Preserving and increasing the value of existing real estate, what is important?

I also see our semi-detached house as more than just a springboard. For us, it is also the house where we brought our child home, the garden has been dug over and changed by hand, little trees planted...

I think that is a very good and healthy attitude. You have it nice, you make it nicer, you have things to do. You live, and that, until someday a new time brings a different need. Then you look further. Whether you really want to reorient yourself locally will also be shown by time. Because after all, you have memories and love this or that that you have implemented. That is, for me, the course of things: to create something, to approach it creatively and to draw sustenance from the beautiful. If you no longer want to, then you look further. But only then. Daydreaming should nonetheless not be excluded. And I agree with that one or this semi-detached house does not have to be a starter property. You can spend your whole life there very well. And you report that it is a nice house.

He would also wear a sweater for 20 years if it didn’t fall apart before, and he would not need more than three. Over the course of our marriage, he is slowly getting the taste that you can also spend money on something nice, but it simply isn’t programmed into him.

Yes, such people exist. They stagnate and don’t move forward. Now it is your husband, and you want to live with him. Conversely, he wants to live with you, and changes are nothing reprehensible, but the course of time, and he could also let himself go there – even if it only benefits the partnership. My husband also does not like shopping, prefers to wear old clothes rather than new ones, loves his ebay classified leather-look black chair that I would gladly replace. But I let him keep his chair; in return, he lets me be creative and “watches” as I paint or replace walls or furniture... and in the end he praises the overall picture. Because the fact is: your husband has no dreams and will not have dreams. At least none that he wants and will work on. If in 15 years the topic “bungalow” or “relocation” comes up, he will probably question exactly that, because the last 20 years in the semi-detached house have also been nice. Regarding the stairs: It is a 2000’s staircase, but there are worse things; you don’t have to redo everything every decade. I wouldn’t even think of foiling with curves. If your son no longer needs the safety feature, I would probably paint the part nicely (chalk paint) so that it fits into your overall picture. Whether white or black, turquoise, petrol or a pale yellow... it doesn’t matter to us, for you it is a goal you can look forward to. And if the house is ever sold, the overall picture will also suit the potential buyer. Or he will change whatever he wants in a then 30-year-old house himself.

Unfortunately, you probably can't replace individual elements, said the staircase builder. It is a Kenngott. Due to the construction, you can't stick anything on it either.

Check here: or look on Duröhre for the videos "Treppenrenovierung Vorher-Nachher / Kenngott" and "Treppenrenovierung für mehr Sicherheit und bessere Optik - Mach's besser!"

Yes, such people exist. They stagnate and don’t move forward. Now it’s your husband, and you want to live with him. On the other hand, he wants to live with you, and changes are not something wrong, but a matter of the times, and he could also let himself go a little – even if it only benefits the partnership. My husband also doesn’t like shopping, prefers to wear old clothes rather than new ones, loves his ebay classifieds armchair in black leather look, which I would gladly replace. But I let him have his armchair, and in return, he lets me be creative and “watches” as I paint or replace walls or furniture... and in the end, he praises the overall picture.
Because the fact is: your husband has no dreams and will have no dreams. At least none that he wants to and will work on. If in 15 years the topic of “bungalow” or “relocation” comes up, he will probably question exactly _that_, because it was nice in the semi-detached house for the last 20 years.

I find the assessment of the nature of men a bit too negative now, to conclude that just from a few posts in a house-building forum, only because he has no urge for change in terms of clothing and home... I actually think it’s good that he doesn’t constantly want something newer, cooler, better. It’s enough that I often feel that way. I have rarely met such a content, relaxed person as him. I would often like to take a leaf out of his book.
He gets ambitious when it comes to his vegetable bed and his greenhouse. But even there, it’s enough for him to set it up once and then work with it; so far, it hasn’t needed to be completely renovated.
I am rather the opposite, I’ve liked tidying, changing, designing since I was little. Two such different people under one roof is not always easy in everyday life. :D
It’s also not that he resists changes in the house, he just has no interest in it himself. He would have agreed to the 17,000 for the stairs if it made me happy, but at that price I myself thought differently.

Regarding the stairs: It’s a 2000s staircase, but there are worse ones, you don’t have to redo everything every decade.
I wouldn’t think of foil wrapping with curves. If your little son no longer needs the gate, I would probably paint the thing nicely with paint (chalk paint), so that it fits your overall picture. Whether white or black, turquoise, petrol or a pale yellow... doesn’t matter to us, to you it’s a goal to look forward to. And if the house is sold someday, the overall picture will also suit the potential buyer. Or he will change whatever he wants in a then 30-year-old house.

The photo is a bit older; the gate has since been removed. I’ve also thought about painting. There is a video from a woman who adapted her beech staircase to her country house dream with white chalk paint. But I don’t quite dare, if it doesn’t turn out well, that would be bad...
Basically, the wood tone also gives the hallway a nice warmth, if you don’t look too closely, you could almost like it :cool:
Oak with white/stainless steel railing would be a dream. We’ll see...

Check here: or on Duröhre the videos “Stair renovation Before-After / Kenngott” and “Stair renovation for more safety and better appearance - Do it better!”

“Duröhre” is brilliant. :D I already knew the first video, not the second yet. I think Kenngott generally doesn’t have very nice designs, especially for the railing. But maybe it would be cheaper through the company, because it would be the same construction? Changing railing and steps would be like a new staircase, but you could possibly reuse the bolts in the walls etc.?

"Duröhre" is genius. :D I already knew the first video, but not the second. I think Kenngott generally doesn’t have very nice designs, especially for the railing. But maybe it would be cheaper through the company, since it would be the same construction? Replacing railing and steps would basically mean a new staircase, but you might still be able to reuse the bolts in the walls, etc.?

Writing here makes one cautious over time; I didn’t want to automatically have **Hinweise auf XYZ sind hier ganz doll böse** written there ;-)
I haven’t had a Kenngott case in my consulting practice yet and can therefore tell you little about it, but I just wanted to give you these two messages (firstly, something can apparently be done even with bolt staircases, and secondly, there is already at least one thread here about that).

After a colleague had a new building constructed in the last working year before retirement, I also believe that it is never too late to fulfill big dreams – and it is one, if I understand you correctly. A former neighbor from the street also sold his existing property in his mid to late 50s and realized a new building two towns away. Therefore, I join most voices here and say "make yourselves comfortable where you are now" but save your money and stay focused on your goal, then it will work out. Large investments in a 2007 house I also see more as "pearls before swine" or rather, there will be no mid-term ROI.

Your biggest trump card is actually the time you have until then. Since house construction has actually produced few major innovations (let’s leave 3D printing aside) in recent decades regarding the construction method, you can deeply study the subject, inform yourselves, prepare, plan, and so on. When the time finally comes, you will be well-informed and able to clearly express what you want.

After a colleague built a new house in the last working year before retiring, I also believe that it is never too late to fulfill big dreams – and that is what it is if I understand you correctly. A former neighbor from the street also sold his existing property in his mid/late 50s and built a new house two towns away. Therefore, I join most voices here and say "make yourselves comfortable where you are now" but keep your pennies together and stay focused on your goal, then it will work out. Large investments in a 2007 house I also see more as "pearls before swine," or there won’t be a mid-term ROI.

Your greatest trump card is actually the time you have until then. Since house construction has brought few major innovations in recent decades (let’s leave 3D printing aside) regarding the building method, you can deeply read into the subject, inform yourself, prepare, plan, and so on. When the time finally comes, you will be well-informed and can clearly express what you want.

Thanks, that helps to also see this perspective. You are of course completely right, you don’t have to build/buy only in your 30s, but also later. Then you can still find the house that fits at that time. And one advantage is that we then know what we want. Had we built in 2017, it would probably have become the famous first house you build for the enemy. Until then (as adults) we had only lived in apartments and had very different ideas of what we need than we do today.

In fact, I have a digital folder with floor plans and photos of houses, rooms, materials, etc. that I have picked up somewhere sometime. Simply for later, until then collecting is a hobby. And by reading along here from time to time I also always learn something new. :cool:

Until then, I enjoy our house and continue to make it nice. Maybe I’ll still paint the stairs white. ;)