Plot of land 371 sqm, are the expectations realistic?

Hello first of all, sorry for jumping in with a question right after registering, but that is probably often the reason for signing up. We are about to sign the contract for the purchase of a plot of land with 371 sqm 18.5x20 meters. I know, many will probably say that is too small, but we have decided for ourselves that it will be enough. However, I am a layperson and wanted to ask whether my ideas about how it should look are realistic. We want a 10Mx7.8M footprint (78m^2 is the maximum) and 2 full floors on top. When I draw it out like that, it seems completely sufficient and I like it very much (family of 4). My calculation shows that we have an area of about 8x20 meters behind the house. Of course, there still needs to be a terrace and possibly a garden shed, but it should still be enough. I would also wish for 100 sqm but in the Berlin commuter belt that is currently no walk in the park and the location is simply perfect for us. I am still curious where my thinking errors could be. Thanks in advance

Hello Spreelefant,

only you can judge whether that is enough for you.
Whether 10x7.8 as you imagine it fits (may fit) with two full stories, no one can judge here.
Please include the site plan and development plan for that.

Hopefully you haven’t made the mistake of thinking that the ground area = living area?
A house also has walls.

In case you are still unsure where to get the information from. Google "Alkis." There you can use the address to view the corresponding site plan according to the official cadastre and, if applicable, the valid development plans there. Everything is possible online. That helped me a lot. 370 m² is nothing for a detached house. I now have just under 500 (2 were lost after surveying :mad). And I see the net garden area disappearing like nothing. If the previous owner also placed a fence incorrectly, then the m² keep shrinking... Oh, and check if it is an infill development, i.e., for example, a subdivision of an existing property with buildings. If that is also the front one, you may have to grant a so-called right of way, access, and utility easement with a width of 3 m. Suddenly, 50 m² are gone (not usable alone and must always be kept clear).

I have 308m² and a house with the external dimensions of 10.5x7.0m². Of course, the garden is not huge, but it is enough for a terrace, two parking spaces, front garden, vegetable patch (15m²) and a bit of lawn for the trampoline. As for my house, it comes to about 100m² of living space. But there are only three of us. The area you mentioned for the house is anything but generous, and if possible, I would add a bit of width. But you write, 78m² would be the maximum? My opinion: you have to work with what you have. If it is so difficult to find a good plot, then rather 100m² less lawn and a good location. It all comes down to sensible, compact planning – here I particularly mean the floor plan of the house. Anyone seeking perfection might ultimately end up finding nothing at all... of course one has to be able to live with the necessary compromises.

My opinion: you have to work with what is available. If it is so difficult to find a good plot of land, then better 100m² less lawn and a good location.

That’s true. Location is very important here. Is it really that good? In Berlin, especially public transport connections are important (S- or U-Bahn <1km) because by car you often need longer during rush hour...

Hello, but when you are just about to sign, you have to have checked with a developer, architect, etc. what is possible (?) have 440 or so

is enough for us