The Best Places to Find Housing in Germany
Finding housing in Germany is not the easiest of tasks when it comes to moving to Germany, but there’s good news! I’m here to help you make sure you find the apartment of your dreams… even if it takes a few months.
Here’s what we’re going to go through in the blog post below:
- ✅ What you need to know before renting a flat
- ✅ The best English websites to look for flats
- ✅ Where to find long-term rentals
- ✅ Social media sites you can use to make your search
- ✅ Where to find student rentals
- ✅ Helpful German words to know before renting
- ✅ What documentation you’ll need when renting a flat
- ✅ Ways to increase your chances of finding your dream home
- ✅ How to search for a real estate agent
- ✅ The best places to furnish your home
PS: If you aren’t yet familiar with what makes a rental contract valid, what you need to ask for before you sign that lease, or how to legally get out of a contract you’re not happy with… you’ll learn all this and more in the Welcome Program. I’d highly suggest doing this research before renting out any apartment!
Before you start looking for an apartment, you’re going to need to know…
- How much are you hoping to pay? (if you’re not sure what a fair price range is, we go through these estimates in the Welcome Program)
- Are you looking for a furnished flat or a non-furnished flat?
- Would you like to share an apartment and rent out an individual room? (we go through the pros and cons of this in our program too!)
- Do you know which neighborhood you’d like to look at?
- Know the important facts about renting a flat before you start contacting landlords
TIP: If you don’t already have a bank account in Germany, it’s time to get one! Make sure you have a European bank account and IBAN number before you start looking for apartments. Also make sure you have already transferred money to the new account so you can immediately make that rental deposit (using a transfer service like Wise or CurrencyFair is a great idea).
CURIOUS ABOUT WHAT A GERMAN APARTMENT LOOKS LIKE?
THE BEST WEBSITES TO FIND HOUSING IN GERMANY (IN ENGLISH)
The following websites are useful for sourcing a short-term and/or furnished flat in Germany. These websites will be excellent resources if you’re focused first on simply getting into the country and obtaining a residence permit.
- HousingAnywhere (furnished flats available)
- HomeLike (furnished flats available)
- Wunderflats (furnished flats available)
- Booking.com
- Airbnb.com
TIP: Looking for a short-term furnished flat is a great way to get into Germany, settle into the city, and also allows you the time to look in person at a longer-term unfurnished flat for your future.
THE BEST WEBSITES FOR LONG-TERM APARTMENT RENTALS
As I mentioned, if you want to pay the same prices a German speaker might be paying for an apartment, then it’s important to do some local research. The websites listed below are all run and operated in the German language but are great resources for finding affordable rental options in Germany.
TIP: Don’t forget to scroll down and study up the popular rental vocabulary. This will help you navigate through the above websites. We also have a detailed section about rental terms in our Welcome Program as well as other small fees that you need to watch out for in a rental contract before signing that legal paper!
THE BEST SOCIAL MEDIA SITES TO FIND APARTMENT RENTALS
Believe it or not, social media is often one of the best places to find available apartments (especially if you’re looking for a last-minute rental). My tip would be to join as many different local Facebook groups as you can and ask around to see if anyone is renting their apartment out. Many people are coming and going in all major cities around Germany, so you may even get the opportunity to take over a lease that was previously rented by another expat just like yourself.
- Facebook Marketplace
- Flea Market Facebook Groups
- Expat Facebook Groups
THE BEST WEBSITES FOR STUDENT APARTMENT RENTALS
If you’re up for sharing an apartment with others, these are often considered as “WG” in Germany. Here are a few websites where you’ll find some great shared spaces around Germany:
NOTE: You do not always have to be a student in order to share an apartment. Simply read the rental description for more information.
RENTAL VOCABULARY WORDS YOU NEED TO KNOW
Now it’s time for a little German language lesson, or simply sticky note these words to the side of your laptop while you’re doing your apartment search in the German language.
Once you’ve found a few apartments you’d like to view, it’ll be time to contact the landlord to inquire about taking a look at the apartment (if you’re currently in Germany of course).
TIP: If you have a German friend, family member, or colleague that can help you out, I would highly recommend bringing them along for the apartment viewing.
| German Term | English Translation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Kaltmiete | Cold Rent | Cold rent is the actual cost of the living without any added costs like heating, electricity, etc. |
| Warmmiete | Warm Rent | Warm rent is the cost of the rent plus all “side costs” like heating, chimney cleaning, garbage disposal, etc. |
| Wohngemeinschaft “WG” | Shared living | A shared living space in which every renter will have their own bedroom, but often share common rooms such as the kitchen, living room, and bathroom. |
| Nebenkosten | Additional Costs | These “side costs” are all the added expenses that would be in addition to the cold rent (heating, chimney cleaning, garbage disposal, etc.) |
| Einbauküche | Built-in Kitchen | Many apartments in Germany do not come with a kitchen. If the posting says “mit Einbauküche”, then you’re in luck, the apartment comes with a kitchen. |
| Umkreis | Distance | The distance (in km’s) you are willing to look for apartments. |
| Bezugsfrei ab… | Vacant from... | The available move-in date |
| Etage (.OG) | Floor level | The floor level in which the apartment is located on the ground floor is (EG) the first floor up is 1 OG., the second floor up is 2 OG., etc. |
| Erdgeschoss (EG) | Ground level (not 1st floor) | - |
| Preis | Price | - |
| Zimmer (Zi.) | Rooms | - |
| Wohnfläche | Size of living space | - |
| Mieten | To rent | - |
| Kaufen | To buy | - |
| Wohnung | Apartment | - |
| Altbau | Old build | - |
| Neubau | Newly built | - |
| Stellplatz | Parking spot | - |
| Vollmöblierte | Fully furnished | - |
HOW TO MAKE SURE YOU’RE PREPARED TO RENT IN GERMANY
You’re already likely well aware that it’s not always very easy to find an apartment, especially in the larger cities. Not to mention, if you don’t speak German you’re at even more of a disadvantage. So, let’s make sure that you have everything completely prepared so we can avoid running into any unnecessary issues.
The landlord may or may not ask you for the following documents:
- Identification: A copy of your passport and/or ID
- Proof of income: A copy of your last 3 payslips (if you’re new to Germany, bring the payslips from your international job or a printout of the amount you have in your bank at the moment)
- Proof of good credit rating: aka. SCHUFA Score – which you can easily order online for free (good news! If you’re new to Germany you will have a perfect SCHUFA score)
- Completed application form: this would only be applicable if the apartment was listed by a real estate agency, in this case, they would provide you with this form in advance
In some cases, you may also be asked for:
- Meitschuldenfreiheitzbescheinigung: a document that proves you owe no money to a previous landlord (you must obtain this from your previous landlord – or you can use this template)
- Mietbürgschaft: a document that confirms that a parent, friend, or guardian can support you financially if you don’t pay your rent on time (use this template)
- Proof of private liability insurance (Haftpflichtversicherung) in the event you cause damage to the property/building
- Proof of home contents insurance (Hausratversicherung) in the event that something causes damage to your property in the apartment (eg. water damage to your wardrobe)
- A deposit: If you are already quite sure that you will be renting the apartment you’re viewing, you can bring the deposit money that will be required upon signing the rental contract (typically 3 months of cold rent)
MORE TIPS ON HOW YOU CAN IMPROVE YOUR CHANCES?
- ✅ Have all your documents prepared and ready to go on the first day, this shows them you’re serious
- ✅ Come dressed to impress (I know it’s not an interview for a job, but treat the apartment viewing it as if it were one)
- ✅ Bring someone with you who can speak German and translate for you
- ✅ Don’t assume that everyone speaks English
- ✅ Call ahead of time to talk to the landlord (you can also send an email, but giving them a call shows you’re interested)
- ✅ In your email message, attach a photo of yourself (and your family if applicable) and tell them a little bit about who you are, where you’re working, what your level of German is, etc.
- ✅ Leave the pets at home! It’s much easier to find a flat if you don’t have any pets (including mice, hamsters, rabbits, etc.)
Still don’t think you can do this on your own? Here are some real estate agents
I get it, it’s hard, and it’s okay to ask for help. You may have to pay a little bit for the support, but sometimes hiring a real estate agent is the only option you have. Whether it’s your lack of German language skills, your lack of time, or your lack of interest, a real estate agent (Makler in German) can help you find housing in Germany quickly.
You can search for a local real estate agent in your city in English over at athome.de
Ready to start BUYING your furniture for your new apartment?
There are tons of amazing places to buy furniture affordably here in Germany, and nowadays, most online shops offer free shipping as well.
Here are a few of my favorites:
If you’re looking for secondhand furniture, then look no further than:
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