ᐅ New Construction or Buying and Renovating a House in Bavaria
Created on: 26 Oct 2023 22:51
W
Wo1z3rl
Hello everyone,
I have been a mostly silent reader in this forum for several years. About four years ago, my husband and I moved from the city to the Bavarian countryside, and for the past three years, we have been searching for a suitable property. Unfortunately, we never really found the right one—sometimes we were a day too late, other times the desired property was sold to a neighbor, and so on.
We are a family of four, with two children aged 2 1/2 and 5 years. I work full-time, while my husband is a stay-at-home dad. We have good savings and an additional net income of about 4,500 euros (including child and family allowances but excluding potential bonuses).
Here is the situation: My grandmother owns a plot of land in our town, about 1,200 m² (of which approximately 300 m² is a private road, so around 900 m² could be built on). About a year ago, she offered to transfer this land to us free of charge (to give some context, the standard land value in the new development area is about 135 euros per m²). After talking with my grandmother, I discussed this with the potential heirs—my father and three uncles—and initially, none of them seemed to have any objections. However, at least one uncle appears to have some underlying concerns, as he began discussing my grandmother’s possible will with her (there is none), which she did not appreciate at all.
The plot is located in the center of town and is not subject to a specific development plan but is designated as a mixed-use area in the land-use plan. The neighboring properties mostly consist of pitched-roof houses, ranging from single-family homes to multi-family buildings. In 2003, there was an approved building permit process for a house with a granny flat initiated by one of my uncles, but he eventually decided against building. The floor plans are no longer really up to date (pellet heating with a large tank in the basement, etc.); my uncle showed them to me. To make a long story short, my husband and I decided at that time, after the whole drama (and because I am quite picky and would prefer a south- or west-facing slope), to continue looking for renovation projects instead.
Currently, in our region, only run-down properties are available for at least 250,000 euros, while reasonably decent houses, mostly from the 1980s, cost around 450,000 euros. There have also been new semi-detached houses in the neighboring town priced at 430,000 euros, but these are too small for us (lack of a home office), and the neighboring town is remote with no shops within walking distance.
My father-in-law currently lives in the apartment next to us. If we can afford it, we would like to include him in a granny flat or separate apartment. Most of the older existing properties have very large living spaces of 220-300 m², so it seemed logical and sensible to us to somehow integrate him into the planning. We would of course try to do the same in a new build.
The big question now is whether we should continue looking for a renovation project or seize the opportunity to build on my grandmother’s land? We envision a house with about 160 m² of living space, a 40 m² (430 sq ft) granny flat, and a double carport—all within a budget of about 500,000 euros plus a 10% buffer. According to the rule of thumb of 3,000 euros per m², this seems very tight. :-(
My husband usually has some free time in the mornings, but in my opinion, he lacks significant practical skills, so I would try to subcontract all trades.
I have already compiled a list of construction companies within a radius of about 50 kilometers (30 miles). The issue that concerns me currently is the financial stability or liquidity of these companies: They are usually limited liability companies—how should one assess this as a potential future builder? Would it be better to avoid smaller firms and choose a larger one?
Thank you very much for reading!
I have been a mostly silent reader in this forum for several years. About four years ago, my husband and I moved from the city to the Bavarian countryside, and for the past three years, we have been searching for a suitable property. Unfortunately, we never really found the right one—sometimes we were a day too late, other times the desired property was sold to a neighbor, and so on.
We are a family of four, with two children aged 2 1/2 and 5 years. I work full-time, while my husband is a stay-at-home dad. We have good savings and an additional net income of about 4,500 euros (including child and family allowances but excluding potential bonuses).
Here is the situation: My grandmother owns a plot of land in our town, about 1,200 m² (of which approximately 300 m² is a private road, so around 900 m² could be built on). About a year ago, she offered to transfer this land to us free of charge (to give some context, the standard land value in the new development area is about 135 euros per m²). After talking with my grandmother, I discussed this with the potential heirs—my father and three uncles—and initially, none of them seemed to have any objections. However, at least one uncle appears to have some underlying concerns, as he began discussing my grandmother’s possible will with her (there is none), which she did not appreciate at all.
The plot is located in the center of town and is not subject to a specific development plan but is designated as a mixed-use area in the land-use plan. The neighboring properties mostly consist of pitched-roof houses, ranging from single-family homes to multi-family buildings. In 2003, there was an approved building permit process for a house with a granny flat initiated by one of my uncles, but he eventually decided against building. The floor plans are no longer really up to date (pellet heating with a large tank in the basement, etc.); my uncle showed them to me. To make a long story short, my husband and I decided at that time, after the whole drama (and because I am quite picky and would prefer a south- or west-facing slope), to continue looking for renovation projects instead.
Currently, in our region, only run-down properties are available for at least 250,000 euros, while reasonably decent houses, mostly from the 1980s, cost around 450,000 euros. There have also been new semi-detached houses in the neighboring town priced at 430,000 euros, but these are too small for us (lack of a home office), and the neighboring town is remote with no shops within walking distance.
My father-in-law currently lives in the apartment next to us. If we can afford it, we would like to include him in a granny flat or separate apartment. Most of the older existing properties have very large living spaces of 220-300 m², so it seemed logical and sensible to us to somehow integrate him into the planning. We would of course try to do the same in a new build.
The big question now is whether we should continue looking for a renovation project or seize the opportunity to build on my grandmother’s land? We envision a house with about 160 m² of living space, a 40 m² (430 sq ft) granny flat, and a double carport—all within a budget of about 500,000 euros plus a 10% buffer. According to the rule of thumb of 3,000 euros per m², this seems very tight. :-(
My husband usually has some free time in the mornings, but in my opinion, he lacks significant practical skills, so I would try to subcontract all trades.
I have already compiled a list of construction companies within a radius of about 50 kilometers (30 miles). The issue that concerns me currently is the financial stability or liquidity of these companies: They are usually limited liability companies—how should one assess this as a potential future builder? Would it be better to avoid smaller firms and choose a larger one?
Thank you very much for reading!
K a t j a schrieb:
That’s just silly. If buyers are lining up, a presumptuous candidate will be dismissed immediately. And yes, of course the neighbor has the greatest interest in ensuring that the next-door occupants aren’t unsavory. I have no objection to the neighbor being involved. But selling a house is a business transaction between adults. If someone turns it into a ridiculous spectacle, it’s not about being presumptuous but about a serious buyer asserting their dignity.
https://www.instagram.com/11antgmxde/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/
Hello everyone,
The heirs no longer live nearby and understandably do not want to travel there constantly. There are many interested parties for a viewing, but fewer serious buyers. I’m not sure whether the neighbor is paid to take care of the house and handle viewings or if he does it as a friendly favor for the family. Of course, he knows the family well. We also got along well with the older gentleman (a typical forester).
I sent her a polite message today asking when we can expect a response and letting her know that we would be happy to visit for a casual meeting over coffee and bring proof of funds if interested. On one hand, this is so we don’t have to sit anxiously and inactive waiting indefinitely, and on the other hand, to clearly communicate in writing that we are serious and would like to buy.
The heirs no longer live nearby and understandably do not want to travel there constantly. There are many interested parties for a viewing, but fewer serious buyers. I’m not sure whether the neighbor is paid to take care of the house and handle viewings or if he does it as a friendly favor for the family. Of course, he knows the family well. We also got along well with the older gentleman (a typical forester).
I sent her a polite message today asking when we can expect a response and letting her know that we would be happy to visit for a casual meeting over coffee and bring proof of funds if interested. On one hand, this is so we don’t have to sit anxiously and inactive waiting indefinitely, and on the other hand, to clearly communicate in writing that we are serious and would like to buy.
Wo1z3rl schrieb:
Did the procedure described by WilderSueden work, ypg?No, unfortunately not. I entered a number combination based on that, and was shown 281 offers from a specific region. Nothing else worked, and I also stopped my investigation due to lack of time.ypg schrieb:
No, unfortunately not. I entered a combination of numbers, and it showed me 281 listings from a specific region. Nothing else worked, and I stopped my research due to lack of time. On the desktop, there is a better link than the one from the mobile site, namely expose/2dhp55e – this will also help you find it immediately via search engines.
We have a viewing appointment next Saturday for a renovated building from 2010, listing expose/2cw9j5s on Immowelt.
Key facts: Purchase price €415,000, about 175 m² (1,884 sq ft) of living space, 850 m² (9,151 sq ft) plot size.
Overall, the price seems fair, but I am a bit cautious.
Pros: The price-to-performance ratio seems reasonable at first glance, the energy rating is "okay" (Class D) without obvious renovation backlog, I don’t have floor plans yet, but based on the description it would be large enough for us. It has two nice paved terraces, a fenced garden with trees and shrubs, a really large double garage with storage space, it is nearly 15 minutes closer to the highway than our current location, and the children could later take the train to visit their grandparents.
Cons: It does not match my taste in many places, the issue with the plumbing/heating must be resolved before moving in, the listing does not clarify the actual age of the building, only when it was renovated. We also do not know what exactly was renovated (for example, fresh water/sewage pipes/electrics). On weekends there are many strangers on the neighboring property (there is a hotel/restaurant next door), we have no contacts or acquaintances in the village, and we would need to consider whether the children would have to change kindergartens.
What maintenance is due soon for a house built in 2010 (if we replace the oil heating immediately)? Probably not much beyond cosmetic repairs and upkeep for now? Adding a photovoltaic system would likely make sense.
After rereading the listing, I think the main challenge will be the utility connection. The oil heating system is located in the "main building," i.e., the hotel/restaurant, and all the pipes run somewhere through the shared wall.
This means we need to carefully consider: where the utility room can be placed with fresh and wastewater connections, heating including hot water preparation, electricity, and internet; how and where to connect them (right of way, whether the pavement and front yard of the neighboring property need to be excavated because we have to reach the main street); and to what extent we will need to chase into the walls inside the building again...
This could easily require an investment of 50,000 to 70,000 euros (approximately 54,000 to 75,000 USD).
This means we need to carefully consider: where the utility room can be placed with fresh and wastewater connections, heating including hot water preparation, electricity, and internet; how and where to connect them (right of way, whether the pavement and front yard of the neighboring property need to be excavated because we have to reach the main street); and to what extent we will need to chase into the walls inside the building again...
This could easily require an investment of 50,000 to 70,000 euros (approximately 54,000 to 75,000 USD).
Hello everyone,
I’m checking in again. Recently, we continued trying to acquire an existing property, but unfortunately without any success. Some houses were sold before we could even attend the viewing appointment.
Today, we plan to visit a building plot in the neighboring community. The total costs amount to approximately 90,000 euros including notary and land transfer tax for 909 m² (9,780 sq ft) on a southwest-facing slope. It is the last plot on a dead-end street with a turning circle in front, so it’s ideal in that respect as well. I strongly expect that we will apply for it. The plot will be returned to the municipality in November.
If that works out, I will need to look into possible funding programs and also contact local construction companies. Until then, as always: wait and keep calm.
PS: Our eldest will turn 6 years old next month, and we are starting to feel the time pressure to make a firm decision about our future home before she starts school.
I’m checking in again. Recently, we continued trying to acquire an existing property, but unfortunately without any success. Some houses were sold before we could even attend the viewing appointment.
Today, we plan to visit a building plot in the neighboring community. The total costs amount to approximately 90,000 euros including notary and land transfer tax for 909 m² (9,780 sq ft) on a southwest-facing slope. It is the last plot on a dead-end street with a turning circle in front, so it’s ideal in that respect as well. I strongly expect that we will apply for it. The plot will be returned to the municipality in November.
If that works out, I will need to look into possible funding programs and also contact local construction companies. Until then, as always: wait and keep calm.
PS: Our eldest will turn 6 years old next month, and we are starting to feel the time pressure to make a firm decision about our future home before she starts school.
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