What are the criteria for buying a house?

I would look at which area the house is located in. Is it in a desirable area so that you can sell it again well in a few years? Or is it rather in the middle of nowhere, where you can only sell it at a great loss. Take into account purchase incidental costs (real estate transfer tax and notary) as well as possible prepayment penalties on the loan. Are there no such houses for rent where you are?

It might be somewhat part of our (German) culture to typically buy a house "forever," but I personally try to free myself from that as much as possible. A house – and also an apartment – must above all be tailored to current needs. If that is no longer the case, it is either adapted – or a new, more suitable house is sought. This has really worked well for me so far and, conversely, allows living with as few compromises as possible. So if the house fits for now, then go for it! (By now, you should just pay a little attention to the horizon being >= 5 years, otherwise you might have to pay tax on any potential capital gain from selling.)

I think that it is (among other things) "German culture" because the additional purchase costs are so high here. As a result, in many cases, you incur losses if you buy and sell again every few years. But of course, there is nothing wrong with that, I have also moved dozens of times in recent years and am already planning in my head my house after next.

It is important to me that the children feel comfortable, and therefore I would accept these compromises and keep in mind that I can always move again when the kids have moved out and then implement my wishes. And who knows when such an opportunity will arise again.

You are currently a trio, so buy the house, it’s surely nice. Sounds good. You want it...! You can sell it again and start fresh without kids when they’re gone. The townhouse won’t decrease in price over the years. It’s all for you, and three floors can be arranged wonderfully. Later on, you can downsize or marry another sheikh. Anything is possible.

Do you want to buy a house for the children because you think they want it? I wouldn't force anything if the current situation is also okay. I also hear divorce? You don't have to split up for the children.

Thank you for your helpful answers! Exactly, it's about a fresh start after my divorce, the kids are 11 and 13, so they will still live at home for some time. At the moment, they share a room, which repeatedly leads to conflicts because they are very different. Therefore, it is of course not necessary to buy an entire house right away, but the idea of paying rent and never seeing the money again goes against me, so I would like to invest in something permanent. The area is rural but popular, and I think the value will continue to rise. The additional costs when buying a house are also not negligible here in [Ö], it might be possible that you don't get everything back through resale... but who knows, maybe I won't want to move again then.