Is a home ownership project sensible as a single?

double income, no kids

A plot of land in this location is simply not affordable for an average earner in this size. Nevertheless, you cannot imagine how many people have already asked if the plot is for sale.
Regards, Chris

I can imagine that – hence my suggestion for subdivision.

Let me put it differently: I suspect that if the plot were purchased by an investor, it would be subdivided or at least developed with 2 houses on one plot. Ultimately, it depends on the development plan and the layout, but the demand is obviously there.

You have to be aware that if you use the entire 700m² alone, you are indulging in a bit of luxury. That is completely legitimate, the value does not disappear (that quickly) in this location, so in emergencies, it is still an asset – but if you build individually and build in such a way that no further use/subdivision/development is possible, you might be depriving yourself of an option. Your architect should definitely pay attention to that.

In this location, in my opinion, you have to give some thought to usage – where the land costs €30, this is not decisive, but even in locations where about €100 is paid, plots of around 400-500m² are now more the rule than the exception. Therefore, 700m² in [BI] for sole use is already a big deal, and if the family option is added, 700m² also have to be maintained.

My thought or info to your architect would definitely be that any subdivision is either actually carried out immediately (but you keep both plots) or at least kept in mind, meaning planned and built in such a way that you can, for example, give away about 350m² if it appears sensible.

To illustrate this from another angle: if your new build requires around 400m²... then your "garden land" (assuming corresponding developability) is worth +€100K.

Just a thought...

Best regards,
Dirk Grafe

I would keep the property and not divide it. However, I would build the house so that as a -single- person you initially only live on one floor and, for example, can rent out the second floor and the attic. If you plan cleverly, in the case of starting a family, you can reconnect the apartments and thus have the house for yourself alone. Until then, you can live in the "demand-oriented" apartment and also have rental income on the side. Presumably, it can also be planned so that the tenants can use part of the garden or have their own garden section and/or your garden area cannot be viewed from the rental apartments, etc.

This could become interesting a second time later when the children have left the house. Because in this way you immediately have something for your retirement fund again or the children can move into their own apartment in the house and pay rent.

A whole single-family house with a large garden would be too much work for me as a single person. I would only do that if the floor plan of the house is designed accordingly with large rooms. But then you would have a problem again when the family grows.

This all somehow seems very familiar to me.

I am also single, coincidentally a civil servant (but with a uniform), and I was also 31 when I built my house. Now at 33, I can say "I did everything right for myself."

In my case, it’s "only" a semi-detached house on about a 300m² plot, and I am financing "only" 200k€, but it is a similar situation.

By the way, my 11 windows (9 floor-to-ceiling and 2 skylights) are cleaned by a company, with frames inside and outside and the porch roof for 55€. I don’t find that worth mentioning, and you don’t do it every month.

What I absolutely have to admit, though, is that you spend a lot of time in and around the house. Especially in the beginning, even more so when you are landscaping the garden and working on other various projects. After finishing the house, I spent 3 complete vacations and countless weekends in the house and garden. At times I even asked myself if I was still all there mentally. But now that I’m roughly done, I don’t regret anything about the whole thing, except that I wouldn’t do the sanding and filling work myself again.

I have 136m² of living space and about 60m² of usable basement, and I think that’s not too big for me alone. There are also children’s rooms available. Certainly, it’s a bit more work to keep the house clean than a 50m² apartment, but I enjoy doing it. For me, the house and especially my garden have become a real hobby with constantly new projects coming to mind.

I would now set a financial framework for what is possible and what you can afford monthly, and if that fits, I would definitely build.