Why don’t most Germans buy their homes

I was recently speaking with a friend of mine from Germany who told me that most Germans never actually buy a house but rent for life. This quite surprised me so I looked at the stats and it is true.

With an ownership rate of just 41% German people are almost the lowest in Europe (just Switzerland coming in a little lower at 38%).

Coming from Ireland where owning a home is almost a rite of passage this appeared quite strange.

Ownership rates in Ireland is almost double that of Germany at over 81%. So why the difference between these two developed countries in Europe? Continue reading Why don’t most Germans buy their homes

Property Depreciation and why Europeans have never heard much about it!

Here is an interesting thing I realized recently as a result of living in the US. In the US property depreciates. As a result you can write off the cost of the depreciation against rental income (typically over 27.5 years).

This deduction is not possible for those living in Europe. Why the difference?

Is it because of differing building standards. Generally more buildings are timber frame in the US verses block build in Europe thereby affecting their lifespan? Continue reading Property Depreciation and why Europeans have never heard much about it!

Should I become a Landlord?

After writing many blogs stating the advantages and disadvantages of being a Landlord it seemed natural to talk a little about whether it is a good idea or not to become one in the first place.

There are several factors that this depends on.

The first might seem a surprise but I think it so important: your age! Why might you ask? Well in my opinion the job of a Landlord needs energy. As a younger man I loved the challenges associated with it: fix this, write a reference, unblock a drain…. all the usual things. Continue reading Should I become a Landlord?

The best time of the year to sell your house

Does it matter when do you put your house for sale? Actually yes.

Property sales vary along the year usually peaking during June, July and August.

The same way birds nest during spring time it seems we are more likely to think about finding a home as days get longer and daffodils start to bloom.

Quoting Leo Tolstoy – “Spring is the time of plans and projects”.

Continue reading The best time of the year to sell your house

Moving back with the parents to save up for a deposit

There is really no way around it, if you are planning to buy a home you will need to have enough for a 10% deposit.

The way things go, you will need to save at least 20k to 30k before you can dream of getting a place you can call your own.

Now the tricky part, unless you have a good “parents bank” to back you up, this sum may take years and years to put together.

In the meantime, you need to live somewhere and as we all know, rents can be quite hefty. Continue reading Moving back with the parents to save up for a deposit

Can’t afford to buy a home? What about Shared ownership?

If you are thinking about buying a home, the first thing you need to do is to put together enough money for a deposit – typically 10% of the selling price and them be able to demonstrate that you can pay your mortgage.

Easier said than done; it may take many years of savings to come up with enough money for a deposit…and as property prices continue to raise the chances to borrow the amount you need may get slimmer and slimmer.

Here is an idea: What about Shared ownership?

Continue reading Can’t afford to buy a home? What about Shared ownership?

Buying a home with a friend

High property prices and hefty deposits meant, for many first-time buyers, putting off the dream of owning their first home. But here is an idea – why not to join forces with a friend or two to get your foot on the property ladder?

That’s exactly what more and more young professionals are doing.

Soaring property prices and stagnant wages meant that just over a quarter of those aged between their mid-twenties and mid-thirties can manage to own their own places. Continue reading Buying a home with a friend

Where do you want to live? Suburbs or city center?

Do you like it Green and quiet or you are rather in the middle of the action?

Suburbs or city center, close to the park or the shopping center: Before choosing to buy a property, you need to choose the location.

Families are drawn to the outskirts or suburbs

On the outskirts and in suburbs are the typical development areas with charming terraced houses, as well as detached houses of developers. Continue reading Where do you want to live? Suburbs or city center?

How do I know how much my house is worth?

Selling a house is not the sort of thing most of us is accustomed to do every day.

How can you know how much to ask for your house?

Is there a way to calculate the asking price?
Whether you’re selling, mortgaging or renewing your home insurance, knowing the value of your home will be the first thing on your to-do list. Continue reading How do I know how much my house is worth?

Houses for kids – Get your little ones excited about real estate

We are buying, restoring and selling real estate for the last 8 years now. We have two girls, 5 and 3 years old. Going to the DIY shop has been part of the weekly routine all their life. No wonder our girls are full of ideas about having their own little building projects.

Of course they have their own little space in the garden with the traditional sand pit where they can unleash their creativity. I already watched them assembling stones to built ways and building houses for little bugs they collected. Sometimes they use little sticks to pretend they are drilling holes or using it as a screwdriver.

Continue reading Houses for kids – Get your little ones excited about real estate