Would you make this financing?

A used or starter property is easier to calculate. You pay what is calculated, new paint for the walls can be factored in, and you do the terrace only in three years. In addition, this existing property can usually offer some special features that you can still only dream of in your new build.

I keep reading with amazement that such properties are recommended. Do costs not mean anything in your area? As an example: In a community with 6,000 inhabitants, a house from 1979, hardly renovated, heating system from the year of construction!, 1300m2 land, 100m2 developed and almost 100 m2 still expandable = 280,000€. A little paint won’t be enough here.

15 km away in a district town with about 25,000 inhabitants, you can get something like this for 100,000 more.

The used properties here in the area are in no way inferior to a new build.

Near Tübingen, 145m2, 580m2 plot, built in 1975, well renovated with windows, floors, bathroom, kitchen, solar, oil heating... All in 440k....

New build comparable with landscaping easily 550k....

Was definitely the right choice.



Edit: Roof may possibly come up over the years...

Used properties are in no way inferior to new builds around here.

That probably varies a lot regionally or is a matter of luck??

Currently, in my neighborhood, a new semi-detached house with about 250 sqm of land and 120 sqm of living space in standard design (plastered exterior facade, no porch, no sampling yet, no landscaped garden, no carport, etc.) costs from 289k..

I bought a semi-detached house built in ’07, 125 sqm living space (larger footprint), 400 sqm land, brick-clad, terrace laid out, fenced, paved parking space, attic converted into living space, and much more for 235k.

I do think it’s worth considering looking at existing properties as well.

I do think it is worth considering looking for existing properties as well.

That was also our first approach. However, one should set realistic boundaries, such as a maximum period one is willing to search for something used. This way, you can observe the market well, assess the offers, and see if there is something that suits your own taste.

However, searching for a suitable plot of land is often just as difficult and time-consuming. As with all things, a lot of luck and, of course, a significant investment of time are required.

We are here in the metropolitan area and one of the most expensive regions of the country - 20 km from Wiesbaden/Mainz. My husband works in WI and is there in 15 minutes (but he also doesn’t drive during rush hour). So that definitely still counts as the closer catchment area. And right now there is a cute house in good condition for 119k - I would buy it immediately and rent it out if I still had equity and wasn’t putting everything into our house. We also didn’t pay much more (139k - 2012). So with a bit of luck, you can find affordable houses even in high-price areas.

If you look on immonet under the location of the TE, there are no (for me) interesting existing houses, but some terraced houses are offered there, which would be less stressful to pay for than a single-family house. Surely you have to calculate here as well, because after all it is a base price without additional purchase costs or special requests, but you are moving within a more manageable range here. I do not want to offend the TE, but somewhere with a low salary the limit has been reached where one can comfortably advise a new single-family house.