Special repayment, saving or consumption?

I totally agree, but for me this is the best-case scenario. One does not assume that salaries might disappear, someone becomes unemployed, seriously ill, unable to work, or maybe even dies.

One can see it both ways. In such a case, it can sometimes make more sense to still have access to the balance (for example, to install an elevator or finance therapy in case of serious illness) rather than putting everything into extra repayments. When you need the banks the most, they are usually the least willing to provide anything.

From my perspective, despite extra repayments, there should always be enough reserves for such cases.
For exactly these reasons (unemployment, illness, etc.) we only had a rate of around €850 and still sufficient reserves in daily allowance savings/ETFs. On average over all the years, this means we will have had significantly more extra repayments than regular installments.

That's right, but you don't have to put all financial resources into the special repayment - we never did that either. However, we always made it in full at the beginning of the year and increased the rate significantly after 5 years. This way, we reduced the loan term from 30 to 9.5 years, and at the beginning of 2013, we still had to conclude at 2.4% for 10 years fixed interest. We also calculated based on the income at that time - my wife was still studying then, and I earned much less than now - again, a worst-case consideration. Due to all the salary increases and my wife's additional income, we never had to cut back, forego vacations, or anything else. The foundation for the rapid repayment of the house was the worst-case consideration and solid financial planning based on the income at that time - and of course, the low purchase price (compared to today).

Currently, the goal is still to be done by spring 2025 (i.e., 10.5 years after moving in).

Yeah, if you have a "3.90€" loan but not over €400k, as is currently the case for 8 out of 10 here.

That's exactly how I think too. Starting from 01.08., including the special repayment, we will have €1,800 more per month available - there is no better salary increase ;). Even though I didn’t get the maximum financially, I’m rid of the debt burden and can actually sleep better, am independent, and can say that the house belongs to us. I have become much calmer, more relaxed, and more at ease since I know that the mortgage issue is almost over.

So you live for years tense, with an extremely high payment, the burden at your leg, so that you sleep poorly. You hope for years that the "worst-case" will only come when everything is settled. What’s good about that?

An easily manageable payment.. appropriately saving on the side.. and the “worst-case” can come whenever it wants.. we could ride it out for quite a while. ;) That is independence for me.

As long as there are real assets behind the debts, one should be able to sleep really peacefully.

Instead of special repayments, we are trying to diversify the large item real estate a bit by investing money elsewhere.
However, this forum by far does not reflect the median household.
Inevitably, houses will come on the market that are unwanted there. Low liquidity leads to family stress and this, not infrequently, also to the sale.
As long as there is no recession and people do not lose their jobs, I see the situation calmly. (Long-term fixed interest rates in DE 10-20Y)
The Fed and ECB simply have to keep printing money from autumn/winter onwards.

That's right, but you don't have to put all financial resources into the special repayment - we never did that either. However, we always made it in full at the beginning of the year and significantly increased the rate after 5 years.

It just keeps getting better, besides the presumably 5% special repayment you still have so much more money left that you save on the side.

The foundation for the quick repayment of the house was the worst case consideration and solid financial planning based on the income at that time - and of course the favorable purchase price (in relation to today).

No, your foundation is a far above average high family income, nothing else.