The energy certificate must also be made available to prospective buyers and tenants during the property inspection. It must be displayed in a clearly visible place or presented without being asked. The German Environmental Aid (DUH) now points this out. In the present case the DUH had determined with two open housing inspections that the obligation to inform had been disregarded. The...

The German Furniture Quality Association (DGM) points out that customers who want to buy particularly high-quality furniture can look out for the RAL "Golden M" quality mark. This label is awarded to furniture that is particularly durable, safe, functional, and compatible with health and the environment. Before they receive the quality mark, they are extensively tested, according to the DGM. Tested...

According to project developers and existing tenants, tenants want fast broadband Internet for the home office (58 and 57 percent, respectively), larger apartments (42 and 51 percent, respectively) and apartments with workrooms (42 and 46 percent, respectively). These are the findings of the study "Future Living - Outlook 2022. Housing Trends of the Future" by the business and consulting firm PwC Germany. The study, for which...

The German Institute for Economic Research (DIW) expects sales in the construction sector to rise - despite the Corona pandemic, capacity bottlenecks and high prices for construction services. With nominal construction output having already risen by 10 percent to EUR 488 billion in 2020, the DIW expects construction output to increase by a further approximately 13 percent this year and...

In order to improve climate protection, the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy is planning to implement various immediate measures in the near future. Among other things, there are to be innovations with regard to the EEG amendment, solar energy, wind energy, the electricity price, climate protection contracts with industry, the heating strategy, building standards and promotion, and hydrogen energy. Planned...

Dealers who were affected by the lockdown due to the Corona pandemic in spring 2020 can reduce their commercial rent. This was recently decided by the Federal Court of Justice (BGH). However, it always depends on the individual case. According to the BGH, several aspects must be taken into account when making a decision. For this purpose, it must be examined which sales volume losses were associated with the lockdown, which...

The portal "schoener-wohnen.de" has found out which kitchen trends will be in vogue in 2022 and has broken them down in a picture series. The trends include natural materials, dark kitchen fronts and matt surfaces. In addition, countertops are becoming thinner and thus more filigree. The portal also mentions a so-called "kitchen-living-workroom" as a trend. This will...

The German Institute for Economic Research (DIW) recently examined real estate price trends in 114 major German cities. It found that prices for owner-occupied homes and apartments have risen by 9 percent compared with 2020. The DIW believes that "in more and more regions and market segments, there are speculative exaggerations , especially in...

The University of Wismar, the Technical University of Braunschweig, the German Timber Industry Association (HDH) and Haas Fertigbau GmbH want to jointly develop an open standard timber construction system for public buildings by the end of 2024. According to the Agency for Renewable Resources, this will be a standard timber construction system that can be used by planners and small to medium-sized carpentry and...

How long do singles and couples have to save for land transfer tax in order to realize their dream of owning their own home? This question was investigated by the information service of the Institut der deutschen Wirtschaft (iwd). The result is that couples who want to buy a single-family home have to set aside 5.5 months' income for land transfer tax. For singles who want to buy a condominium, the...