karin_brenig

well, first there is the "Sperrfrist" - time that you have to wait after the purchase before you can claim "Eigenbedarf". This is a minimum of 3 years, can go up to 10 years in certain municipalities. Let's assume the "best" case szenario for you: 3 years of Sperrfrist plus sitting tenant since 2016. That means your tenant was renting for at least 7 years. If you hurry up at that point your lead time (=Kündigungsfrist) would be only 6 months. Wait another year, and it will be 9 months.   So, if all goes well, the earliest that you could move into that apartment would be somewhere around mid 2024.   But your tenant can contest the Eigenbedarfskündigung - many do - on all kinds of "hardship" claims. How old is the tenant? Do they have low income? Dependants? How well documented is your Eigenbedarf?   When I buy real estate that is rented out, I wouldn't plan on actually living there myself - I'd see it as an investment property. If you really want to live in that town, pay a little more money and buy something that is free to move in.   Good luck!

well - normally all vacation days accrued must be taken within the same calendar year. It is customary, though, that most employers will allow you to carry over up to five days into the new year, usually until March 31st. This is totally at the company's discretion. Some people (like myself) really like that little bit of wiggle-room  especially this year, for example, when I will carry 4 of my 2020 vacation days into January of 2021 - and use only 10 vacation days to be away from work for a full three weeks. Holidays....   If, however, your employer put you on Kurzarbeit part of your salary is being paid out of Arbeitslosenversicherung. That means Arbeitsamt is paying your wages - and Arbeitsamt goes by the exact wording of the law - all vacation days have to be taken within the same year. You can't postpone anything from 2020 into 2021.

well, simple: compare the interest rate you're paying for that personal loan (I'm guessing something around 3,8%) to the current mortgage interest rate (maybe somewhere around 1,5%) - then you have your easy answer.   Just pay off your debt, and then buy that house.  

well, a good starting point would be this website: https://www.irs.gov/individuals/international-taxpayers/taxpayers-living-abroad   more specific details about your German spouse can befound here: https://www.irs.gov/individuals/international-taxpayers/nonresident-alien-spouse   with special remarks here: If your spouse is a nonresident alien and you file a joint or separate return, your spouse must have either a Social Security Number (SSN) or an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN)..... If your spouse is not eligible to get an SSN, he or she can file Form W-7 with the IRS to apply for an ITIN. Refer to Taxpayer Identification Numbers (TIN) for more information.   The ITIN process is explained ingreat detail here: https://www.irs.gov/individuals/international-taxpayers/taxpayer-identification-numbers-tin with specific details pertaining to your situation here: To obtain an ITIN, you must complete IRS Form W-7, IRS Application for Individual Taxpayer Identification Number. The Form W-7 requires documentation substantiating foreign/alien status and true identity for each individual. You may either mail the documentation, along with the Form W-7, to the address shown in the Form W-7 Instructions, present it at IRS walk-in offices, or process your application through an Acceptance Agent authorized by the IRS.

interesting thought... while I agree with the basic thesis (auto industry has structural challenges coming, vs. IT is still going strong) I know from personal experience that the greater Munich area is an excellent place to be for some highly exotic IT specialists (like myself). There are big, old companies here still running thousands of ancient proprietary mainframe applications - and with a need for continued maintenance on those, while parallel developments for newer platforms are under way.

@Reexvan maybe I can help you to find out, what kind of document you have been issued :biggrin:   #1 this is Germany, so all official documents will be named something in German. So, logically, whatever you're holding in your hands is neither a "certificate of residence" nor a "residence permit card".   #2 if we assume your document title was translated to English (maybe as a courtesy to help you understand) "certificate" is usually a legal document confirming a status quo. So, logically, a "certificate of residence" would be confirming the fact that you reside in Germany. "Permit" in English usually means a type of document that allows you to perform certain activities. So, logically, a "residence permit card" would allow you to live in Germany.   #3 so, now we know what all these English words could mean in the context of Germany, we can surely understand why it is of the utmost importance to you to know what the specific document you seem to be holding in your hands means for your personal future. If it is just something like a "certificate" it doesn't say anything about the legality of your stay.   #4 my personal recommendation would be that you contact the office that sent you this document and inquire.   Good luck!

well, if you had income, you probably also did your Einkommensteuererklärung - so you can prove how much (or little) you really earned, and then pay accordingly (definitely less that your 71%).   Recommended reading here: https://www.deutsche-rentenversicherung.de/DRV/DE/Rente/Arbeitnehmer-und-Selbststaendige/03_Selbststaendige/selbststaendige_node.html

oh boy....  I feel sorry for you. Which is why I always tell people: when you invest in real estate, planning to live there personally, you need to check out the other people (especially owners) before you check on the building. Buildings can be renovated, neighbors cannot.   At this point, I guess you'll have to dodge the bullet, get a lawyer, and take them to court - or just pay for "double" insurance. Maybe you can offer to pay for their half of the new policy, if they'll let you pick what insurance to get?

well, technically the building is an Eigentümergemeinschaft and as such has to have an annual meeting of all owners, where details like insurance, or the lack thereof, will be discussed. During the meeting, if you can get a two-thirds majority vote for your proposed insurance changes, it's a go.   "Two thirds" in this aspect refers not to the number of people in the house, but their share of the property, as documented in Grundbuch. In your example it seems like you own 50% of the building, "the woman" owns 37.5%, and "the man" owns 12.5%.   To get to the required 66.67% vote for your plan, you'd have to convince "the woman" - concentrate on her.   Your plan of "getting your own" insurance will not fly - unless the building is really divided vertically (as in Doppelhaus where you are the owner of one Doppelhaushälfte), not just horizontally (like the "flats" you are describing).

ok - you are moving out, so new potential tenants will have to be let in to look around. The landlord will have an interest in meeting candidates personally, and also has the right to enter your apartment to show potential candidates around.   The question really isn't whether the landlord has to be there or not, the question is whether you have to be there.   It seems you worry about two things: #1 COVID-19 and #2 your stuff getting messed with.   For COVID-19 I recommend requiring masks for any stranger entering your apartment, and staying at a six foot distance during their visit. As for your stuff - just remove/lock up valuables, and don't worry about your underwear, if you want to leave during the visits because of worry #1

depending on who you need the documents notarized for, you will either want a German Notar (if the documents are for a German legal entity), or you could go to the US Consulate in Munich (if your documents have to be notarized for a US legal entity).   What is the purpose of your documents?   A US notary public confirms your identity - and that a signature on your document/copy is your actual signature. A German Notar confirms the authenticity of a document - and that a copy of this document is a true and unaltered copy of the original.

why would anybody want to do that?   Let me suggest something else: Each sibling, or anybody interested in owning rental property anywhere, finds a suitable piece of real estate - close to where they live - and buys it. Then you go look for tenants, manage the property (or hire somebody to manage it for you), do your taxes, .... and live happily ever after.    

yes, if you suspect any wrongdoing/illegal activities on your (or your friend's) employer's part, you should contact Gewerbeaufsichtsamt, if you are working in Bayern. (it may be a different entity in other Bundesländer).

if your friend works in Bayern (like your location suggests), your first stop should be Gewerbeaufsichtsamt. https://www.gewerbeaufsicht.bayern.de/arbeitsschutz/arbeitsschutzstrategien/arbeitsschutz_bayern/index.htm    

well.... are you married to your "partner"? And if so, how is your "partner" insured?   Your married partner could include you (for free) in their German public health insurance, if you don't have any income of your own.