How I find a house that suits me within an appropriate timeframe

I have the opportunity through an inheritance to buy a house for personal use up to a maximum of €500,000. I have noted down some personal criteria concerning the surroundings of the house. For example, supermarkets should not be farther than a certain distance, the next larger city should be at most X kilometers away, and the nearest airport should not be too far either.

As I have noticed, there are the following options:

[*]You find the house on eBay Kleinanzeigen. It is offered there by a real estate agent. Not only does the house then become more expensive by a certain percentage, but the market values are usually inflated upwards in favor of the agents by the agents themselves to increase their commission. That means you potentially pay significantly more than the house is worth and finance the agent. The problem here is also usually that the exact location of the house is not given. This is, of course, no coincidence but intentional so that you cannot bypass the agent under any circumstances. This naturally makes a quick visit or at least analyzing via Google Maps complicated and unnecessarily time-consuming.
[*]You find the house on eBay Kleinanzeigen. It is offered without seller commission and without an agent. This seems to be the best option. However, the problem here is that when buying a house you also have to worry about the surroundings. That means I first have to know what it is like to live there. While I do that and finally decide on the house, the house may already have been sold. And I have wasted my effort. The same applies to the first option as well.
[*]You find the house at a forced auction. I see two advantages here: the low starting price and the fixed date. So I know exactly that I have time until the set date to view the property and I can be sure that no one will purchase the property before that. Otherwise, I only see disadvantages. Normally, I do not get a guided tour of the building, especially not of the house, I do not learn about any defects, I have no right to cancel the purchase contract, I practically have nothing except a folder that is briefly passed from one person to another during the auction. And of course, there is also a date of announcement in which is communicated whether the person who bid actually gets the house.

It is important to me to live in an environment that is either secluded or not a problematic neighborhood. And forced auction properties are not uncommon in problematic neighborhoods.

Moreover, I may not want to live there forever. So the house should be in locations to which people want to move so that it has resale value.

Every house I find on eBay Kleinanzeigen has at least one significant feature that I do not like.

I have little experience with handiwork, but I find the subject very interesting and am quite willing to learn about many things concerning the house or its improvement. It may well be a house in need of renovation.

At the same time, of course, I must be able to assess whether the house is even stable enough.

The first thing that comes to mind here is water damage that weakens the foundation of the house and can cause the house to collapse. So apparently an expert assessor is needed for that. However, I cannot call in an expert for every house, as that would be far too expensive.

And on the other hand is the great danger of doing nothing at all. Continuing to live in a small apartment. Postponing dreams. Having one’s own garden would be wonderful.

My question is how I can systematically find a house that is most suitable for me without postponing the purchase to a date that never comes.

By searching until you find the right house? I don't quite understand your question. On the one hand, there are more platforms than [Ebay Kleinanzeigen] (Immoscout etc., newspapers, word of mouth). Whether a broker is involved or not is something you cannot change and have to accept. In the end, the total price counts. With a used property, it is advisable to hire an appraiser/expert. This does not guarantee that the house won't still have defects, but it minimizes the risk. Even with forced auctions, there are no bargains and the risk would be too high for me. Ps: Practice makes perfect. Once you have looked at a few properties, you develop a feel for it and can decide more quickly. You just have to do that with most properties.

Pinky0301: If I keep searching until I find the right house, I will die of old age before that. To help you understand my question, here are more details. Yes, there are more platforms than Ebay Kleinanzeigen. But in my experience (calling the newspaper, talking to people on the street) they all refer to the internet. And whoever advertises on Immoscout also does so on eBay Kleinanzeigen. Therefore, this seems largely exhaustive. It is true, the final price is negotiable either way, whether with an agent or not. The question is when I should involve an appraiser/expert for a used property. Because any investment I make can backfire, as the house may have been sold by the time the appraiser determines that the house is good. As I wrote, foreclosures are a very bad choice. How do you proceed concretely when buying a house?

I am not sure if I understand you correctly. Would you be flexible nationwide or are you looking in the nearby area? In our region, it is almost only the "leftovers" that end up on the internet. The good houses are already gone before.

Meaning: People clean out apartments, look at which properties no longer appear to be maintained (to renovate or demolish) and slip in notes or ring the doorbell. Or you know someone who knows someone (divorces, moving away, the deceased grandma with a house...)

Ysop: I don't want to live here anymore right now (I live in NRW), so I am flexible nationwide. Therefore, it is also difficult for me to knock on all German houses and ask if they are selling. I have done that repeatedly, but mostly no one was there and the neighbors didn’t know them. However, leaving a note is a good idea if there is a mailbox and someone happens to come by. My question is how I can systematically find a house that is most suitable for me.

If I search until I find the right house, I will die of old age before that

?? Everyone does it like that. The age at which you find it largely depends on your flexibility in defining the "right house."

And whoever advertises on Immoscout also does so on eBay Kleinanzeigen.

Bold claim.

The question is, when do I bring in an appraiser/expert for a used property? Because every investment I make can backfire, since the house might have been sold by the time the appraiser confirms that the house is good.

If I’m really interested in a property, I would try to reserve it and then go over it again with an expert before signing the purchase contract. Maybe you also know someone with a bit of knowledge in the field who can accompany you on initial viewings and at least give tips.