I would strongly consider building equity to make a stronger down payment and further decrease your monthly cost. 

I understood that rent prices are decreasing.

The longer term loans would have lowered your monthly payments and decreased the costs.As for rent, each year you need to look at rents in the area to decide how much you will be increasing the rent by. 

I've spent the last 3 years nagging the city to sell me a lot next to my property so I can install a driveway and they've finally agreed. This extra road frontage now also qualifies my property to be able to be legall...

YoY is up 3.5%.Rentals - Availability by MonthThe number of homes for rent decreased MoM, also bucking the seasonal trend.Rentals - Median Time to RentMedian time to rent increased in November to 30 days.

The cost per sf skyrockets as house size decreases. 

If you can or do trust your PM company then speed can increase and costs decrease over time. 

However, can I say that I gave a rebate to myself on that transaction for the full RE Agent Commission amount and decrease the cost basis of my house accordingly?

Reflecting on the past year, I’m incredibly thankful for the opportunities I’ve had and excited for the journey ahead. 

Commercial Real EstateGermany's commercial real estate sector, particularly in the office and retail space markets, also offers solid opportunities.