There is a house I walk by occasionally that I absolutely love. It’s old and run down but definitely art deco in a modest kind of way, with round balconies and a gold brick doorway. As a joke, I keep telling people this is my future house.

I say as a joke because I am a broke millennial. I have accepted my fate of never moving past paying rent for a place to live and spending the remainder of my minimalist income on avocado toast and oat milk lattes.

But recently, I saw a “For Sale” sign in front of the house and this is probably my only chance to ever see its art deco interior, if any is left, before it’s all turned into a modern and soulless place.

I have called the seller and I overheard its asking price when they referred to it as the “1.1 million euro house”. They asked twice if that was indeed the one I wanted to visit.

The visit date will be set next week.

Now, how do I sound like I’m the kind of person who doesn’t flinch at the idea of spending a million euros on a house? What questions do I ask? What might they ask me in return? What are things I shouldn’t say?

Some extra information:

  • This is in Brussels, Belgium
  • A permit was requested to split the house into 5 apartments (2 floors could be built above the existing 3)
  • It was originally built as a single family home

Edit: this is the house

1000008207

  • proudblond@lemmy.worldEnglish
    31·
    2 months ago

    I’m from California so my wealth meter is broken beyond all reason. Is 1.1 million euros really considered “rich?” Everybody’s making jokes about wearing a monocle or not asking questions about flooding and I’m sitting here thinking about the house on my street that sold for about that much recently…and is a tear-down. 😭

    Edit: actually wait, it was more like twice that much… it was like $2.3 mil and there’s no way they do any less than strip it to the framing.

    • Mr_Blott@feddit.uk
      113·
      2 months ago

      There’s no comparison.

      Your housing is so badly and cheaply constructed that if you tried to build like that, even in Belgium, the council would demand you tear it down at your own expense and start again

      This is a perfectly good, liveable, hundred year old house in need of renovating, that’ll easily last another hundred

      Also depends where it is. There are parts where a million will get you a 3 bedroom cottage, and parts where that’ll get you a castle

      • mosiacmango@lemm.ee
        72·
        2 months ago

        There are 100 year old houses in America made of fine timber or brick that look better than this and will last longer.

        It’s a big country. Modern construction is rarely built to last, but there are millions of homes here that would fit your description without issue.

          • mosiacmango@lemm.ee
            3·
            2 months ago

            I don’t have plasterboard walls. They are lath and plaster.. The studs and framing are beautiful old hardwood.

            It’s a sturdy and lovely old house that has stood the test of time. It’s one of the millions in the states that I was talking about.

          • proudblond@lemmy.worldEnglish
            1·
            2 months ago

            So will an earthquake. It may be “cheap” but we do it that way because it’s light. At least in California. That way if it falls on you, you might not die.

            • Mr_Blott@feddit.uk
              11·
              2 months ago

              At least that’s what the builder told you so he could buy his third boat lol

    • thr0w4w4y2@sh.itjust.works
      6·
      2 months ago

      yeah. That kind of money is top 5% of homes in most of Europe outside very wealthy areas and districts like Zurich. In the UK the average house price is about £300k ($400k)

    • Meltrax@lemmy.world
      5·
      2 months ago

      Yeah dude. I’m in Boston. It isn’t San Fran levels yet but if you want a lot (with a rotting house on it) that will be a nice $2mil and then you can enjoy removing the rotted house.

    • Ziggurat@sh.itjust.works
      3·
      2 months ago

      A quick search tell me that in Belgium the minimal wage is 2000€ sauce before tax.

      So yes one million is above a lifetime of work for many persons, definitely rich

      Edit formatting

      • ilinamorato@lemmy.world
        2·
        2 months ago

        There’s a guy on the internet who does videos comparing Vancouver real estate with literal European castles of a similar price. “Not livable” money in Vancouver can get you “has gardens and outbuildings with servant’s quarters” in some parts of Europe.

        • Mycatiskai@lemmy.ca
          1·
          2 months ago

          We sold a townhouse in the lower mainland and bought a house on an acre+ in middle BC with some money left over.

          Vancouver is ridiculous.

    • cygnus@lemmy.ca
      2·
      2 months ago

      Same, and also with experience in the construction business, so my first thought was that 220k per door for apartments is quite reasonable. I wouldn’t fret about it at all, because in the grand scheme of things this is chump change. Just say you’re getting into real estate investing with a business partner.