julicorn's journey 2 - Moving Up

julicorn

You're completely right Nichelette, it's just a different system! It was funny when we were buying the flat we were in now - Mr julicorn's parents were piling on a fair bit of pressure for us to just buy something already because renting is "a waste of money", whereas my parents thought we were absolutely mad buying a 1 bed flat because they were worried we'd have to stay there forever (most Germans buy only once or often self-build their forever home, it's very uncommon and much harder to keep buying and selling every 10 years or so - it's also much harder to sell when you still have a mortgage). In fact, most of my German friends think something has gone really really wrong with the flat for us to want to move again after only 4 1/2 years, when that was always our plan! They don't understand property chains either, but then who does. Tenancies are generally a lot more affordable and secure back home, it would be trickier to plan on renting forever here (when that's not an uncommon choice in Germany).  

Karmacat

Hi julicorn - something that's always interested me about any housing market where renting is the norm, especially in a rich western country like Germany - who owns the housing stock?  I've literally no idea for Germany, sorry! But very interested  

julicorn

Great question! Most of my friends rent property that's owned by the city/town/council I suppose, and others rent from housing companies that own lots and lots of properties. Individual private landlords are not quite as common as here, I think it just doesn't have the same sort of advantages as it does in many other countries. I just found this article too which is quite interesting: https://www.theguardian.com/money/2011/mar/19/brits-buy-germans-rent

"According to CB Richard Ellis, German housing associations and municipal authorities hold about 12% of stock, private housing companies 10%, and property funds about 1%; the rest is held by private investors." (that is out of the total housing stock in the country)

"Regional variations are enormous – in Berlin, the rental property share is an incredible 90% of the total residential market, which obviously keeps prices down; even in prosperous Hamburg the rental market is nearly 80%. But in other states like Saarland and Rhineland-Palatinate, homeownership is almost 60%, the highest in Germany."

julicorn

Oh my goodness, emotional rollercoaster! We just had the offer accepted on the house. I mean, that is really good news, but I am emotionally all over the place because we're still waiting to hear back on the flat and if we get that too (which would be even better), I'm absolutely dreading calling the other EA back. Aaaaargh why is my brain like this, I should just be excited that we have an offer accepted 😂

Sistergold

julicorn said:

Oh my goodness, emotional rollercoaster! We just had the offer accepted on the house. I mean, that is really good news, but I am emotionally all over the place because we're still waiting to hear back on the flat and if we get that too (which would be even better), I'm absolutely dreading calling the other EA back. Aaaaargh why is my brain like this, I should just be excited that we have an offer accepted 😂

Exciting nice to choose! 

South_coast

😮😮😮 This is so exciting!
And nerve-wracking 😮😮😮!

(Although I think you need to have a child just to make use of that nursery - it sounds epic 😀!)

julicorn

I knooooow, it is so exciting! I just spoke to Mr julicorn and if we get the flat, he'll call the other EAs to tell them no - that was honestly my biggest worry, I just get such bad phone call anxiety at the best of times, let alone when having to pass on bad news
Briefly just spoke to the EA for the flat as well, he's gonna call back as soon as the lady who's selling finishes work, around 4. He was like 'you will be the first person I'm calling' - not sure if that's a comment on how overly keen I clearly am and how much I've badgered him already, or on us being the highest offer and likely to get accepted, but I'm hoping it's the latter Either way, the house is also fantastic so it'll be a win all round. 

julicorn

South_coast said:

(Although I think you need to have a child just to make use of that nursery - it sounds epic 😀!)

It honestly looks so nice. It's all super eco friendly and vegan too, which is lovely (we're both vegan, and I've always had this anxiety about people being super !!!!!!-y about having a vegan family. Would be nice to go somewhere where that's the norm, rather than an inconvenient exception )

julicorn

I think this is the first time I fell victim to the swear word censorship on this forum! :O What a day. I swear it wasn't a particularly bad swearword

Karmacat

I've fallen foul of the censorship for something that wasn't any sort of swear word at all, don't feel bad  I'm glad your OH will make the phone call if it needs to be made - sort of frees you up to think *just* about the property.  Good luck (not that I really know what you'll count as good luck, but still  things are really, really moving now.