ᐅ Young Landowner – Should I Build or Rent?

Created on: 19 Mar 2018 18:53
A
AnjaR93
Hello everyone,
I hope I set up this topic correctly; if not, I would appreciate any advice.

A bit about me:
I am 24 years old, trained as an industrial clerk, worked for two years, and will complete a further qualification in business administration this June. So far, I live with my two dogs at my parents’ house, but once school is finished and I have a steady job again, it will be time to move out.
I’ve also been in a relationship for two years, although my boyfriend actually lives about 140km (87 miles) away. He spends so much time at my place that you could almost say he lives here.

Now to my actual problem. I own a plot of land that borders directly onto my parents’ property. It is currently serviced with utilities but remains undeveloped.
On the one hand, I don’t want to move into an expensive rental apartment and “finance a good life for the landlord” (I don’t mean this harshly,...), but on the other hand, I’m unsure if it makes sense to build so early.
Considering that landlords are probably not keen on tenants with two dogs, the question is whether my boyfriend and I would even be able to find an apartment.

I know there are countless online discussions about whether it makes sense to buy a house at a young age, but I haven’t found anyone who already owned a plot of land.

Best regards,
AnjaR93
Y
ypg
20 Mar 2018 19:46
AnjaR93 schrieb:

When it comes to building a house and getting married, we agree. Having children is planned as soon as I have gained a few years of work experience.

Best regards

Anja

Take your time. Things rarely go as planned anyway.
Who knows what kind of job opportunities might come your way.
Maybe the dogs won’t even be around anymore (sorry), and your situation could be completely different.
Perhaps your life or your attitude will change by the time you turn 30?
What is certain is that after finishing your training or once you are securely employed or newly hired, you can change significantly.

And I think expecting someone at 25 to already know whether they want children or not is nonsense 😉
Climbee21 Mar 2018 09:42
ypg schrieb:
And the idea that you should already know at 25 whether you want children or not, I think is ridiculous 😉

But you can!
I find it a bit bold to deny anyone the possibility of knowing what they want in life at 25. I personally wasn’t one of those people, but I do know quite a few who knew very early on exactly what they wanted (or didn’t want) and set their course accordingly. And today, they are no less happy than those like me, who didn’t want to commit until well into their mid-thirties. I also don’t get the impression that they feel like they missed out on anything.

So if I’m sure, why not?

Anja, before you start planning, reconsider the idea of two semi-detached houses. If I understand correctly, one semi-detached unit is supposed to be for the parents. However, a semi-detached house with its stairs may not be the best solution for a senior living space.
If the plot is large enough for, for example, a single-family house with a (possibly connected) smaller bungalow for the parents—which could later be rented out or used as a guest house—I would consider that option.
Just a thought.

I see the real challenge more in financing, even if you have a permanent job in six months.
If you want to pursue this in the next few years, start saving now.
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AnjaR93
21 Mar 2018 10:21
@Climbee
Thanks for the suggestion about the bungalow! The semi-detached house for my parents is planned so that the ground floor will have both a full bathroom and a potential bedroom.
I had also considered the bungalow option, but my parents want a roof terrace above the double garage, and I’m not sure how to provide access to it without an upper floor.
But maybe someone here has some ideas...?
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Evolith
21 Mar 2018 10:34
AnjaR93 schrieb:
@Climbee
Thanks for the tip about the bungalow! The semi-detached house for my parents is planned so that the ground floor includes both a full bathroom and a potential bedroom.
I had also considered the bungalow option, but my parents want a roof terrace above the double garage, and I’m not sure how I would provide access to it without an upper floor.
But maybe there are ideas here...?
You could have a staircase built up to the roof terrace. A small semi-detached house with a bedroom and a full bathroom on the ground floor will hardly be feasible in terms of space.
Climbee21 Mar 2018 11:04
Evolith schrieb:
You could have a staircase built up to the roof terrace. Fitting a small semi-detached house with a bedroom and a full bathroom on the ground floor will hardly be feasible space-wise.


Exactly: a modern flat-roof bungalow with a roof terrace on top. You can use the terrace as long as you’re still mobile, but it’s not necessary if you’re no longer able to.

I also believe that the floor area of a semi-detached house on the ground floor is not necessarily sufficient for a complete living unit. I would plan differently in general.
K
Kundy
21 Mar 2018 13:35
I happen to have a semi-detached house with just under 100 sq.m (1,076 sq.ft), and to create a fully accessible, full bathroom and a bedroom, the living room would have to go. I like the idea of a bungalow with a roof terrace.

By the way, you don’t need many years of professional experience for children or for financing.

Best regards,
Kathi