How long did it take you to reach the construction decision?

Signature end of Nov. 18 but still subject to financing, first installments are financed from equity. Construction start depending on weather February or March but no later than 1.4.19 according to contract. Now quickly finalize the building notification, dates for further (detailed) planning are imminent. Soil report already carried out earlier, surveyor commissioned. Energy consultant also done and paid for regarding KfW55. So many homework tasks already completed before signing.

I am curious to see if everything will work out as you imagine. I myself have learned that everything you have control over runs smoothly and on schedule, everything else depends on the other party. As far as the trades are concerned, we have no delays now after 1.5 months of construction. But everything before that, development, surveying, land registry, etc., was a timing disaster and cost us at least 6 months. Also, the dependency on the neighbor due to the slope cost us an additional month of delay.

But I don’t want to complain, there is now Baukindergeld and homeownership allowance :-p as compensation.

Development is 100%, some neighbors have already started building and had their construction power distribution box with electricity within a few weeks, that also seems to be working well here. We are still waiting for the land register, but the property tax has been paid, hopefully that will happen before Christmas. The surveyor has deadlines of a few days after the partial services are requested in the contract (his office is 5 minutes from the construction site). I hope everything works out! (it won’t, I know, but we have done everything within our power)

Surveyor went super quickly for us too. Ordered on Wednesday, by Friday we had an email with various plans, photos, etc. in the inbox

On the other topic here: to wait or not... not everyone can wait. The benefit for a young family is highest as long as the children are still small and can play in the garden. If I wait now for a bubble to burst, the children will be so grown up that they just sit in front of the PC or something anyway, then you might as well stay in the rental apartment.

That's how it is. If I were in my mid/late fifties with a completed family plan and now looking for a suitable retirement home, I would also give myself a relaxed 3-5 years to find it. And if not, then I just stay in my house. As a mid-thirty renter with intentions of starting a family and the desire to "settle down," the clock is ticking much louder.

Of course, it may be that because of Trump, Putin, China, Brexit, etc., there will be upheavals on the stock market in 1-2 years that will impact the world economy and ultimately also the German real estate market – but at the moment, this does not look likely at all, and every hesitation and waiting so far has always been punished with the next price increase. And even if it does happen, the wave of sales will not be immediate but delayed by several months or even years.

That there will be a major price drop again at some point, I have no doubt. At the latest, when the baby boomers retire, there will be significant movement in the market because many want to move closer to their children. But until then, today’s seeker simply cannot wait.

That's exactly how I see it too!

by the way:

. Of course, it may be that due to Trump, Putin, China, Brexit, etc., there will be upheavals in the stock market in 1-2 years that will impact the global economy and ultimately also the German real estate market

even that only applies partially. Financial crises also have the annoying side effect that tangible assets (gold & co and unfortunately also real estate) are increasingly in demand again.

Anyone who is now waiting for a crisis must also be aware that financial crises (as the name suggests) also affect their savings.

A collapse of the real estate market with corresponding loss of value and price decline would require that no one buys anymore. NO ONE, not even those who are currently still waiting for the crisis. Otherwise, everyone would wait and then buy, but only if there is such high interest from waiters is there no price decline

The benefit for a young family is highest as long as the children are still small and can play in the garden.

Well, on the other hand, owning a home is something fairly serious - you don't really build it just because of the maximum ten years during which the future brats are cute.