The property: "More satisfied when it's home ownership." This motto could be used to describe one's individual and desired housing situation and self-fulfillment. After all, the homeownership rate in Germany is almost 50%.
In connection with residential real estate, Maslow's hierarchy of needs, which describes basic, security, social, and individual needs, can be applied to this topic. Based on this, housing forms begin in stages according to their individual characteristics; ownership begins with the condominium:
- Owner of a villa
- Owner of a single-family home
- Owner of a terraced house
- Owner of a condominium
- Tenant of a privately financed property
- Tenant of a social housing unit
In terms of housing needs, a distinction is made between small apartments (up to 65m2), medium-sized apartments (up to 90m2), and large apartments (over 90m2). Individual housing requirements are usually planned by an architect.
Determination of individual housing needs
Individual housing needs depend primarily on family cycles, individual life circumstances, family structure, income, occupation, and state of health. Within the framework of a space utilization analysis, a distinction can be made between light use (bedroom during the day, living room during the day, etc.) and intensive use (kitchen, dining, and housework areas, children's rooms in the early years of life and school). Another influencing factor is lighting conditions. Sunlight is pleasant in the early morning hours in the (parents') bedroom, or in the afternoon and evening in the study. The intensity of the sun allows needs to be further divided into seasonal periods; for example, in midsummer, direct midday sunlight is not advisable or desirable in all rooms. Architects refer to this as the so-called north-south or east-west orientation.
Room orientation list
An architect typically draws up the building plan based on the client's wishes. For example, the bedroom should face east or southeast, as should a child's room. This prevents overheating in the evening. For living spaces, a south or southwest exposure with access to a balcony or terrace is ideal. However, in exceptional cases, this could also be disadvantageous if sources of noise or pollution are present there.
Psychological need for space
At this level, the building planner takes into account factors such as feelings of security, relationship to the outside world, spatial stimulating atmosphere or the desired color, light and material quality, which is based on individual perceptions.
Housing needs and activity assignments
Function-focused activity/space allocation involves a separation between communal and individual areas, with a clear allocation of the kitchen area to the living room or the bathroom to the bedroom. With a function-neutral activity/space allocation, these areas are located relatively close to all other rooms. For similarly sized rooms, the space's use is therefore not predetermined.
Individual spatial forms
Here, a breakdown into living spaces is provided. Open-plan living spaces, such as studio layouts, simply allocate activity levels (bathroom, kitchenette, dining area, and sleeping area). Semi-open living spaces combine activities such as living and eating (open kitchen, etc.). Closed-plan living spaces have separate rooms for each activity (absolute separation).
Furthermore, a distinction is made between adaptable and non-adaptable living spaces. Adaptability is achieved by planning movable walls during interior design to enlarge or reduce rooms, as well as to be able to change the room's purpose in the future. This also includes the subsequent division of houses into two living units. Furthermore, in adaptable living units, sanitary facilities (kitchen, bathroom, etc.) are centralized due to pipes and cables in the wall. Non-adaptable living spaces do not offer this flexibility. A general influencing factor here is the noise protection factor. No "quiet" room should be adjacent to walls with pipes and utility networks. Nor to stairwells or elevators.
Basic structure of living space
Living room: Usually the largest room in an apartment or house. When the living and dining areas are combined, this is often accompanied by the desire to extend these spaces outdoors, e.g., through a balcony, loggia, or terrace.
Kitchen: The kitchen can be divided into different variants: a work kitchen, a dining kitchen, an eat-in kitchen, or simply a kitchenette. It can be classified as a single- or double-row kitchen, an L-shaped kitchen, a U-shaped kitchen with or without a dining area, or special shapes (G-shaped kitchen). The arrangement of the furniture units is taken into account.
Utility room: This is recommended if it does not unduly restrict the apartment's space. It is ideal for laundry and housekeeping. For plumbing reasons, it should be connected to the kitchen and bathroom.
BATHROOM/WC: Assigning the bathroom to bedrooms is generally recommended. For plumbing reasons, a wall with the kitchen should be sought. The old standard also recommended separating the toilet and bathroom in residential units with two or more people; however, this is rarely implemented today.
Bedroom: Despite low usage, this is often the second largest room in the house/apartment. Often located in the private area with a children's room and bathroom. It should be accessible without crossing the living area.
Children's rooms: These are primarily playrooms and lounges, with bedrooms secondarily being a bedroom. The old standard for social housing only allowed children just under 7m² in these rooms, or 11m² for twin rooms. This no longer meets the needs and could even be detrimental to the child's development. A significantly larger area is recommended. These rooms should be designed to be versatile.
House types
The single-family house
The following types have developed over time:
Single-family home: A house built on its own property with a large living unit and often a terrace facing the garden. This house is designed for a shared household with integrated common areas. Today, it is often combined with a much smaller granny flat, which is subordinate to the main living unit and has its own entrance. Gable roofs with varying pitches are common for this type of house. Some development areas also allow for flat roofs.
Bungalow: This is a single-story detached house with a gently sloping gable or flat roof. It is also typically built for family use. This house offers a wide variety of floor plans and building styles, but its limitations are restricted by public planning law and financial resources. The diversity of uses makes it possible to connect with nature and the social environment. Extensions, conversions, and expansions offer the prospect of expanded building planning. Since many bungalows today also have basements, they are hardly distinguishable from other single-family homes.
Terraced house: This type of house is arranged in a linear pattern and often has a frontage of 5.5 to 6 meters. As a result, this type is usually built with two to four stories. Only corner terraced houses can be oriented on three sides. Otherwise, ventilation and lighting options are only available on two sides. For this reason, sanitary facilities are often found internally with skylights, shaft or mechanical ventilation. Here, the common rooms are usually on the ground floor, while the bedrooms, children's room and bathroom are on the upper floor. The building services, storage and hobby room are often planned in the basement. Since living and recreation rooms should be located on the window sides, a terraced house often has a spiral or winding staircase inside. These are often problematic for children or elderly people. However, terraced houses often use less energy to heat and have lower land acquisition and development costs.
A further development of the terraced house is the terraced house. Here, garages or stables are added as dividers, but they also offer additional opportunities for lighting and orientation.
Semi-detached house: A single-story house consisting of two adjoining houses. Land and development costs are lower because the area is reduced. Orientation options are also available. The house entrances do not have to be parallel.
Villa: This serves as a place for self-realization and high-end living. Formerly known as "manor houses," these buildings are often located near green spaces and offer detailed architectural design.
The "extra": a conservatory or greenhouse. A glazed extension, originally intended for overwintering cold-sensitive plants. Today, these are also used for living spaces surrounded by plants. Conservatories can be found either as extensions or as extensions to patio areas. Plants are an element of the interior design. A greenhouse is often far larger in size than a conservatory. Its thermal buffer zone is larger.
Multi-family houses
These have at least three apartments and a maximum height of 22 meters. High-rise buildings are different, with tower blocks over 22 meters tall. Rectangular or angular shapes are common.
If apartments are accessible via a staircase located on the outside of the building, it is referred to as an external corridor building. Since all residents have to take the same route, this is also referred to as a pergola. Multi-family buildings are generally not comparable to residential complexes consisting of small or tiny apartments, such as student dormitories.
Defect in the property
In the most countries used properties are generally sold as they exist or as found. It is assumed that they have been visited and inspected. The seller also typically certifies in the purchase agreement that they are unaware of any defects. A misleading term is the so-called "hidden defect." This term does not exist in the most law books. Claims for defects in used properties are subject to a limitation period of one year (i.e. German law). However, there are also opportunities for legal action if the seller has "tricked," deceived, or spread misconceptions.
[only applies to the Federal Republic of Germany]: The situation is different for new construction, which is governed by the German Construction Contract Procedures (German VOB). Here, liability for defects in the construction work can be contractually agreed upon. If not, the liability for defects is four years. For non-VOB contracts (standard work contracts), it is five years. For repairs or renovations, it is only two years. If the construction service provider has fraudulently concealed its defects, an even longer period of liability is possible.
---
Alda, Willi und Hirschner, Joachim (2016): Projektentwicklung in der Immobilienwirtschaft – Grundlagen für die Praxis, 6. Auflage, Stuttgart (2016)
Brauer, Kerry (2011): Grundlagen der Immobilienwirtschaft – Recht - Steuern - Marketing – Finanzierung - Bestandsmanagement - Projektentwicklung, 7. Auflage, Leipzig (2011)
Kamis, Alcay (2022): Grundlagen der Wohnungs- und Immobilienwirtschaft, München (2022)
Schmoll, Fritz (20015): Basiswissen Immobilienwirtschaft, 3. Auflage, München (2015)