €595,000. Because at least where we are, the same prices as in 2022 are still being asked and apparently paid for like-new properties (from 2010 onwards). Such properties are currently very popular due to the slump in new construction. So definitely go in at €595k and then if necessary negotiate down to €550k. But always start higher. You could also find someone for €600k.

Even then, you can't just relocate cats and let them loose there. They need an adjustment period during which they are not allowed outside at first. That is stress and time effort for everyone. It's not for nothing that cats (at least outdoor cats) are not just placed in an animal boarding facility during vacation, but an attempt is made to have them cared for at home. If you love your animals, you try to find another solution.

Wow... if it were about children, people would probably say, "Well, they just have to accept it, they'll find new friends, that's life..." I grew up with cats... during vacation, someone just put down their bowl, that was it. And if they didn't come back from the forest during hunting season... you just got a new cat... no one would have thought of getting a psychologist if the cat had to move...

Wow... if it were about children, people would probably say "Well, they just have to accept it, they'll find new friends, that's life..."

Thank you for saying it. I wanted to write that too, as I thought that exactly such remarks were also made by people in this thread elsewhere, but I didn't want to look for them afterwards. (Even if the hunting season thing goes a bit too far)