Справочник по Германии: Housing & Rentals

Finding accommodation can be a time-consuming task, especially in a foreign country. Our housing guide explains where to look for appartments and accommodation, how to deal with local estate agents and what to bear in mind before signing a rental contract.

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  Introduction

  The search for accommodation in Germany

  Finding reasonably priced accommodation to rent can be difficult in Germany depending on the area you are looking in. This section gives you information about the German housing market, as well as a wide range of tips and tricks for your housing search.

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  The rental market

  Is it hard to find accommodation?

  Despite continuous government efforts to increase the number of property owners, rental accommodation is still the most common form of housing in Germany.

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  Getting started

  How to prepare your housing search

  Looking for an apartment in Germany can be a time-consuming and nerve-wracking experience. Whatever you do, give yourself plenty of time as you will be much more likely to get what you are looking for this way.

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  Classifieds

  Big choice - big competition

  There are advertisements for apartments for rent in local papers, mostly in the Wednesday and weekend editions.

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  Estate agents

  How to deal with paid search services

  Estate (US: real estate) agents are private companies that deal in renting or selling apartments. The addresses of estate agents can be found in the Yellow Pages (look for Makler or Immobilienmakler).

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  Alternative options

  Temporary accommodation and furnished apartments

  Besides your own apartment with a full contract, there are also alternative housing options available that might be very interesting for a start or a stay for a limited time.

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  Student housing

  How to get cheap student accommodation

  The Association of German Student Services Organisations (Deutsches Studentenwerk - DSW) offers subsidized accommodation for both national and international students. These are mainly rooms in shared student apartments, but some halls of residence offer full apartments for families.

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  Subsidized rent

  State subsidies for accommodation

  Due to the housing shortage, the German government has frequently intervened in the housing sector to guarantee accommodation for people with limited incomes.

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  Contracts

  All you need to know before signing a rental agreement

  When an apartment is rented a Mietvertrag (rent contract) is signed. This contract contains details about the apartment, in addition to the rights and obligations of tenant and landlord.

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  Moving in

  Houshold management & utilities

  When you move into a new flat, you often have to take care of a lot of things that might work quite different in Germany than in your home country. Below is a list of hints and tips to get you going.

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  Glossary

  German housing terms and abbreviations

  If you don't speak fluent German, you will probably feel quite confused by the wide range of terms used in the German housing market. The following glossary gives you an overview of the most important terms and abbreviations.

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