Frankfurt is an exciting city with a vibrant culture and a lifestyle that just about anyone can slip into and get used to. However, the beginning parts of moving are difficult. Regardless of where you’re moving, cross state, cross country or to some place tucked away in the corner of the world, there are some challenging aspects of it all. Finding an apartment is one of those things that is easier said than done. Is it right for you? Is it too expensive? Is it too far from work? These are only a few of the questions you will have to ask yourself. Searching for an apartment is a couple notches harder when you’re doing it in Germany, or any country where your the language spoken isn’t your mother tongue, provided you haven’t yet mastered the foreign language.
Price. How much do things really cost? This all depends on where you want to live, how close to the city center, how big your space needs to be, etc. Frankfurt is by no means a cheap city and so it is encouraged that you shop around a bit before you settle on an apartment. Don’t go for the first thing you find, unless of course it is absolutely perfect and you have to be dragged out because you could just sleep there as is. Another aspect of pricing involved kaltmiete and warmmeite. The difference between these two is the inclusion versus exclusion of utility costs. Where as you may see an apartment which boasts a neat cost that you find very affordable but couldn’t stand to pay a cent more, be sure that this is the warmiete, as the kaltmiete will add another couple hundred to that cost.
Furnished Apartments
If you’re hoping to find a furnished apartment you may want to cross your fingers and wish on a couple stars. This isn’t to say that it is impossible to find a furnished apartment in Frankfurt, but the truth is, it really is hard. Furnished apartments aren’t extremely popular and so if this is a must for you, consider doing your research way ahead of time before you get to Germany.
Real estate agents and their fees. Sure, getting a real estate agent will allow the house hunting process to go faster and have you settled into a new home sooner. The problem here is the expense. Real estate agents in Germany charge quite the hefty fee and if you’re on a tight budget and still need to think about things like furnishing then you may want to skip using an agent. However, if you can afford to spend the money, more likely than not, you’ll find Real Estate Agents rather helpful.
Contract
Read, read, read. German contracts are tiring to read, not just because they’re in German but because there are so many rules, so many regulations that make you just want to sign and turn it in. But don’t. Be sure to know what you are signing before you sign it.