@Surferbeetle: Good that somebody keeps this key thread running. I have been busy recently and have not spent much time in the net.

Something which catched my attention in the last days has been the drop in the share of equity buyers of homes in Germany and Austria mustered to finance their (IIRC first houses). The former has come from a report in the Suedeutschen Zeitung, the latter from insider sources in the sector.

The inflation fear, low rates and a relative good economic environment (yes, indeed) and perhaps the recent price hike ( the usual paradox) could all play a role. Who knows the cause(s), but if true it is an interesting development which might effect other pieces of the European economy.

More research is of course required...