How much land and house can we afford?

The house will be too small from the start, many things will also get more expensive, e.g. [grunderwerbsteuer]... this would be around 13,000, since both the house and the land are being bought... if you don't plan to wait several years between buying the land and building the house, then that's what it comes down to...

...on the other hand, the construction description sounds like a low-cost house... just don't install anything that would be decent... sounds like one of the many franchisers...

Where in Berlin? The prices differ quite a bit, sometimes 5km away the prices are twice as expensive...

The basement is not included in the price quote; according to the seller's information, it would cost around 35,000 euros extra. It is not about one of the franchisers but probably about two local/regional construction companies. The city region is Pankow.

For now, I have noted that I need to follow up on the real estate transfer tax - thanks for the tip. What is your assessment otherwise - could the rest add up, or would I inevitably end up with the higher amount of around 380,000 euros?

The equity capital is as it is for now, and so are our expenses. Whether and where we can make adjustments is something we will have to see in the end. As I said, I prefer to calculate more conservatively at first and then have a buffer that I can use in good conscience through special repayments rather than the other way around. Or is that thought wrong?

And regarding the size, are there not also builders who have had good experiences with a smaller house and/or smaller rooms? After many years abroad, where much smaller rooms were common, the standard room size here still seems huge to us. Our current apartment has rather small rooms, and we feel comfortable. But at least in the long term, I would like to have the option of using the basement or attic and would therefore appreciate tips or experiences on which of these options would be more sensible?

Thanks & regards,

Kazazi

Well, that's just how it is with space... I used to live in 65 sqm and that was fine... now we have 140 and here and there space problems arise... so planning too small from the start is rubbish...

Well, no one can tell you exactly where you'll end up, but you have to reckon with a rate + operating costs of about 1200, everything else is rather unlikely...

As I said above, reconsider the construction companies... that one installs:

air-to-water heat pump, underfloor heating, manual roller shutters, 365 mm aerated concrete plan bricks for exterior walls, load-bearing interior walls are made with 175 mm aerated concrete

and then still asks 160,000 for 135 sqm, that's quite something, a lot of money is made here but at your expense...

Surveyor for 3500 I also consider way too much... does he come by with a golden odometer?

Utility connections get more expensive again... unless you dig and refill yourself...

Authorities also want more than 800 for everything...

For outdoor facilities, you can rather expect 15-20K if you don’t just want a straight 20 sqm parking space and a 10m path...

@ Mycraft A few questions for clarification: 1) Do you mean 1200 rent plus operating costs or inclusive? I assume the former? In my 900 those operating costs were not yet included, but rather estimated at 3 euros/m2, or is that not correct? By the way: do you also estimate 3 euros/m2 each for basement and/or attic, or something else instead? 2) Do I understand you correctly that you find the house price for the equipment too high? To me it seemed rather low compared to the otherwise estimated 1500 here. Which aspects of the equipment sound so bad and in which direction should we aim instead (we are really still at the very beginning and therefore do not yet know the pros and cons of different equipment options)? Otherwise, I summarize the need for review so far: surveying possibly too expensive, land transfer tax, median connections, authorities rather estimated too cheaply. Are there not still some earthworks missing from the list? I have already seen those estimated with hefty amounts in some discussions, but they have not been mentioned in my list so far... I would rather increase exterior facilities gradually, especially since we want a rather wild garden and want to preserve as many trees on the property as possible. Many thanks, Kazazi

Yes, of course, more data from the [Bauleistungsbeschreibung] is needed, but at first glance, I find what is being offered there too expensive...

I mean 1200 rate +BK

So, for me, the pure house construction costs are about 1400/QmWfl, but I have had relatively expensive things installed in some places... keyword bus system, passive house windows, etc.

property transfer tax...this would be around 13,000, since both house and land are being purchased...if you do not plan to wait several years between buying the land and building the house, then it comes down to this...

The basement is not included in the price quote, according to the seller it would cost about 35,000 euros extra. It is not about one of the franchisees but probably two local/regional construction companies. The city region is Pankow.

Here again a question for clarification:
Are land and house being purchased as a package? I had read it as the land being bought and then a company, independent of the land seller, being commissioned to build the house.
Then the OP's calculation regarding property tax would be correct. He only pays the tax on the land purchase.
However, if land and house are acquired as a package, the property tax must be paid on the whole.

And regarding size, doesn’t he also mention builders who had good experiences with a smaller house and/or smaller rooms? After many years abroad, where much smaller rooms were common, the standard room size here still seems huge to us. Our current apartment has rather small rooms and we feel comfortable. But at least in the long term I would like to have the option to use the basement or attic and would therefore appreciate tips or experiences about which of these options would be more sensible?

The calculation made by nordanney is, in my opinion, really the minimum. The rooms here are already very small. Please consider that in the attic there is often a knee wall, which further reduces the actual living space. Alternatively, you could think about a house with the character of a townhouse, which also has a pitched roof. That would have two full floors plus expansion potential in the roof.
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You definitely have to consider earthworks, as long as they are not already included (though I find that unlikely, since no reliable statement can be made without a soil survey [between 500 and 1000 euros]). Depending on your wishes (with or without basement) and the survey, you should budget between 20,000 and 40,000 euros for earthworks and disposal/deposit. If that is enough.