There are lots of details about the place itself that don\u2019t have to be set in stone but sitting down and thinking about the things that matter to you is a great way to start your search.<\/p>\n
First things first, it\u2019s good to know what kind of place is available to you.<\/p>\n
Types of housing in Berlin<\/h2>\n
As everyone knows, there are different strokes for different folks, and while finances can play a big role in the place you eventually move in to, other factors such as social life, administrative paperwork, and convenience play into it too. So, what options are there for you?<\/p>\n
Renting your own apartment<\/h3>\n
If a flat to call your own is your dream, then you really need to be prepared. Germany has one of the lowest rates of home-ownership in the world, meaning the majority of its inhabitants are renters. The rental market, therefore, is heavily regulated and largely in favour of the tenant. \u2018Rent caps and tight restrictions on landlords? It sounds like a dreamland!\u2019 we hear you cry. Yes. Well, kind of. Those strict rules mean that it is difficult for landlords to evict tenants. Again, great! Again, sort of. What all that basically means is that landlords are generally extremely keen to ensure that they have reliable tenants and so can be very particular when it comes to applications. Surprise! That means more paperwork, but we\u2019ll get to that shortly.<\/p>\n
Be aware that most flats are rented unfurnished, even down to the kitchen units, which means after paying the deposit and rent you will have the additional cost of filling your new home with places to sit and sleep and put things.<\/p>\n
Finding a WG\/flat share<\/h3>\n
WG is a term you will see a lot. It is the abbreviation for Wohngemeinschaft<\/em> which is the German term for a flatshare. WGs are often the best bet for new arrivals to Berlin. Maybe you don\u2019t have the money to get a place of your own, maybe you do but you don\u2019t have all the necessary paperwork, or maybe you just want to meet new people; this is the answer. Generally, you have your own room and share common spaces. Remember that flatmates can really affect life in the flat so choose wisely.<\/p>\n These types of accommodation can be a great place for newbies to the city to stay at first, although they can be a little more expensive. Whether it\u2019s for a week, a month, or a year, having somewhere that is already fully kitted out gives you the time and space to thoroughly look into and find the place you\u2019ll be long-term, without having to worry about buying furniture or setting up your own utility contracts straight away. They can alleviate any feelings of panic and take the rush out of the process. They also, more often than not, do not require the paperwork that you would need in order to get your own lease, therefore can be a great way to break the nonsensical circle of needing an address to open a bank account and a bank account to get a SCHUFA record (more information to follow).<\/p>\n There are two different ways to look for temporary and\/or furnished accommodation. The first is a sublet, called Untermiete or Zwischenmiete<\/em> in German. Zwischenmiete<\/em> literally means \u2018between rent\u2019 and the idea is that you rent someone\u2019s flat in the \u2018in between\u2019, while they are away on holiday, for example. These are legal so long as they are with the landlord\u2019s consent and are not for profit.<\/p>\n The second way is through a number of agencies that provide fully-furnished, sometimes even serviced, apartments. They normally incorporate their fee into the rent and therefore can be more expensive than usual.<\/p>\n Now you have a loose idea of what sort of apartment you\u2019d like, without a doubt the next biggest question is: where? The district in which you choose to live is such an important topic that it warrants its own post, containing a summary of each neighbourhood in Berlin<\/a>.<\/p>\n Naturally, prices vary greatly depending on which area of the city you\u2019re looking at. The map below shows the average price for a 30 year old, 70m\u00b2, two-room apartment in different areas of the city based on the public transport map. Once you get into the process of looking at apartment listings you\u2019ll start to be able to gauge better for yourself what seems to be reasonable or at least average for area\/size etc.<\/p>\n An important thing to know about rent prices is that in Germany they are labelled Kaltmiete<\/em><\/strong> or Warmmiete<\/em><\/strong>. Literally translated, Kaltmiete<\/em> means \u2018cold rent\u2019 and is the base price of rent alone without any additional costs. Warmmiete<\/em> is \u2018warm rent\u2019 and means base rent plus Nebenkosten<\/em><\/strong>, which are things to do with building maintenance, and sometimes heat. Beware \u2013 just because it says warm doesn\u2019t mean heating is included; check the details in your contract to be sure what is covered and what is not.<\/p>\n As mentioned before, landlords want to make sure that whoever they rent their apartments to can pay the rent, and comfortably, so be aware that it\u2019s not an uncommon condition for your income to be around three times the rent amount. Even having a large amount of savings might not cut it, they want to know that you have a regular and stable income that won\u2019t just run out one day.<\/p>\n On that note it\u2019s also good to keep in mind that the deposit, or Kaution, for an apartment can be anywhere from one month\u2019s rent to a full three times that.<\/p>\n As discussed previously, there are accommodation options available to you that will not require this paperwork, but if you are looking to get your name on your own rental contract then this is what you will need to have ready to go along with your application.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re looking in hugely popular areas like Kreuzberg or Prenzlauer Berg be aware that it isn\u2019t unusual for people to bring all this to a viewing in case they like the apartment and want to get their application in immediately; just something to consider.<\/p>\nTemporary and Furnished Accommodation<\/h3>\n
Where to look<\/h2>\n
\n
Rent Prices in Berlin and Contracts<\/h2>\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/berlinstartupjobs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Infographic_Berlin-in-numbers_English-1024x737.png\")
<\/a><\/p>\n
\n
\n![\"Miet-Map](\"https:\/\/www.immobilienscout24.de\/content\/dam\/is24\/ibw\/dokumente\/mietmap-berlin-2017.jpg\")
<\/a>
\nWith this interactive map<\/a> you can search by budget, area or size of flat and the data is much more recent.<\/p>\nWhat you need: the paperwork<\/h2>\n