They have it from Variety.
We are starting to think about moving - how much we've got, how much we can spend, what's available and it scares the living bejeezes out of me. I have no idea how anything works here and what I seem to be being told is that you're not that much better off buying here. (It's been browbeaten into me that one is foolish not to buy if one can manage it in the States.)
I need someone to tell me what to do. There seem to be some many guides in America which explain the steps. First get your credit card debt under control (ok - not an issue). Then make sure that you have your emergency account set up (yes, but how much here etc.) All that sort of thing. Does any one know any good resources they could recommend for a financial ignorant like me?
Oh, and the pictures. Good friends from college in DE and NYC. Did you know that there is a §$%! ferris wheel inside Toys R Us in Manhattan?
1 comment:
Buying a house in Germany is relatively easy ... be prepared to put a lot of money down, as in 30% is a good start and you are typically expected to come up with even more. Houses aren't cheap here, so start saving. If your employer offers you a Vermoegungsleistung (VL) payment, you can sometimes put it into a Bauspar (building savings) account. It's not the best way to save, but like the old "Christmas Club" accounts it's better than nothing, although you will be saving for the next 12 years.
Most of the Germans I know have the full balance of their charge cards taken out as due, so they don't have credit cards in the sense we know them ... you really don't need credit cards here to build a credit history with the Schufa ... just having a clean bank record for a few years and no financial judgements against you will get you a nice letter saying you are a good person and possibly worthy for a home loan.
If you go this route, you will learn why a lot of Germans spend a lot of time tending their Schrebergartens ;)
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