Is it still possible to optimize construction financing?

Then the plan to start house hunting in 4 years doesn’t seem so far-fetched after all. Or would you start earlier – with every house viewing you learn more about what to pay attention to and so on... On the other hand, you might find a house that you really like, but the equity is not yet sufficient. Hm...

I have been keeping an eye on the real estate market more or less intensively for about 3-4 years.
I had set up search requests on the common real estate portals, I also regularly went through the foreclosure portal and the websites of Sparkasse and others, regularly read newspaper ads, etc.
We looked at a few properties as well, but didn’t find anything suitable. The market for well-maintained used properties in the desired region with our budget was swept clean.

We once attended a house fair and by chance got into a conversation with a house seller and learned about a newly developing building area in our desired region. Well, and then suddenly new construction became a topic, even though we had previously ruled it out.

In hindsight (after I learned the actual construction prices) I can understand why many properties were above our budget and why we didn’t find any suitable ones. With €50,000 more budget we probably would have found something much faster.

The more restricted you are in terms of budget and region, year of construction/condition, the more difficult it will probably be to find something suitable.
In my opinion, it’s better to start early, even look at a few houses that may not necessarily be an option, to then see what you really want and need and what you could do without if necessary. A used property will always be a compromise.

If the right property does come up, you can always talk to your bank to see whether the matter is feasible or not.

That is Gerwisch, not Magdeburg. If your search radius is that large, you could IMHO find a house very, very quickly. You can't give a general time frame. I would set up one or two search alerts on the common portals. That way, with little effort, you get a good feeling (over time) for the market (in terms of supply, which unfortunately says nothing about actual transactions!). If by chance your dream house comes along, I would—as mentioned— not hesitate.

In my opinion, you don't buy a house based on date, but on availability (supply) and possibility (money). It is often also true that interested parties who hesitate for a long time and always wait for an even better offer end up not buying/building at all. Let's see how it will be for us.

That is Gerwisch, not Magdeburg. If your search radius is that large, you could, IMHO, find a house very, very quickly. You can’t give a general time estimate. I would set up one or two search requests on the common portals. This way, with little effort, you’ll get a good feel (over time) for the market (in terms of listings, which unfortunately says nothing about actual closings!). If then by chance your dream house comes up, I would—as I said—not hesitate.

In my opinion, you don’t buy a house by date, but by availability (offerings) and possibility (money). But it’s often true that interested parties who hesitate for a long time and always wait for an even better offer end up not buying/building at all. Let’s see how it goes with us.

Right, that is already quite far outside. It was only meant as an example of what we are imagining. The goal is rather the so-called "commuter belt" of Magdeburg so that you can get to the city fairly quickly. Certainly also advantageous regarding infrastructure if there are children who later (when old enough) come independently to the city by bus and train. I will definitely set up the search requests. I’m curious how the market moves there. I now have a house in Cracau that makes a great impression and also fits into the (later) planned budget of €150,000. I would prefer to view it immediately. On the other hand, we are currently not yet that far (equity max. €15,000 and the high additional expenses of my girlfriend). This raises the question of how long it can take to find a suitable house.

The question remains what the children are supposed to do in Magdeburg, the commuter belt of Magdeburg also has kindergartens, primary schools, and high schools. I lived in Magdeburg for 10 years, I can't find anything appealing about the city.

Sometimes it is easier to get to the central points if you live along the railway lines, Barleben for example.

Regarding the actual question, on the relevant real estate websites you can have a newsletter tailored to your own needs sent to you. If then something interesting comes up, it doesn't hurt to take a look. Whether you accumulate equity and leave it at 0.0% in the checking account or buy a house with 100% financing doesn't really make much difference.

Yes, what are the kids supposed to do in Magdeburg *ggg* The main point for me was that the kids can quickly be in the city with friends later on. I have to say that I grew up in a village of 8,000 inhabitants and it was a 30-minute drive to the next bigger city. I want to spare my children that. I agree with you, Magdeburg is not exactly the ultimate city where you have to live. But I like the proximity to the water, it is a very green city and above all (this is the decisive point) the circumstances regarding work/income are currently quite good for both of us. Furthermore, houses in and around Magdeburg are still affordable. We had once tried living in Leipzig, but my girlfriend would only have gotten an unsatisfactory job there. Currently, she has found her "dream job," so we decided to stay in Magdeburg. At the moment, we have decided to buy a house in about 5 years. By then, we will have saved a bit more equity (even though that is apparently less important now), but above all, my girlfriend will have finished her further education and we can set a higher monthly repayment, so we will be done paying off faster. At this point, I want to say that the house should be paid off at the latest after 25 years so that the house is ours by the time we are 60 and the burden of the payments will be gone during retirement. (Besides, we want to "get through" the topics of wedding and family planning within this period – the current apartment is already designed for that)