Finding an apartment in Germany can be challenging. Especially if you do not speak German. But that is not where the challenges end.

Finding an apartment

There are several ways to find an apartment here. The easiest way is by networking. Ask colleagues or friends if they know anyone who is moving. This can save you a lot of time and effort. The standard method of looking at newspaper advertisement still works but be aware that almost as soon as the paper is published the landlord or rental agency will receive dozens of calls for each apartment, which may make your chances of securing an apartment this way rather unlikely. Another, better option is to look online.

There are several websites that list apartments for rent and most of them have excellent search engines so you can narrow down your search to an area within the city, number of rooms, rent range, etc. The standard, professional sites will ask you to register to use the site although you can also use the search engine as a guest. But you will not be able to use all of the tools on the site without registering. Some of the helpful tools I have used in the past are the option of saving my searches and emailing search results to me or others.

Many people looking for an apartment use a Makler or real estate agent. While they are generally helpful, they also charge Provision or commission. This can be anything from one month's rent to three month's rent. Unfortunately, three month's rent is more the rule than the exception. And truthfully, they do not really seem to need your business. Demand is generally greater than supply.

I have used all of the methods I have listed above to find the various apartments I have lived in in Germany. I found one apartment via networking and it was a success all around. I also found an apartment via the local newspaper but was lucky enough to have a German acquaintance help me by calling the real estate agents and landlords to make appointments and discuss rental contract issues. I found my current apartment via the internet using a popular house-and-apartment search website, but not before trying my hand with a real estate agent first. The real estate agent was willing to cut his commission by one month to secure the deal. But in the end I chose an apartment that was listed on a website directly by the investment company that managed the apartment for the owner. Lucky for me, they did not charge a commission.

A two-bedroom or three-room apartment?

When looking for an apartment, be sure to count the rooms you need: A 2 bedroom apartment plus a living room is considered a three-room apartment and this is how it is advertised. I have even seen apartments listed with half rooms, which usually implies that in addition to the number of full rooms listed, there is also a smaller room in the apartment that is too small to be a fully usable room such as a bedroom. But it would be suitable for storage or some other windowless function. The kitchen and bathroom(s) are not counted as rooms in any advertisement.

Prices

Prices are generally listed "cold" as Kaltemiete. That is, without Nebenkosten or extras like utilities. The Warmmiete or "warm" price includes utilities, general building maintenance costs, etc. A couple of years ago I rented an apartment near Frankfurt for 450 euros "cold" plus 110 euros for utilities and 45 euros for parking. I paid 605 euros to the landlord per month. Several months after year end (four months if you are lucky, eleven months if you are not, as in that case), the building management company calculates all utilities and maintenance costs and divide it up between residents. Again, if you are lucky, you might get a few euros back or pay a few euros more. If you are unlucky, you might just get hit with a bill for a couple hundred euros.

Need help finding an apartment? I definitely recommend using internet search sites and also try to find expat groups online where many members are kind enough to give you advice if you post to their forum.