Hello!
First of all: These are just my initial thoughts, not concrete building plans, and I don’t have a plot of land yet.
I like the idea of a small house for a single person and a minimalist lifestyle. I’m thinking of around 70sqm (750 sq ft), a simple rectangular layout, solid but basic (let’s say manual light switches, standard windows, small bathroom, small kitchen, etc.).
Land prices here range from 100 to 250€/sqm (I’m estimating around 120,000€).
I already have a financing commitment of 300,000€, my net income is 3,300€, my equity is quite low at 30,000€, my home savings contract currently has only 8,000€, and I’m 34 years old.
Is it realistic to achieve the dream of owning a house with a budget of 300,000€? Realistically, only about 150,000€ would be left for the house itself. Is it possible to build something simple with that? And how do you get started? Should I look for a plot first and then go to an architect?
So far, I’ve only found price information for houses over 120sqm (1300 sq ft), but that’s not an option for me alone.
First of all: These are just my initial thoughts, not concrete building plans, and I don’t have a plot of land yet.
I like the idea of a small house for a single person and a minimalist lifestyle. I’m thinking of around 70sqm (750 sq ft), a simple rectangular layout, solid but basic (let’s say manual light switches, standard windows, small bathroom, small kitchen, etc.).
Land prices here range from 100 to 250€/sqm (I’m estimating around 120,000€).
I already have a financing commitment of 300,000€, my net income is 3,300€, my equity is quite low at 30,000€, my home savings contract currently has only 8,000€, and I’m 34 years old.
Is it realistic to achieve the dream of owning a house with a budget of 300,000€? Realistically, only about 150,000€ would be left for the house itself. Is it possible to build something simple with that? And how do you get started? Should I look for a plot first and then go to an architect?
So far, I’ve only found price information for houses over 120sqm (1300 sq ft), but that’s not an option for me alone.
Michele87 schrieb:
Leasing a garden plot would of course be an alternative!Usually, you are not allowed to build or place permanent structures on leased garden land. Allotment gardens are typically not permitted to be occupied year-round, and so on. If you’re not fundamentally opposed to this idea, try searching online in your area for weekend houses, campgrounds, and mobile homes—also available for rent. If there is a campground nearby, it’s worth asking. Of course, the older units might be run-down and probably not what you want, but you never know what might be offered. Imagine a campground near you offering affordable leased land. For 89,000 you could get something really nice. Maybe with a garden shed and a terrace, it wouldn’t be a bad lifestyle! These properties can also be resold quite easily later on. The market is booming. One downside: consumer loans are usually required! Getting a traditional mortgage probably won’t work in this case.I would look for an existing property (whether a used suburban house in need of renovation or a townhouse), maybe even a weekend house.
Plot size – rather small. Around 400 sqm (about 4,300 sq ft) with a small new bungalow that offers the possibility of an extension or conversion. 300,000 is tight but not impossible. There have been other dream homes here before.
Focus specifically on infill plots. Large enough for your small bungalow, but too small for a single-family house of 150 sqm+ (about 1,600 sq ft+).
Plot size – rather small. Around 400 sqm (about 4,300 sq ft) with a small new bungalow that offers the possibility of an extension or conversion. 300,000 is tight but not impossible. There have been other dream homes here before.
Focus specifically on infill plots. Large enough for your small bungalow, but too small for a single-family house of 150 sqm+ (about 1,600 sq ft+).
What I find a bit challenging is deciding at 34 years old that there will be no more children, no partner with a potentially space-consuming hobby (e.g., dog sledding...), etc. Then you end up with your small house...
Gardening also depends a lot on how you design your garden. There are definitely low-maintenance options.
Yes, I can understand that it can be annoying to be surrounded by people who don’t share the same pace of life as you. That’s exactly what house rules are for. It’s simple. Usually, you’re allowed to run the washing machine between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m. What is a family with a toddler supposed to do if their child vomits and soils themselves from head to toe during the night? Wait until 8 a.m. to run the washing machine? I would also run it at 3 a.m. and explain to my neighbors the next day why it was necessary. Grow a thick skin, check the house rules, and refer complainers to them.
Otherwise, I would continue living in the affordable and reasonably spacious cooperative apartment (75m² (810 sq ft) for one person is fine!) while increasing my equity. Keep an eye out for interesting properties on the market, keep gathering information about homebuilding and concepts, visit trade fairs about home technology and interior design when they happen again, and keep responding to nagging neighbors with a smile, saying you strictly follow the house rules (a smile is the best way to show your teeth!). Then it will probably become clear whether your personal situation remains the same or not. When the right property comes along, you can make your move. Whether it’s a plot of land, a general contractor’s offer, or an existing property doesn’t really matter. By then, having accumulated knowledge and equity, you’ll be in a much better position.
And maybe a partner who moves in with you (and every bank loves that! Two people paying! Great! Hooray!).
I was never particularly keen on having children, but at 34, I wouldn’t have ruled out that one might still come along. I wouldn’t completely disregard that possibility.
Gardening also depends a lot on how you design your garden. There are definitely low-maintenance options.
Yes, I can understand that it can be annoying to be surrounded by people who don’t share the same pace of life as you. That’s exactly what house rules are for. It’s simple. Usually, you’re allowed to run the washing machine between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m. What is a family with a toddler supposed to do if their child vomits and soils themselves from head to toe during the night? Wait until 8 a.m. to run the washing machine? I would also run it at 3 a.m. and explain to my neighbors the next day why it was necessary. Grow a thick skin, check the house rules, and refer complainers to them.
Otherwise, I would continue living in the affordable and reasonably spacious cooperative apartment (75m² (810 sq ft) for one person is fine!) while increasing my equity. Keep an eye out for interesting properties on the market, keep gathering information about homebuilding and concepts, visit trade fairs about home technology and interior design when they happen again, and keep responding to nagging neighbors with a smile, saying you strictly follow the house rules (a smile is the best way to show your teeth!). Then it will probably become clear whether your personal situation remains the same or not. When the right property comes along, you can make your move. Whether it’s a plot of land, a general contractor’s offer, or an existing property doesn’t really matter. By then, having accumulated knowledge and equity, you’ll be in a much better position.
And maybe a partner who moves in with you (and every bank loves that! Two people paying! Great! Hooray!).
I was never particularly keen on having children, but at 34, I wouldn’t have ruled out that one might still come along. I wouldn’t completely disregard that possibility.
Climbee schrieb:
I was never particularly fond of children, but I don’t think at 34 I would have completely ruled out the possibility of having one.I partly agree with you: on one hand, some women know for sure that they will not have any children. Period.
On the other hand, the ideal partner might one day show up with a whole bunch of kids... okay, one is enough to handle... but even that one would need a room 🙂
And so would the man. I just heard from a colleague (who moved in with a woman) that he keeps his clothes in the basement. When I asked, he said he has never been given another place to store them, but he is allowed to keep his underwear and socks in the bedroom 😉
Schimi179123 Feb 2021 11:55ypg schrieb:
...
When asked, he said he never got any other storage space, but he’s allowed to keep his underwear and socks in the bedroom 😉I’m really glad my wife let me have some of the closet space on the upper floor 😀 However, I keep most of my clothes willingly in the basement (yes, on the floor with THAT chair 😎 ). That’s mainly to avoid the morning rush with two women upstairs...
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Pinkiponk23 Feb 2021 11:56Michele87 schrieb:
Thank you for your reply! So, with 300,000 euros it’s really tight but could work. Town & Country even has a bungalow in my preferred size, great tip 🙂 Maybe you can also consider building two stories. I mention this because, as far as I know, bungalows are usually more expensive than two-story or one-and-a-half-story houses due to the larger foundation and roof area. Additionally, this is just my personal opinion, but you often have to spend more on “details” in such a small bungalow to prevent it from looking like a basic or boxy structure.
Even if my comment might not suggest it, a bungalow is my favorite type of home, and we only gave it up because our plot is too small for it.
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