When planning a home, the integration of a study is a sensible consideration, not only because of the increasing trend towards home offices, but also because of the potential tax benefits. A well-designed study increases the functionality of the home and can help to increase its value in the long term. In view of the digital working world, a room like this can be used in a variety of ways and...

Heat pumps and photovoltaic systems (PV) can significantly increase the value of a property. This is the result of a study by an online platform for residential and commercial real estate. According to the study, buildings with installed heat pumps experience an increase in value of 43 percent. The integration of PV systems can increase the value of a property by up to 20 percent. Both technologies are particularly...

Retrofitting a balcony offers the opportunity to extend the living space and increase the value of the property. Existing buildings in particular can be fitted with different balcony systems such as front balconies, attached balconies or cantilevered balconies. However, the construction measures require careful planning in terms of statics to ensure that the structure of the building...

A guest WC should be both functional and inviting. A well thought-out design ensures comfort and makes the guest WC an attractive part of the home. Important aspects include the clever placement of elements such as the washbasin and toilet, sufficient lighting and space-saving solutions. These are necessary because the average size of a guest WC in Germany is...

If an owner builds a pool on his property and the leaves of 90-year-old oak trees fall into it from the neighboring property, he cannot demand cost sharing from the neighbor due to the increased cleaning effort. This was decided by the Frankfurt am Main Higher Regional Court (AZ: 19 U 67/23). In the case at hand, the plaintiff had purchased her property in 2016, built an unroofed...

Intelligent and ergonomic solutions that not only make cooking and living more pleasant, but also more efficient, are becoming increasingly important in modern kitchens. Volker Irle, Managing Director of the "Die Moderne Küche" working group, emphasizes that current innovations in the specialist furniture trade are aimed at making kitchen and living areas more...

Smart home technologies have become firmly established in German households: 75% of those surveyed in a study conducted by a mail order company for electronics stated that they already use smart products. Intelligent entertainment systems and voice assistants are particularly popular. Enthusiasm for technology is a significant reason for purchasing smart home technologies. Many...

Builders can save significantly when building a house - compared to retrofitting later - if they plan for an electric car charging station straight away. The initial installation during construction is much cheaper, as any necessary adjustments to the power grid and structural measures can be integrated directly. The portal "finanzen.net" points this out. The installation costs for a charging station...

With rising electricity prices, living together in an apartment is an effective way to reduce energy costs. Whether with a partner, a colleague or a friend, sharing a household can bring savings on many cost items, including electricity consumption. Compared to single-person households in particular, a two-person household can save an average of...

When buying a house that has known defects, no warranty rights can be asserted. A man who bought a house with obvious moisture damage and a necessary pump installation in the basement discovered further significant damage to the roof after the purchase. Despite the exclusion of liability for material defects in the purchase contract, he demanded compensation as he had fraudulently...