Just before agreeing to purchase a condominium unit - Questions and doubts

We would have to go 50 km into the Black Forest

But that's the case in many metropolitan areas. If I look at my colleagues here, many – not the majority, but many – are located 30-50 km away from our site in Berlin City. It's a question of possibilities and then a question of priorities. Especially if you potentially have a growing family, you can hardly afford anything with a lot of space in Berlin anymore. There are also stories of shared flats with children (which might be more like communes), but that's certainly not the standard. I lived with another person in 30-and-squeeze square meters for half a year. That wouldn't be for me. Even the 50 m² you considered would be too small for two people. In that respect, I can fully understand your urge for more living space. If you want to rent again, it only makes sense if you can save at least 25-30 thousand euros of equity per year (more likely more) to keep up with the price increases. As I said, it won't get any cheaper. There might at most be a slight easing of the price increases. But that's all speculation; you could just as well buy right away. So if the apartment basically fits you and it only seems too expensive, just look for another week or two (if possible) and otherwise snap it up.

I see it a bit differently, I wouldn’t want to live next to a kindergarten either, because the orientation of the garden doesn’t help with that. Just go to a kindergarten during the day, with us there was always a lot of noise around the kindergarten, the children were almost always outside playing. Our kindergarten was initially only open until noon, after a few years it was open all day. In addition, there is heavy car traffic around pickup times because most children are brought and picked up by car.

Best regards
Sabine

about the kindergarten: 1. The price certainly reflects the location 2. You can choose whether you perceive children as a nuisance or an enrichment. 3. Kindergarten is usually quiet in the evening, on some weekends there are certainly events. 4. Today's windows protect very well against noise, so home office should not be a problem either. 5. Kindergarten means increased traffic during peak hours. 6. It is truly hypocritical that on the one hand we demand that kindergartens be central and accessible and on the other hand no one wants one in their neighborhood. This selfish attitude of "just not in front of my door" prevails and is basically against the common good.

Then a small note about the cat. Keeping cats cannot be generally prohibited. So if there is a general ban in the rental contract, it is invalid.

Enforcing the law and living in a poisoned relationship is extremely unpragmatic.

Regarding the cat, I usually say it directly because I am simply an honest person and don’t want to fool the landlord.

That approach is good.

The decision about the kindergarten was unfortunately only made a few weeks ago. An existing property is being converted; it will only be a small one with 2 groups. I am at work during the day anyway, and to be honest, it doesn't bother me, but as a result, the property could be devalued. On the other hand, there is no other choice anyway. Overall, I am still torn, but you have already helped me.

Advantages:
Small property with only 8 residential units and no social housing
Good rural but still close-to-city location, excellent connection to train and bus.
Nice layout of the apartment, garden, equipment, large masonry basement room with 14 sqm

Disadvantage:
Price
Possibly kindergarten

but this could devalue the property.

I am heretical and say that the property is actually increased in value by an improvement of the infrastructure in the surrounding area. For me as a family person, this would be an absolute pro for this location. There is nothing better with children than being able to reach the daycare center on foot directly.

We lived in our old apartment directly opposite a daycare center and an elementary school. At the daycare center, the drop-off and pick-up traffic alone was annoying (all the clichés like 'mom in an SUV' are true, by the way...). The very little ones are not yet so rambunctious. The elementary school with its large courtyard was much "livelier" in terms of noise.