Mini house - possible for 300K €?

A garden for lease would of course be an alternative!

You are usually not allowed to build or place anything on garden land for lease. Allotment gardens may not be inhabited year-round, etc.
But if you are not fundamentally opposed to it, then google your surroundings regarding weekend houses, campgrounds, and mobile homes. Also for rent. If there is a campground near you, ask around. Sure, the old ones might be run down and you probably don’t want that, but you never know what’s sometimes offered. Imagine the campground near you offers affordable leased land. For 89,000 you can get a really nice piece. Well, maybe a garden shed and terrace as well, it’s not a bad life! You can also sell it again very well later. The market is booming. Downside: consumer credit! A mortgage probably won’t work there.

I would be looking for inventory (whether a used settlement house to renovate or a terraced house), maybe also a weekend house. Plot – rather small. About 400 sqm with a small new bungalow on it with the possibility to extend or expand. 300 k is tight but not impossible. There have already been other dream castles here. Looking specifically for building gap plots. Big enough for your small bungalow, too small for a single-family house with 150 sqm+

What I find a bit difficult is to commit at 34 years old that there will be no more children, no partner with possibly a space-consuming hobby (e.g., dogsledding...) etc. Then you stand there with your small house... Gardening: it always depends on how I design my garden. There are certainly low-maintenance options. Yes, I can understand that it sometimes annoys to be surrounded by people who don’t have the same life rhythm as you do. There is a house rule for that. Quite simple. And usually, you are allowed to run the washing machine from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. What exactly is a family with a toddler supposed to do who vomits and poops all over from head to toe at night? Wait until 8 a.m. to start the washing machine? I would also run the washing machine at 3 a.m. and at most explain to my neighbors the next day why it was like that. Grow a thick skin, check what is written in the house rules, and refer complainers to them. Otherwise, I would first continue to stay in the affordable and spatially quite comfortable (75 sqm for one person is okay!) cooperative apartment and continue to increase my equity. Keep looking to see if something interesting appears in the existing stock, continue to inform myself about home builders and concepts, educate myself at craft fairs (if they take place again) about building technology and interior design, and continue to respond to the nagging housemates with a smile that you strictly follow the house rules (a smile is the best way to show someone your teeth!). And then it will probably become clear whether your private situation will stay the same or not. And if THAT exact property comes along, you can go for it. Whether it’s a plot of land, the offer from a general contractor, or existing property is totally irrelevant. And since you will have diligently accumulated knowledge and equity by then, you will also have a much better starting position. And possibly a partner who moves in with you (and every bank loves that! Two who pay! Great! Cheers!).

I was never particularly fond of children, but I think at 34 I would not categorically rule out that one might still come. I wouldn’t completely disregard that.

I was never particularly fond of children, but I think at 34 I wouldn't have categorically ruled out that one might still come along.

I partly agree with you: on the one hand, some women know that they will not have any. Period. On the other hand, the dream man could one day show up with a whole bunch... okay, one is enough for tolerance... but even that one wants a room :) And the man as well. I just heard from a colleague (who moved in with a woman) that he keeps his clothes in the basement. When asked, he said: he has never been given another place, but he is allowed to store underwear and socks in the bedroom ;)

...
When asked, he said: he has never been given another space, but he is allowed to store underwear and socks in the bedroom ;)

I'm really glad that my wife has given me part of the closet space upstairs :D
However, I have voluntarily kept the most important part of my clothing in the basement (yes, on the floor with THAT chair :cool: ). But this is for the reason of avoiding the morning rush with two women upstairs ...

Thank you for your answer! That means 300k€ is already very tight but could work. At Town & Contry there is even a bungalow in my desired size, great tip :)

Maybe you can also build 2 floors. I mention this because, to my knowledge, bungalows are usually more expensive than 2-story or 1.5-story houses due to the larger base and roof. Additionally, this is just my personal opinion, you have to spend more money on "minor details" in such a small bungalow to prevent it from looking like a barrack. Even if my post might not suggest it, a bungalow is my favorite type of living, and we only gave it up because our plot is too small for it.