Renaissance instead of swan song: The detached house

Space waster or ideal home? Criticism of single-family homes falls short of the mark. Harald Blumenauer comments on why single-family homes are in keeping with the times and remain an important component of urban development.

Frankfurt/Bad Soden, 15.12.2025 - In the current urban development debate, the classic single-family home has a difficult time, as critics often cite the high land consumption compared to multi-storey residential buildings as the main argument for an outdated model, but experts believe that this blanket condemnation falls far short of the mark. A differentiated view shows that the owner-occupied home is not only still the undisputed residential ideal of many Germans, but - if designed correctly - can be an indispensable component of contemporary and sustainable urban development.

Harald Blumenauer, owner of Blumenauer Immobilien, takes a clear stance in this debate and calls for a move away from the black-and-white approach: "The current criticism of single-family homes is often too emotional and superficial, because we see every day that people see their own home as far more than just four walls - it is an anchor for stability and a goal in life. We must not ban this form of housing, but rather develop it further, as with intelligent planning it is not a relic of the past, but a vital component of our urban future."

In fact, the facts speak for themselves, as surveys regularly confirm that for around three quarters of the population, owning their own home remains the ideal way of living - and no longer just for families. Beyond the emotional level, home ownership fulfills hard economic functions, as it is one of the most effective forms of private pension provision and contributes significantly to avoiding poverty in old age through rent-free living. In addition, every owner who lives in their own home relieves the strained rental market, which also makes the single-family home an instrument of social housing provision. The frequently cited argument of a poor carbon footprint also only stands up to scrutiny to a limited extent, as modern single-family homes can be highly energy-efficient and recent studies show that their ecological footprint is not necessarily worse than that of apartments of the same size.

The solution for a space-saving future therefore does not lie in a building ban, but in the intelligent use of existing resources. There are already around 13 million single-family homes in Germany, with huge potential lying dormant in their existing stock, which needs to be exploited through improved planning and building regulations, for example by increasing density, adding extra storeys or dividing plots. For new builds, on the other hand, the urban planning answer is the "compact townhouse", a construction method that combines the desire for individuality with a higher density of space. Specialist studies show that single-family homes can certainly be integrated into resource-conserving urban development if new construction is not prevented, but rather seen as an active housing policy task and designed innovatively.

Blumenauer Immobilien
K?nigsteiner Stra?e 6 K?nigsteiner Stra?e 6
65812 Bad 65812
Germany

Herr Harald Blumenauer
+49 6196 5602300

h.blumenauer@blumenauer.de

Blumenauer - stands for decades of experience, a high level of professionalism and a deep understanding of the real estate market. In addition to its traditional activities as an estate agent and consultant, the company supports private and commercial clients from the initial idea to the successful conclusion of a contract.

A particular focus is on establishing the BLUMENAUER brand cooperation network, which connects real estate professionals and start-ups throughout Germany. Partners benefit from the strong brand, state-of-the-art joint marketing, knowledge transfer and a close exchange of experience - with the aim of operating even more successfully on the market in a strong network.

This release was published on openPR.