Even brokers have Christmas wishes. We wish for customers who are happy without a wish. Over the past 12 months, we have been at the side of many real estate buyers and sellers with advice and action and have found the best solution for each of them. We want to continue this successful work in 2019. Because for us, our profession is not just a profession, but a vocation.

It is always exciting for us to establish contact with a customer. After all, it is important to us to know our customers’ ideas and wishes very well – so that we can finally fulfil them. This starts with listening and ends with a tailor-made consultation. Communication and transparency are very important to us. We inform you sincerely and comprehensively about everything you need to know about the sale or purchase of a property.

How to do it: We analyse the market and, on the basis of our many years of experience and know-how, determine the market value and the appropriate offer price of your property. Our ingenious marketing concept covers all important steps from A to Z. We already make sure in the exposé that your house shows itself from its chocolate side and outshines the other offers. Professional photography and inviting 360-degree tours through your home attract the right prospective buyers and enable us to make a sensible preselection in advance.

Like gear wheels the individual processes run into each other with us. It is also part of our work routine to compile all sales-relevant documents on time. We obtain the extract from the land register, the energy certificate and prepare all floor plans.

It is also an advantage to be able to draw on a wealth of experience when carrying out the inspection appointments. We consciously highlight the highlights of your property, confidently address any defects and are well prepared for all buyer questions.

In this way, the right buyer is quickly found, whose creditworthiness we of course check in good time. Our understanding of the eye-level principle includes advising both sellers and buyers. We mediate in price negotiations to the satisfaction of all and prepare the sales contract and the notarial certification. Finally, we carry out the handover of the property and draw up a detailed handover protocol.

This is where our brokerage work ends. Unless you are now looking for a new home. Because only when your wishes are fulfilled, we are happy.

With this in mind, we wish you happy holidays and a happy new year, in which we will gladly accompany you again – with expertise and passion!

Photo: © Copyright_marchello74

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Location, location, location! Real estate professionals know that this is what matters. Because the location of a property is one of the most important factors that influence the value of the property. A property can be adapted by conversion, renovation, demolition and new construction – the location, on the other hand, remains the same.

Even if the location cannot be changed, this does not mean that a good location always remains good. However, it does not mean that an unfavourable location cannot be improved. The quality of the location can increase if, for example, noise pollution decreases. A bypass or motorway feeder road can relieve the traffic load of a district or a municipality in this way.

On the other hand, where larger residential buildings are being built, a new department store is being built or a company is expanding its factory, the volume of traffic usually increases. The quality of the location often drops at such locations. Here, residents often take legal action against extensive construction projects. Because they fear – often not without reason – a depreciation of their real estate.

In principle, the following characteristics ensure a good location:

• Proximity to attractive jobs also in the future
• Proximity to shopping facilities with daily necessities such as supermarkets, bakeries, drugstores, etc.
• A good medical supply by short ways to doctors and pharmacies
• Proximity to cribs, kindergartens and schools
• Proximity also to cultural and leisure facilities
• A good connection to motorway and public transport

Good transport connections are particularly important in communities located in the vicinity of conurbations. This is because the majority of jobs are located in conurbations. The example of Munich makes this clear. More than 27,000 new jobs were created here in 2017, compared with only 8,000 for apartments.

But it’s not just such features on a large scale that count. Those looking for real estate also make demands on the so-called micro-location. Is the house or apartment in a green area, for example? Is there a park or even a lake nearby? Are there parking spaces in the immediate vicinity or is there an underground car park? The environment also plays a role. What are the neighbours like? And is the burglary rate low?

Anyone whose property fulfils all or at least most of the criteria can consider himself lucky. Because this is an excellent location. This is also reflected in the value of the property.

Would you like a free valuation of your property? Contact us! We will be happy to advise you.

Photo: © Thor Alvis

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I simply upload my property to an online portal, but at the current demand it sells itself – many private sellers think so. But often they are annoyed afterwards, because they have missed money or the property is for sale for too long without a serious interested party. However, typical mistakes can be avoided by knowing the basics.

1. I know exactly how much my property is worth.

Most owners think they know exactly what their property is worth. However, the price depends on many constantly changing factors. Because many owners are also emotionally bound to their “little house”, they often set too high a price that the market may not follow. Often they remain sitting on their property because they cannot find a buyer. However, anyone who consults an independent and expert real estate professional avoids these problems. Because a real estate professional knows what a real estate is worth and helps to get the optimal price for it. 2.

2. what one must prepare already largely for the sales

Too often, private sellers still underestimate the effort required to sell a property optimally. They do not worry about many questions:

When is the best time to sell?
How do I redeem a possibly existing real estate loan?
How do I get the best sale price?
What questions will prospective buyers ask?
What legal pitfalls do I have to watch out for?
Experts recommend that sufficient time be taken for preparation and that sales targets and steps be defined. In most cases this has a positive effect on the sales price and the sales duration.

3. I can still submit the following documents

Prospective buyers are often deterred by missing documents, because they fear that something should be concealed from them. Apart from that it can have also legal consequences. The energy performance certificate, for example, must be available at the latest by the inspection date, otherwise a fine of up to 15,000 euros is imminent.

4 I do not talk much – who wants to have my object takes it

Owners who offer their property on all the popular online portals and newspapers in the region, whose telephone is no longer at a standstill and their e-mail inbox is overflowing with enquiries. This costs a lot of time. Who doesn’t take enough time, his sale can drag itself unnecessarily into the length. 5.

5. I don’t need that much time for the viewing appointments.

In the hustle and bustle of everyday professional life, it is not always easy for both sellers and buyers to find an appointment to visit. Often only the weekends remain. But who likes to sacrifice their spare time? In addition, prospective buyers have questions for which many sellers are often not prepared: Questions about deficiencies, energy efficiency, structural changes. Anyone who is well prepared for the questions from interested parties has come a good deal closer to the rapid sale of their property at the price presented.

Do you have any questions about the private sale of your property? Please do not hesitate to contact us. We will be happy to advise you.

Foto: © gorbachlena

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Do you also dream of a bathtub in the bedroom to look outsitde through the large panorama windows into the garden? Or from the 14th floor over your city? Is the living room of your condominium that is currently being built too small and you want to change the floor plan? More and more often, customers of property developers have special luxury wishes. And they often have it in them.

Although property prices are rising, many buyers of luxury properties want to implement their own ideas in their new condominiums. Most of them are also willing to spend more money on it. Although some special requests are complex and not cheap, they are increasingly in demand. And so often that many companies have created a new position for it: the Special Request Manager. Meanwhile more and more companies employ more and more special request managers. These are the link between buyer and construction site. They carry out feasibility studies and sampling for special requests and accompany the planning and implementation.

The list of special requests is long and occasionally so unusual that it takes property developers to the limits of what is feasible. For example, buyers often want a private elevator. In an object with several units, a private elevator is logically difficult for everyone to accommodate.

Also an open bedroom with integrated bathroom is almost as often desired as a living and dining area with open kitchen. More and more people find it pleasing to get from the bed directly into the tub or into the shower on the ground floor without a shower cubicle. The property developer wonders how he can prevent the bedroom from being flooded. Façade elements have already been installed between the rooms. There are even customers who want their bathtub in the living room.

Björn Bergs, special requests manager at Drees & Sommer, also knows the following case: buyers of apartments in an existing building wanted a whirlpool. But the question was whether the old building could withstand such loads. For this purpose, pipe connections must be changed and an electrical connection must be made. It may also be necessary to change floor plans and move partitions to provide sufficient space for the whirlpool.

Special hygiene rinses, which regularly flush the water pipes automatically, are also a popular wish. For example, if buyers only want to stay at home for a few months of the year.

A special request is already everything that deviates from the standard. This is already the case if the customer would rather have natural stone than tiles. A special request does not necessarily have to be expensive.

Would you like to know whether a conversion or an adjustment of your property is worthwhile? Please contact us! We will be happy to advise you.

Fotos: © piovesempre / ondatra-m / rilueda

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You buy your property not to live in it yourself, but as an investment? Then don’t make yourself dependent on any place. It can be nice if your own investment is right on your neighbourhood, but you may get more return from a different location. Because how lucrative the purchase of a property is varies from region to region, city to city and sometimes even district to district.

If you live in Munich, you can charge high rents for your property there, but you also have to invest a lot. The situation is different in a rural area in the east, for example. Here it is still possible to acquire a property at a reasonable price. However, many vacancies make it difficult to find a tenant for the property. And purchase price and demand are not the only factors determining a good location for investments. The interest rate or, for example, the ratio of management costs to rent also play a role.

An experienced investor and real estate expert will find the right investment concept for every location. However, as a layperson it is advisable to weigh up risk factors and thus find the right location. In addition to the expected returns from rental income, performance can also be an interesting incentive for an investment. What are the forecasts for the next 10 years? Will the prices per square metre continue to rise in one region? Then you can also make a profit by buying a property now and reselling it in a few years.

The investment pays off in these regions

Various market research institutes provide investors with data on the current top regions. The Hamburg Institute of International Economics (HWWI), for example, has identified Heilbronn as the city that can expect the highest increase in value per square metre by 2030. Whoever bought a house with an area of 100 m² in 2017 could expect a net profit of 150,000 euros if sold in 2030. However, prices in Heilbronn and southern Germany in general are already significantly higher than in the rest of Germany.

For investors who do not want to invest much at the moment, but are nevertheless looking for a property that promises high returns in the future, the northwest of Germany is particularly interesting. The investments are particularly worthwhile on the Dutch border of Lower Saxony. The Emsland is at the forefront. Here the price per square metre is approx. 21 percent below the national average and the increase in value is 1.14 percent annually. Who buys now a 100 m ² house and sells it 2030 again, can count so on an increase of 24.000 euro.

Another study focuses less on rural regions than on suitable investment locations, but rather on so-called B cities, i.e. cities that do not rank among the major metropolises but nevertheless promise a good return on investment. This risk/return ranking was carried out by real estate service provider Dr. Lübke & Kelber. Large amounts of data on 110 German cities were compared. The focus is on the ratio of potential risks to actual expected returns.

The study made a distinction between existing properties and new buildings. The city of Wolfsburg in Lower Saxony scores particularly well in both categories. The cities of Aschaffenburg and Fürth are also interesting places to invest in new buildings. The cities of Osnabrück and Worms are also recommended for investment in existing properties.

You want to invest in real estate and need advice? Contact us now for more information

Fotos: © RossHelen

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Sunshine and a mild climate all year round? Spend the days on your own porch with a cocktail? Golfing in the afternoon? That’s the way to enjoy a well-earned retirement. That’s why more and more pensioners are thinking: the main thing is to get away! But there are also traps lurking.

German seniors are living longer and longer and have never been as healthy as they are today. When the children are out of the house and working life is behind them, many seniors enjoy their new freedom. They are increasingly flexible and mobile. They spend their free time actively. They travel to exotic places or undertake tours with cruise ships. More and more older people are even moving their retirement home abroad.

Many dream of summer, sun, beach and sea. However, the warmest countries are not necessarily the most suitable. What good is a view of the sea if the nearest hospital is miles away or the doctor speaks neither German nor English? Or if you dream of Miami, for example – popular with many seniors because of the pleasant climate – you need to know that the cost of living in the USA is higher than in Germany.

Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Spain are among the most suitable countries for pensioners. In these countries the cost of living is low and medical care very good. So it doesn’t always have to be sun and beach.

In addition, it is also advisable to pay attention to a few other things when the retirement home is moved abroad. Emigrants can find out whether their chosen country really suits them by asking themselves the following questions, for example:

Do I know the mentality of the country?
Is the climate something for me?
How well do I cope with the distance to my home country?
Do I tolerate the typical national dishes?

An Hamburg citizen could find a positive answer to these questions difficult if he only imagines living in the Bavarian province. Experts therefore advise: If you want to emigrate, you should at least have been on holiday in this country before.

A move abroad must therefore be well planned. In order to benefit optimally from the move, it is also important to hold consultations on pensions, taxes and insurance.

But if you are well prepared and choose your target country wisely, you can spend a relaxed evening of life with more purchasing power than in Germany.

Are you thinking about spending your retirement abroad and have questions about what will become of your property? Please contact us! We will be happy to advise you.

Fotos: © Spotmatik

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From the veranda to the sea or from the mountain down into the valley and still feel at home? This is possible with holiday homes. They are not only worthwhile for your own relaxation. They are also an interesting investment. In preferred locations with first-class facilities, holiday properties can offer value stability and prove to be crisis-proof old-age provision. However, there are risks involved.

Germany is a popular holiday destination – and not only during the summer holiday season. Over the past eight years, overnight stays in Germany have risen continuously. This was determined by the Federal Statistical Office. Holiday homes and apartments are the second most popular type of accommodation directly after hotels. Many believe that holiday homes can only be rented 120 to 150 days a year. For example, banks often assume this when granting loans. But that’s not true. Holiday times as well as holidays and bridge days already come to 100 days. In a very good location and with good facilities, holiday properties can be rented in Germany almost all year round.

Holiday properties by the sea or in the mountains are particularly in demand, both among holidaymakers and self-users. But also the proximity to shopping facilities, hiking trails or restaurants as well as fast internet are important for most holidaymakers. For buyers who also want to use the property themselves, the proximity to their main residence plays a role. However, they are buying less and less in their surroundings or where they would like to go on holiday themselves, but rather make sure that the holiday home can also be rented out well.

If you decide to buy a holiday home as an investment, it doesn’t have to be a million-dollar villa. Even cheaper properties can generate monthly income of several thousand euros through high daily rents. Here, of course, it depends on the situation. In very good locations, holiday properties also have the best potential for increasing value, as they offer a higher resale value.

However, there are also risks. For example, a holiday home or apartment must always be rented out again. Normally holidaymakers rent accommodation for five to six days. This means that marketing costs are higher. Maintenance costs are also higher. Experts say that approximately 30 percent of revenues can be estimated for expenses such as advertising, a person on site for handing over keys or repairs. A rule of thumb for experts is not to spend more on a holiday home than twenty times the annual rent that can be achieved on the market.

The German Real Estate Association has calculated that investing in a holiday home is worthwhile if it is possible to rent it out 17 weeks a year. Because in this way the rental income exceeds the costs for the repayment of the loan.

Do you have any questions about investing in real estate? Please contact us! We will be happy to advise you.

Fotos: © terng99

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