Prefabricated house or solid house companies - budget

Not everyone makes big money with a degree.
Commuting costs
Moving and earning money costs at first, and then it has to be much more for it to be worthwhile. In cities, the cost of living such as rent, food, and services is much more expensive.

Cary, I would find it nice and also very exciting if you - despite the surely arising headwinds - reported here about your house construction. Also as a counterexample that you can manage it with your own work and taking matters into your own hands.

I can sign that unconditionally. Don’t be discouraged here, . Just keep at it, keep asking questions and above all also answer questions. About your property:

The property costs 16,000 € developed. That was actually also our thought, but the city requires that construction must begin within one year after purchase.

If the property is really good, then just buy it already. Do you have to decide quickly, are there other interested parties or anything else that requires an immediate decision? Definitely don’t let the deadline scare you off. I am sure you can extend the one-year deadline if you credibly explain to the city that you are negotiating with (local) companies, have already submitted the building application or can show other activities. The start of construction generally means that earthworks have begun. The purpose is to prevent properties from being hoarded undeveloped. This does not apply to you.

There is a saying, don’t know who originally (Ustinov?)
"When you are old and look back on your life and regret decisions, then let it be because of something you did, not because of something you didn’t do." Or something like that.

Yes, that could fit Ustinov. He could have said it pretty much word for word like that, "confused" (confused in the sense that, as a multilingual person, he also thought in multiple languages, mixing German, Russian and other grammar).

I exclude existing property for two reasons. 1. We have been researching possible ownership for a while (about 2 years). There is nothing around here that wouldn’t need to be completely gutted apart from the exterior walls.

Existing properties have to be actively bought and one should not judge the market by what is just thrown in there. But this probably needs a lot of explanation, I have to work on that. It seems I should make a special existing building version of my Barthel tips. Thanks for the suggestion

only here in the forum there have always been dreamers of house building who think that if they just calculate everything nicely now, it will work out.

The dreamers are of course not the main reason why I usually avoid the financing threads here widely – the other is my impression that the punches fly particularly low in this section, compared to which my esteemed insults of architects seem like gentle breezes

Definitely don't be discouraged by the deadline.
I am sure that the one-year deadline can still be extended if you credibly explain to the city that you are in negotiations with (local) companies, have already submitted the building application, or can demonstrate other activities. Generally, the start of construction also only means that the earthworks have begun.

I only partially agree with that.

You have a degree and are dreaming of a new building, but the salary is not enough. Isn't it then obvious to look for a better-paid job? With 1-2 years of professional experience after graduation, a 50k annual salary should be achievable. Then you would have at least 500€ net more per month and things would look better. And no, you don't need 500€ for commuting. If your time is worth more to you, that's totally legitimate, but then you just have to give up building.
What I also don't understand is, why did you study if you are not doing a corresponding job? During the time of your studies, you could have already earned good money and put some aside.

That doesn’t matter at all. It is what it is! Nowadays you really can study anything, which doesn’t mean that the corresponding jobs are currently in demand in the area...

Nowadays you can really study anything, which does not mean that the related jobs are currently in demand in the area

Strollology – promenade studies, for example. Whereas that might even be in demand in the Harz?