Hello everyone, we are Ina and Philipp. We both want to take the next step and build our own home.
We are intentionally moving away from the big city back to the countryside (Ina comes from a rural area). Perhaps some of you remember we have posted here before and shared some bad experiences with looking for land. Thanks to your advice, we quickly figured out what to watch out for. We want to actively share our journey toward homeownership here and are grateful for any tips and tricks.
What is the current status?
We are currently in contact with an owner (over 70 years old) of a plot of land who is willing to sell us 1,400 square meters (15,070 square feet) for 50,000 euros. All utility connections except for gas are already available at the site. The land is currently farmed as agricultural land. The plot is located next to a low-traffic federal road.
Yesterday, we spoke with potential neighbors. They also bought from this gentleman in 2011 and are still very satisfied with the quality of living and housing in the area. The neighbors were in the same situation back then—the land was also used as farmland.
Next Tuesday, we have an appointment with the bank. We will discuss whether to finance the land or possibly pay in cash. The advisor told us on the phone yesterday that we should generally consider paying for the land in cash rather than financing it.
If everything goes well, we will call the owner on Tuesday and hopefully tell him that we want to buy the land. He said yesterday he would then send us all the documents.
We have a specific idea we want to realize: a bungalow (the neighbor’s house is already a bungalow) modeled after a Swedish-style home.
Currently open questions:
Do you already have any advice on what we should pay attention to?
I (Philipp) have some doubts and would prefer to finance the land because the €50,000 should serve as equity/reserve for building the house.
There is a sewage access point right at the edge of the property. The owner said—if I understood correctly—that he would also talk to the water utility company to see if we would not have to buy that part of the land.
Thank you very much for reading this far. We wish you a nice weekend and will continue to report here openly and regularly. We appreciate any feedback or suggestions on things we can clarify early on.
We are intentionally moving away from the big city back to the countryside (Ina comes from a rural area). Perhaps some of you remember we have posted here before and shared some bad experiences with looking for land. Thanks to your advice, we quickly figured out what to watch out for. We want to actively share our journey toward homeownership here and are grateful for any tips and tricks.
What is the current status?
We are currently in contact with an owner (over 70 years old) of a plot of land who is willing to sell us 1,400 square meters (15,070 square feet) for 50,000 euros. All utility connections except for gas are already available at the site. The land is currently farmed as agricultural land. The plot is located next to a low-traffic federal road.
Yesterday, we spoke with potential neighbors. They also bought from this gentleman in 2011 and are still very satisfied with the quality of living and housing in the area. The neighbors were in the same situation back then—the land was also used as farmland.
Next Tuesday, we have an appointment with the bank. We will discuss whether to finance the land or possibly pay in cash. The advisor told us on the phone yesterday that we should generally consider paying for the land in cash rather than financing it.
If everything goes well, we will call the owner on Tuesday and hopefully tell him that we want to buy the land. He said yesterday he would then send us all the documents.
We have a specific idea we want to realize: a bungalow (the neighbor’s house is already a bungalow) modeled after a Swedish-style home.
Currently open questions:
Do you already have any advice on what we should pay attention to?
I (Philipp) have some doubts and would prefer to finance the land because the €50,000 should serve as equity/reserve for building the house.
There is a sewage access point right at the edge of the property. The owner said—if I understood correctly—that he would also talk to the water utility company to see if we would not have to buy that part of the land.
Thank you very much for reading this far. We wish you a nice weekend and will continue to report here openly and regularly. We appreciate any feedback or suggestions on things we can clarify early on.
philipp1990 schrieb:
It’s not a disability; it only concerns stair climbing. Everything else is fine. And what about long term at age 50 or 60?
If stairs are already a problem now.
Stairlift and one-and-a-half stories?
I would seriously consider low-barrier or even fully accessible living. In 25 years, even the step to the terrace could become a real issue, who knows?
A bungalow is ideal for aging in place, and a walker won’t be a problem if there is enough space.
philipp1990 schrieb:
An update:
Today we had a meeting regarding the financial budget, including a safety margin, real estate agent fees, notary, and land transfer tax. We arrived at a maximum purchase price of €296,140.09 for both house and land.
We are planning €50,000 for the land.
We are thinking of a bungalow. Does anyone have recommendations for bungalows that can be delivered turnkey within €250,000? Preferably timber construction rather than solid masonry. €250,000 including additional construction costs will at most get you a shell house. A bungalow tends to be a bit more expensive than a one-and-a-half-story house with the same living area.
What about the outdoor areas, carport, and garden shed?
P
philipp19901 Sep 2019 12:49ypg schrieb:
The floor plan is not practical for everyday living. It’s designed more like a vacation home.
Because: the entrance area is too small to accommodate a family, the living room is too narrow, and there are conflict points with the children’s rooms. Children’s rooms are not places for retreat. kaho674 schrieb:
That’s funny, I immediately thought the whole thing is pointless.
What I’m reading from you doesn’t make me very optimistic. The budget is too tight, the building plot is still farmland, the floor plan is a disaster, and overall there is a lot of inexperience.
Better leave the floor plan to a professional.
Overall, I would advise you to find someone you trust (preferably a close family member) with expertise to oversee your project. Sorry if that offends you, but this whole thing seems like it could go badly wrong. If you’re not careful, the money will run out quickly and almost nothing of the house will be finished. Scout schrieb:
Again, please: which of you has this disability – one of the children or one of the builders? haydee schrieb:
And long-term at 50, 60 years old?
If the stairs are already a problem now.
Stairlift and 1.5 stories?
I would really go for low-barrier or step-free design. On one hand, in 25 years, the step to the terrace might already be an issue, who knows?
A bungalow is ideal for aging in place, and a rollator is not a deal-breaker if there is enough space.
250,000 including additional construction costs will at most cover a shell house. A bungalow is somewhat more expensive than a 1.5-story house with the same living area.
What about the exterior area, carport, tool shed? So, the issue with the stairs is the wife’s. But she can do everything else: jogging, yoga, even climbing mountains (no joke).
We are discussing the project with family and acquaintances – there is also an architect involved. We listen to all opinions and then make our decision.
Nobody here is offended.
Regarding the budget, we are calculating carefully but have more funds available if needed.
We are not stingy or anything like that. We just want a small, cozy bungalow, nothing extravagant.
The conclusion now is that with the dimensions 15.04 x 8.79m (49.3 x 28.8 feet) we had no success, so we will try 15.04 x 9.42m (49.3 x 30.9 feet) and move the cat enclosure (laugh) to the side.
We will share this again and simply listen to all opinions. We can now close the topic regarding the disability.
P
philipp19901 Sep 2019 12:58haydee schrieb:
What roof pitch are you allowed to build? 22 degrees
P
philipp19901 Sep 2019 13:01Tobibi schrieb:
This has nothing to do with being stingy. 250,000 simply won't be enough.We have realized that now as well. We are taking the next step to find out the cost if everything fits.
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