Is it not now just a matter of time before people realise that Germany is the next big thing. For the last 4 years everyone has been banging on about Bulgaria, prices has increased so much there that to buy property in nice areas such as Varna is now as, if not more expensive than spain. So now everyones looking for the next bargain area and that appears to be Germany. Situated in the heart of europe germany is a convient base to explore from and has many cheap flights to get there. It offers very good living standards and has a rich cultural heretidge. In the east of the country because of communism, Germany is blessed with an over supply of property, property in nice locations can be very cheap for the size, type and location. And now with many auctions offering amazing prices on renovation properties Germany has become the best location in the world for cheap property and a good lifestyle.

Yeah maybe a nice country but its the people,living in bulgaria there are lots of germans on the coast every summer and they treat the bulgarians like dirt. Its there attitude, they are rude ,arrogant i dont know where to stop. Living in bulgaria , they might be poor but they are hospitable and they always make you welcome in there homes

quote:

Originally posted by Chrisgorlitz:
In the east of the country because of communism, Germany is blessed with an over supply of property

And, of course, that's why it's cheap. And presumably will remain so. There is even an over-supply in the most prosperous parts of Western Germany, let alone the parts that nobody wants to live in.

If the most prosperous Wessis aren't interested in the market for eastern German property, why on earth should Brits be?

The fact that it's cheap surely doesn't as such make it a good option for property investment? There are plenty of cheap places in the U.K., but they're not good investments. Presumably what you're inferring is that you can buy cheap now, renovate, and then sell for a premium in the near future. Which means that you need buyers, and ideally new infrastructure, inward investment, rising employment, good schools, etc. to induce/sustain demand. Do you think this also applies? Presumably some areas have more potential than others?

And presumably, if you're into serious renovation, you'll need to (a) speak good German to handle your local contractors and (b) have plenty of time to go out regularly and review progress? Or are there local, English-speaking contractors who would coordinate things for you?

I have friends that live in Germany and they've said University students in the big cities live like kings in huge Condo's with amazing views of the city for next to no rent as the property market crashed when the country went into recession and the developers couldn't shift the new builds.

Germany is slowely turning things round though so maybe its one to watch in the next year or two.

I have lived in Bulgaria and I have to agree with fatboy, bulgarians are some of the most hospitable and friendly people I have met. But can rich europeans really be happy in a country where so many people around them have so little. I think that this country is becoming very much a two tear system of the haves and have nots. Whilst there are those who are getting richer there are still so many living in poverty and being exploited. Is it really right whilst all this poverty is still so abundant that we turn their country into a foriegners playground.

I also think that the Germans are still being stero-typed and missunderstood. Many Germans I have met are well educated and friendly. I think if people believed only stero types then they would think all english are drunken yobs!

Yeah, fully agree with you Chris. The description of Germans can equally fit most British tourist I've had the misfortune to bump into over the years.
I lived for many years in Germany and found Germans (like all other nationalities have their fair share of saints and t--ts). Probably the most pleasant people (and yes I'm generalizing) I've come across have been the Sicilians. I have a vague plan to retire for the summer months to Germany.