Rent a house or buy/build? How did you decide?

...and the sun sets so beautifully over the Kiel Bay....what else can this world offer us. Nothing, we already have everything.

You could never take money with you to the kingdom of heaven. So why should you give up the comfort and luxury of a custom-built single-family home, just to someday have a full bank account thanks to speculation or horrendous saving? Maybe you miss out on something that’s enough for the next show, and then the same game again? Money soothes, but just having it doesn’t make you happy by any means. is in the same situation as I am and does the same with the situation: namely, live! We don’t care about the return, we live our lives well like this! But some probably have to turn 50+ to understand that. A young guy like you will eventually realize that money isn’t everything.

I’m not saying that at all. After all, I built myself. BUT I’m not sugarcoating it like most here! I built not for retirement provision, but for the quality of life for me and my family and all NOW! Building and living in a single-family home costs a lot of money... significantly more than I would spend as a renter (because of course I would never rent the way I built). That’s my truth.

A young whippersnapper like you will eventually realize that money isn't everything.

That's easy to say ... sitting in your own garden :P.

pretty dumb luck. If you had invested in DAX in 1995... it would be >1 million now. If you had invested in Apple in 1995... oh, never mind

Edit: even with a fixed deposit back in 1995 and the corresponding duration, you would have more than 295,000 EUR today!!!

Basically, you are of course right. However, he certainly wouldn’t have gotten 60%, 70% or 80% financing for an investment in the stock market. So you could only count your own equity capital there. And tax treatment is somewhat different as well: tax exemption for owner-occupied property after 10 years...

Nevertheless, of course he is fooling himself with his over 100% return. Taking all variables into account, he has a manageable annual return even though he bought in the slump and sold in the boom. Those who buy or build today will in most cases achieve a significantly worse result.

And I’ll say it again gladly: Owner-occupied house/apartment = consumption/luxury, not an investment

You have never been able to take money with you to the afterlife. Why give up the comfort and luxury of a self-built detached house just to one day have a full bank account due to speculation or huge savings?
Maybe you miss something for the next show, and then the same game again? Money calms, but just having it by no means makes you happy.
is in the same situation as I am and making the best of it: namely living!
We don’t give a damn about the return, we live our lives well like this!
But some probably have to be 50+ to understand that.
A youngster like you will eventually realize that money isn’t everything.

That is exactly the argument a few users here are trying to explain. For quality of life, it makes sense. But anyone who dreams up a great investment with the owner-occupied house is fooling themselves. By the way, no one here has spoken of speculation but rather investment. That is a big difference. You are absolutely right that you don’t care about the return, that’s why you built/bought. That’s great.

But some people talk about their great investments and the owner-occupied house simply is not one.

(because of course I would never rent like it’s built)

Why "of course"? In case of doubt, I would want to do exactly that. I am building a house that I would like to move into. And that is exactly what I would want to rent if I had the choice, right? It is just questionable whether I would stay in the same house once the children have left - but maybe I would, for convenience’s sake. I hate moving with the power of a thousand suns. And the two rooms will surely find a use.

I'm not saying that at all. After all, I built it myself. BUT I don't sugarcoat it like most people here! I built, not for retirement provision, but for the quality of life for me and my family and the whole thing NOW! Building and living in a single-family house costs a lot of money... significantly more than I would spend as a tenant (because of course I would never rent like I built). That is my truth.

Don't sugarcoat it...

You were the first here to mention the word return, which sparked yet another discussion beyond the original question.

Most write about living comfort and quality, at least without any numbers.