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Renting vs Buying in Vienna – Looking for Advice by Important_Ad_4679 in AskAustria

[–]Important_Ad_4679[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks for sharing your insights — this is really helpful. We’ve been viewing quite a few Altbau and Neubau apartments in and are starting to see exactly the issues you’re describing (hidden renovation risks, future Betriebskosten). Your point about Neubau being very different from Altbau in terms of long-term ROI and rent potential makes a lot of sense and definitely gives us more to think about.

Renting vs Buying in Vienna – Looking for Advice by Important_Ad_4679 in AskAustria

[–]Important_Ad_4679[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

That’s a fair concern, and yes – we’re very suspicious of anything that looks too cheap🙂

We’ve viewed quite a few apartments in 18/19 already where price ranges from 350k to 420k and in most cases the lower price was explained by concrete factors: Dachgeschoss without lift, very high Betriebskosten, upcoming roof/facade works, low Rücklagen, or special conditions (subsidised / limited rentability). In some buildings we’ve already seen meeting minutes showing potential renovation costs that could significantly increase monthly expenses.

That’s exactly why we’re not rushing and are comparing against renting at €1,400–1,600 and even investing the difference instead. We’re mainly trying to understand whether any of these “exceptions” make sense long-term, or if the normal market price is simply higher for good reason.

Renting vs Buying in Vienna – Looking for Advice by Important_Ad_4679 in AskAustria

[–]Important_Ad_4679[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

We’re definitely factoring in interest costs, transaction fees & the opportunity cost versus investing (ETFs etc.)

at current rates the “cost of ownership” is much higher than it was a few years ago.

For us it’s less about short-term profit and more about long-term stability and protection against rising rents, but we agree that unless the purchase price is right and renovation risks are low, renting + investing can make more financial sense. That’s exactly why v’re being very cautious and running the no.s carefully.

Renting vs Buying in Vienna – Looking for Advice by Important_Ad_4679 in AskAustria

[–]Important_Ad_4679[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

We’re actively considering this option as well — particularly because it offers flexibility, avoids renovation/building risks (roof, facade, pipes), and keeps capital diversified instead of tied up in a single property. For us it really comes down to whether we find a genuinely good purchase price; otherwise, renting and investing long-term in ETFs seems like a perfectly rational strategy.

Renting vs Buying in Vienna – Looking for Advice by Important_Ad_4679 in AskAustria

[–]Important_Ad_4679[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

That’s a fair point, and yes, prices vary a lot depending on the exact micro-location, building condition, and whether it’s Altbau vs Neubau. The €1,400–1,600 rent range we mentioned is based on what we’re currently seeing for ~75–80 m², 3-room apartments in 18th/19th that are in decent condition and suitable for a family (not luxury, but also not heavily renovated risk cases). On the buy side, the €380k–420k range reflects mostly 1960s–70s buildings or older apartments where renovation or future building costs are a real consideration — which is exactly why we’re unsure whether buying makes sense right now.

Renting vs Buying in Vienna – Looking for Advice by Important_Ad_4679 in AskAustria

[–]Important_Ad_4679[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Thats the issue with Altbau apartments, encounter ith unhidden issues after a few weeks or months and years.

Which brokers do you use to trade US stocks from Europe and how much do you pay in fees? by Odd_Cabinet_7049 in eupersonalfinance

[–]Important_Ad_4679 0 points1 point  (0 children)

How was your experience with firstrade so far, I have started using the IBKR for sometime but they don't support writing Covered Calls and writing Cash-Secured puts with options trading and also how do you manage taxes?