| Read about how Margaret and her husband, British expats, are enjoying life in Bavaria, how they came to move there, what they most enjoy about this German state, and the growth of their holiday letting business. |
 MargaretinBavaria |
-Where were you born?
Surrey, UK
-In which country and city are you living now?
-Are you living alone or with your family?
-How long have you been living in Germany?
Just over 3 years-What is your age?
57
-When did you come up with the idea of living in Germany?
We bought the original house as a stopping off point for business trips to Eastern Europe for our publishing business. We had no intention of spending a lot of time here. We thought we would do a bit of holiday letting to help cover the overheads. We chose a location which was convenient for getting to Eastern Europe and with very affordable property prices. We also chose somewhere with winter sports as well as summer attractions so as to maximise holiday letting potential. I think it was on our second trip to the house for renovation work, within a few months of buying it, that we decided that we wanted to stop going back to the UK for long periods and spend more time in Bavaria. We loved the natural beauty of the area, the fact that we can get to so many places easily, and especially the friendliness of the people in the village.
-Was it hard to get a visa or a working permit?
Neither were necessary - EU.
-Was it difficult for you to get medical insurance before you went there or when you first arrived?
Yes, but we are still employed in the UK and I reach retirement age in a couple of years.
-How do you make your living in Germany? Do you have any type of income generated?
Our publishing business can be run from anywhere with a phone line/internet access. And the holiday lettings have been hugely successful.
-Do you speak German and do you think it's important to speak the local language?I speak the language but my husband does not, although he is learning. I did not want to buy property in a country where I could not understand the documents. I think learning the language is vital for really getting involved in the local life.
-Do you miss home and family sometimes?No. Generally, family members enjoy having free holidays in a lovely area! There are masses of walks here in the Bavarian Forest National Park. Otherwise we are occupied with our businesses and gardening.
-Do you have other plans for the future?We want to organise our time better so that we have more time for travel. We are already getting better at that!
-What about housing, have you bought, or are you renting a home? How much do you pay for it?We bought our first house, with 2 three-bedroom apartments, an attic which converted into a 2-bedroom apartment, an extensive cellar, mostly at ground level and an extension which was the breakfast room when the house was a B&B and is now our sitting room, for €100,000. Our 2nd house cost €53,000 at auction, with 2 three-bedroom apartments, cellar, and attic which could also be converted - but that needed extensive renovation. We are now buying a 3rd house, with 4 one-bedroom apartments for €145,000.
-What is the cost of living in Germany?Going up because of inflation. Also no longer as cheap in relation to the UK because of the exchange rate movement. We always reckoned it was about 30% cheaper in Germany than the UK. Not sure now.
-What do you think about the Germans?
The people in this area are lovely. They have accepted us from day 1. But going to village events and getting involved in village life is part of that. We organised the village Christmas Market last year which was very successful. I was asked by the mayor to stand for the village council this year - I didn't get elected but I was amazed at how well I did compared with a lot of locals.
-What are the positive and negative aspects of living in Germany?
Less crime, better public services and welcoming people are all positive.
The only negative is possibly that we will always be foreigners here.
-Do you have any tips for our readers about living in Germany?
Learn the language.-Do you have any favorite Web sites or blogs about Germany?
Because this area is so unknown outside, we carry a great of information on our own website: www.bavarian-forest-holidays.com. We also have a blog at http://haussterr.wordpress.com - again this is more a way of spreading information about the area than a personal record of our life here. We list on a lot of holiday websites including www.yourholidaymatters.com which checks up on all the properties listed to make sure that they are up to a decent standard.
