Moving to Germany: How Far in Advance Should I Look for an Apartment?
Table of Contents Why timing matters in Germany’s rental market? In many German cities, supply is tight and apartments turn over fast. The CBRE-empirica Vacancy Index reports a nationwide market-active vacancy rate of 2.2% in 2024, with major cities around 1.2%, and some growth cities at near-zero vacancy. Speed is another constraint. Data from the […]
How to Get SCHUFA in Germany as a Foreigner
Table of Contents What SCHUFA is and why it matters SCHUFA is a German credit bureau. Businesses use SCHUFA information to estimate payment risk when you apply for contracts. In housing, many landlords ask for a SCHUFA document to check whether there are negative payment-related entries before they sign a lease. This guide covers how […]
Can I Rent an Apartment in Germany Without Speaking German?
Table of Contents You can rent an apartment in Germany without speaking German. You do not need a language certificate to sign a lease. The challenge is practical: most of the market runs in German, and the steps around the lease (documents, registration, utilities, maintenance) can fail if you cannot communicate or verify what you […]
Serviced Apartments vs Furnished Apartments: What’s the Difference?
Table of Contents Choosing between a serviced apartment and a furnished apartment in Germany is not only a comfort decision. It affects your contract type, your rights as a tenant, your ability to register your address (Anmeldung), and your total cost once fees and services are added. Both options give you a ready-to-live-in home. The […]
Pros and Cons of Furnished vs Unfurnished Apartments
Table of Contents Choosing between a furnished and an unfurnished apartment in Germany is not the same decision as in many other countries. Here, “unfurnished” (unmöbliert) can mean more than “no sofa”: in some markets, apartments may be rented without a fitted kitchen (Einbauküche) and sometimes without light fixtures, depending on the listing and region. […]
How to Find Pet‑Friendly Apartments in Germany
Table of Contents Why pet‑friendly rentals are harder to secure in Germany Demand for pet‑friendly housing is high in major German cities, while supply is limited. The challenge is rarely “finding any apartment.” It is finding an apartment where (1) the listing is truly pet‑friendly, (2) the lease wording works, and (3) the landlord will […]
Is It easy to move to Germany from within the EU?
Table of Contents Moving to Germany from another EU country is legally straightforward, but administratively demanding. EU freedom of movement means you can enter Germany and start building your life there without a visa. In practice, Germany expects you to register your address quickly, prove you have health insurance, and handle several systems (housing, tax, […]
Is It Easy for an American Citizen to Move to Germany?
Table of Contents Americans move to Germany for concrete reasons: a large job market in the EU, strong higher-education options, and a lifestyle built around public transit, paid time off, and dense, walkable cities. The real question is whether the move from the USA to Germany is straightforward once you start dealing with visas, registrations, […]
Zeitwohnen Update: January 2026
Berlin thrives on mobility. When international professionals, scientists, students, or people in exceptional personal circumstances need an apartment at short notice, the availability of flexible furnished accommodation is often the deciding factor for our city. This is exactly where Zeitwohnen (long-term flexible housing) comes in, which in practice is clearly geared towards residential use for […]
