If a newly married couple buys a property, the question of who is to be entered in the land register may appear to be completely irrelevant. But at the latest in the case of a divorce this entry becomes important. Lawyers generally recommend that both partners register as owners. But even in the case of joint registration, there are some things to consider so that the purchase of a house does not have devastating consequences.

Anyone who does not act prudently and with foresight when it comes to land registration can end up with nasty surprises. To illustrate this, we assume the following scenario: A young couple, recently married, decides to complete their happiness together by buying a house. The wife has just inherited a considerable sum from her grandparents, with which the home is largely financed. Her husband only makes a small contribution. Nevertheless, the two decide to be registered as owners in the land register in equal parts. At this point they vehemently rule out that they will ever divorce.
Twelve years later, however, the then unimaginable reality has become reality: The divorce is imminent. The wife intends to stay in the house together with her daughter and to take over the house. For this reason, her ex-partner is to be removed from the land register as the owner. But now the day of the land register entry catches up the wife, because although she paid clearly more with the purchase of the real estate, her still husband is entitled now 50 per cent of the house value.
To all abundance the appraiser, whom both assigned for the purpose of the determination of the current real estate value, determines then still that the value rose meanwhile. The value adjustment, which the woman must pay to her ex-partner, is accordingly high. At the latest now the wife regrets not having insisted on different ownership conditions when buying a house.
Since the pair did not lock like most married couples in Germany a marriage contract, the wife would have no advantages, if she could have been registered as a sole owner. The marriage as a joint gain would nevertheless have had the consequence that the wife would have had to pay her ex-partner a fifty per cent gain equalisation. A 2/3 land register entry would have been most favourable for her, as the shares actually paid would have been taken into account.
Because the wife must disburse her still-husband now however a so high sum, she cannot afford the maintenance costs for the house. A division of the real estate into two independent housing units, of which each retains one, is ruled out by the cut of the house as an alternative solution. The ex-partners also want to refrain from letting the property in order to avoid further disputes. Ultimately, the only option is to sell the house.
The real estate agent they hire quickly finds a suitable buyer and even manages to negotiate a price that is even higher than the appraiser’s estimate. The profit is divided between the two ex-partners. They draw up a sales contract with the new owner, which they notarize. Finally, when the land register is changed, they are registered as owners. The new buyer, a single mother of two almost adult children, is entered in the land register alone and does not have to fear losing the house in the event of a divorce.

You are not sure whether selling a house after the separation is the best solution for you? We will be happy to advise you on your options.

Photo: © lightsource-Depositphotos.com

People are still moving unchecked into the cities. Living space is still becoming scarcer. And real estate prices are still rising. Clever minds like architects are pondering how to get a handle on the current situation. They have developed Tiny Houses – small houses. They are flexible, they save space and prices fall enormously.

“What goes on 100 square meters also goes on 20 square meters” – at least most of those who have bought a Tiny House say to themselves. And that is becoming more and more the case. Because Tiny Houses are trendy. In the USA there is even a whole movement. Since real estate prices are high and living space in cities is becoming increasingly scarce, people are looking for affordable housing alternatives. In addition, more and more people are living alone. In Germany, according to the last census, it was almost every second person. The trend is rising.

So it is not surprising that more and more people are interested in a Tiny House. And what you need to live is there: kitchen, bathroom, living room and bedroom. Even an extra sleeping level, a roof terrace or a veranda are possible. Every square centimetre is well thought out and used as efficiently as possible. The price per square metre is not much lower than that of an ordinary property, depending on the equipment. However, a Tiny House with 20 square meters is available for about 40,000 euros. The total price makes a difference. The operating costs are also extremely low. Tiny Houses are real energy savers due to the limited living space. Residents can also live almost self-sufficiently if the Tiny House, for example, is equipped with photovoltaic and rainwater collection systems as well as organic toilets.

A Tiny House is also suitable as a capital investment. For example, it can be used as a holiday home. Due to the low price, the Tiny House is paid off more quickly and thus earns a profit earlier. Another advantage is that Tiny Houses can also be mobile. Because like a caravan they can be placed on a trailer. This not only benefits holidaymakers but also commuters. Owners can take part of their home with them to work. Tiny Houses can be a replacement for the second home or the hotel. They can also be used as an office.

Saving money on construction, maintenance and resources means personal freedom for most Tiny House owners. Tiny Houses promise an independent and sustainable life. Not least because the financial burden for their own four walls remains low. That’s why more and more people are willing to do without the unnecessary and lead a minimalist life.

Are you considering reducing your size? Contact us! We will be happy to advise you.

Photo: © digidream

Couples who divorce and own their own home are always faced with the question: What do we do with our property? Because there are many options. But which one is the right one? Because an exact answer depends on many factors: Does the couple have children? Would a partner like to stay in the property? How can couples decide that?

Real estate and legal experts make it clear: In principle, the ownership of the property must be distinguished from its use. In the case of separation and divorce, this is also regulated.

If two partners separate, one of them usually moves out. The other partner continues to live with the minor children in their own house or apartment. If the partner who is moving out wants to take one or all of the children with him to his new home, he must of course come to an agreement with the other.

If more than six months have elapsed since moving out, a return to the previous shared home is usually no longer legally enforceable. If none of the spouses wishes to move out in the event of separation, a court must decide who may use the shared property and who must move out. The judges base their decision on the welfare of the child. Because their goal is that the children can remain if possible in their used surrounding field, thus with the partner, who remains in the past dwelling.

If the husband moves out and the wife and the children stay in the same apartment – which is the most common case – she has to pay the separated partner a usage fee, i.e. rent. Unless the couple can agree that this housing value advantage is taken into account in the equalisation of gains.

This rent may initially be lower than the local rent. However, if the living conditions also survive the divorce, the man acquires the house and rents it out to his ex-wife, she then has to pay a regular rent.

The sale of the property does not have to be waited until the divorce, both can already sell the property in the separation year and divide the proceeds among themselves.

This reduces the time pressure when selling the property and has the advantage that in the event of a divorce there are funds available with which one partner can pay the other. This way should be gone however only if both are sure to get divorced and neither wants to remain in the real estate.

Are you facing a divorce and don’t know which of the options is the right one for your individual situation? Contact us now. We will be happy to advise you.

Photo: © vchalup

Garden maintenance is becoming more and more strenuous. The stairs to the upper floor are getting higher and higher. The children’s rooms have long been empty. When people in old age find it more and more difficult to live in their own four walls, they think about where they can live better. Here you will find an overview of the exciting possibilities:

1. the generation house

It used to be a matter of course for several generations to live together under one roof. In the meantime, more and more people are rediscovering the advantages for themselves. The main advantage is the support that the inhabitants of such a project offer each other. It is therefore not surprising that more and more projects are being developed as generation houses.

2. the senior WG

Feel like a student again as a pensioner: The flat-sharing community makes it possible. The fact that people live together in the same phase of their lives also makes sense in old age. As with students, this is especially worthwhile for seniors with low incomes, because the costs, such as rent and ancillary costs or if something breaks, are shared. As in a house of generations, there is always someone there to help you in your everyday life. So seniors can continue to live independently. 3.

3. the senior citizen apartment

The senior citizens’ apartment is specially adapted to the needs of older people. This applies not only to the apartment itself, but also to its surroundings. The apartment should be barrier-free and located in an environment with good infrastructure. Supermarkets and doctors should be in the immediate vicinity so that everyday life can be easily managed and help in an emergency is not far away. An expert will tell you exactly what you should look out for in a senior citizens’ apartment.

4. living abroad

Enjoying the evening of your life in the sun and in a mild climate is a dream come true for many. However, the warmest countries are not necessarily the most suitable. In addition to the climate, it is also important to pay attention to the cost of living and infrastructure. Experts therefore recommend that you seek advice before emigrating. But if you do it cleverly, you will get more out of your pension in a country with low living costs.

5. assisted living

Assisted living enables senior citizens to continue to run their own household. Caregivers help with everyday tasks that have become too difficult for seniors and in an emergency, help is always on hand. The type of care depends on how independent someone is. So if certain tasks become more difficult in the course of time, the care adapts itself. Here, too, it is possible to live alone or in a flat-sharing community.

6. housing exchange

If your own apartment has become too big for you or if you simply want to move near the children, you could also change your apartment. This is especially worthwhile now that it is not so easy to find a new apartment. The bottom line is that both sides sell each other their property. Real estate professionals help here that the right exchange prospective customers come together.

Do you want to sell your house in the future or are you looking for a smaller property? Please contact us. We will be happy to advise you.

 

Foto: © Ljupco

With Smart Home, most people immediately think of the smart speakers from Amazon, Apple, Google and the others, which conveniently control light, music or air conditioning via voice control. But it can also be a size smaller. Monitoring your own four walls also works via app.

Homeowners have the possibility to check what is going on in the house from on the way. Is a window still open? Is the stove still on? Have you forgotten to turn off the heating during your holidays? What makes mobile phone surveillance so interesting? “Many people do not want to invest in an expensive smart home system for home monitoring, with which the heating can then be switched off directly. It is enough for them to get a short alarm and then quickly turn back and close the window themselves,” reports the expert for mobile home surveillance and Managing Director Manfred Sarrazin of Techno Trade.

Estate agents or property management companies already use such apps in vacancy management, for example. Techno Trade develops various smart sensors and the app to monitor real estate. All data and fault messages from all sensors are recorded here. Various alarms can be set for this purpose. Motion sensors can detect if someone enters the building, heat sensors can control the temperature and detect water sensors if, for example, a pipe is leaking and water is leaking. “Technically, this is possible by attaching small sensors at the respective point, which send signals to the App user via W-LAN via a radio station,” explains Frank Reiser, business IT graduate at Techno Trade. What is useful for professionals can also help owners to always and easily maintain their property.

Manfred Sarrazin describes the situation of Techno Trade as follows: “Among other things, we come from the field of radio clocks and weather stations – everything that has to do with time and weather. So the sensors and radios were already there. For mobile monitoring, however, completely different conclusions are drawn from the data supplied than, for example, with a classical thermometer. Frank Reiser gives just a few examples: “For example, if the temperature near the stove rises sharply, I can conclude that I forgot to make out a plate. Or if a water sensor near the washing machine sounds an alarm and it’s currently on, I can assume it’s overflowing.”

With motion sensors mounted on doors and windows, a mobile monitoring device is also an inexpensive alternative to the classic alarm system. When a door opens, the alarm first goes to your mobile phone and not directly to the police. “Then I can quickly let a neighbor know if everything is all right and save me an expensive police operation, should it be a false alarm.”

 

Fotos: © Techno Trade