Vacant lot vs. new development area - how to decide?

Thank you for the previous responses. Very insightful, especially to read from those who have personal experience with infill lots in the town center. More of that, please.

It is not meant to sound arrogant, but we currently still have some concerns about our potential infill lot in the town center that the older houses (estimated 1920s/30s buildings) around it could attract a certain clientele with a future change of ownership, next to whom we would prefer not to live... but of course, you can also have problems with neighbors in the NBG, even if they may be better off socially, that's true as well.

In my opinion, children should have other children nearby. At the moment, the situation in the town center looks rather poor in this regard, and the older generation dominates the scene.
On the other hand, we will also belong to the older generation one day, and the steep path from the new development area to the town center to the grocery store, doctor, pharmacy, etc. would still be there... however you do it, you probably end up doing it wrong in the end... :-/

You will probably never find a property that fits 100% everywhere. My mother always said, when we were still looking, that I should pay attention to what schools are nearby. With the hardly existing market around Frankfurt, even less would have been left that way. We have now moved to an "old" settlement or will be moving soon. The neighbors (all much older) are terribly nice and patiently endure the construction noise. I haven't spotted any small children here yet, but that could change quickly if a few more houses come onto the market (built in the early 60s, the original owners are simply passing away one by one). Children don't need to be right next door to play, the town is enough, right?

New development area

Dozens of children playing together, going to kindergarten and later to one of the schools in town. Neighbors of the same age, sometimes the same interests, meeting for barbecues, etc.

My sister built in the existing area 20 years ago. The average age back then was 60 plus, there is gossip, complaining, and woe betide if the bin is not put away within an hour after the garbage truck has been. Currently, there is a change as young families are moving in. Renovations, demolitions, and new constructions are taking place.

And in both areas, the rule applies: you don’t have to get along with everyone.

that the older houses (estimated 1920s/30s buildings) around might attract a certain clientele with a later change of ownership, alongside whom we would only reluctantly want to live...

What kind of clientele do you think 90/100-year-old houses attract? I wouldn’t like the new development clientele: there’s a high proportion of city dwellers, so it remains forever a separate village district. And the worst thing is: when they move in, they are all roughly middle-young and then virtually “age” closed together. I have something like that here in the neighborhood: in the 60s all the house builders there were young, and by now you could practically added a nursing room to every row of houses. In the late morning, the white-haired squad then pilgrimages in a de facto convoy to the pharmacy.

We have deliberately decided against a new development area and for a building gap in the existing old stock. It would be a nightmare for me to have a bungalow standing among so-called town villas. Our house fits well into the existing houses. The neighborhood is friendly and helpful.

Especially when you are so far away from the town center, it becomes difficult to integrate, if you even want to. I would also prefer the central location. You can have annoying neighbors anywhere.