Nobody said that finding a rental apartment in Berlin was easy and for expats starting up a new life in the German capital, this is particularly true.  The attractions of renting an apartment in Berlin are well-known; a huge amount of space and very low rents, sometimes even more than half the price of the world’s most popular cities. But before you pack your bags, make sure you have properly planned for the move.

 Planning your search

Firstly, give yourself enough time to look.  Anywhere from one week to one month is needed for your apartment search. You’ll be scheduling visits, waiting for your application to be reviewed (for rentals by an owner) and negotiating the lease or contract.

Even if you find an apartment that looks interesting and manage to arrange a visit, the landlord will take time to go through all the applications to select tenants--this could take several days. Plus, remember that although the first applicant with the correct credit should get the lease, sometimes the landlord will simply choose the applicant in the best financial shape.

You will need at least a basic understanding of German, to help with the move and the settling in process. Don’t assume that all Berliners speak English, especially with regards to owners.

Although using a real estate agent is the easiest way to find your apartment, you can expect to pay a substantial fee for the service.  Never pay anything until you have signed a contract and have full understanding of your rental agreement.

Prepare to be patient while searching and don’t get too attached to one apartment, because you may not get it. Anyhow, there are plenty of excellent Berlin apartments out there.

Types of rental

Depending on what time-scale you have in mind for Berlin, there are several options that may suit.

The standard long-term agreement is great if you are moving permanently, but it may take several weeks to find the right place and sign.

Until then, or if your intended stay is from days to a month or two, consider renting a short-stay apartment, so that you get the feel for a neighbourhood and save money on eating out.

Short-term rentals work out pretty well if you are in Berlin for business or if you want a private and fully equipped apartment while you look for your permanent apartment deal. It’s a failsafe means of feeling at home while allowing you to work, explore the areas and of course, flat-hunt.

If you are looking for temporary apartment in Berlin, for example, several months up to a year, you may be able to find a sublet, called Untermiete or Zwischenmiete, which is a contract between tenant and tenant, or a “nachmeiter”, meaning taking over someone’s lease. These are quite common in Berlin as the upwardly mobile locals are prone take off and go travelling for several months.

Another option for starting out in Berlin is to share with others. You’ll see rooms offered as WG's or Wohngemeinschaften (Note that WG-Zimmer are usually unfurnished).  Although more common for young people, it is also possible to find a shared apartment with middle-aged groups.  This is good for meeting locals, but do keep in mind that since Berlin rents are so cheap, even a very big room being offered for EUR 500 overpriced.

 Berlin: Apartment blocks in Wedding district seen from the Flak towers in Berlin-Gesundbrunnen

Choosing a neighbourhood

Berlin is completely different when compared to other European cities, as each of its central areas area spread out and always well-connected with U-Bahn, S-Bahn or tram. Therefore, when conducting your search, you don’t have to play it safe and only look “central”.

Read up on the neighbourhoods and work out your needs.  Do you like being in the commercial district or do you prefer quiet? Does it need to be close to your place of work?

Choosing an apartment

You’ll get the immediate feeling of more-space-for-your-money when it comes to Berlin. Many of the apartments are huge, converted factory spaces, but they don’t suit everyone.  So make sure you’ve got your checklist straight when it comes to apartment criteria.

Many of the apartments advertise how many zimmer (rooms) they have; this usually excludes the kitchen and bathroom areas. If you don’t like to cook, maybe a kitchenette is sufficient.

You’ll see in the housing terms at the bottom how to decipher this from the apartment’s advert. Will you need a spare room for visits by family and friends? Would you prefer more space or a cosier home? Most of the huge loft rentals can be costly to heat during cold Berlin winters.

Where to find Berlin apartment listings

Newspaper listings are agreed as the best place to look, if you want to go through an owner. Try the Saturday Berliner Zeitung (numerous pages of adverts, sorted by neighbourhood), the weekend edition of the Berliner Morgenpost with its huge immobilien section, or magazines such as Zitty and Tip.

The best time to call owners is in the morning, for a better viewing time and higher chance of success if you find the apartment you like.

 Berlin: "Alte Gebäu" (Old building) in Pankow district

Contracts and renting

German landlords are renowned for following up every detail of the contract, but if in doubt with regards to some of the clauses, you can get help in understanding aspects of the lease.

Ask a German colleague or visit the local tenants association, the Mieterschutz-Verein.  You can find your nearest one through the Deutscher Mieterbund.  If you become a member you will receive legal cover in case of future problems with the rental agreement.

As is usual in most countries, you will be required to pay a deposit (Kaution) which is refundable on your departure. Normally you will be asked for one or two months deposit (three months is the legal maximum) plus VAT.

Interestingly, the deposit also accrues interest and in this context, a good tip is to put into a joint account between yourself and the landlord, to prevent the landlord from withholding the deposit. However if there are damages, the owner is allowed claim the amount for repairs.

So do your research, take your time with the search and be patient with the locals; the best Berlin rental apartment deal always comes to those who wait.

German housing terms and abbreviations

To help you in your search, here are the most typical abbreviated terms you will see:

Abstand: (Semi-furnished only)
DG: Dachgeschoss (loft apartment)
EG: Erdgeschoss (ground floor)
VH: Vorderhaus (front of building)
HH: Hinterhaus (rear of building)
Qm: Quadratmeter (size in square metres)
ZH: Zentralheizung (central heating)
NR: Nichtraucher (no smoking)
WG: Wohngemeinschaft (shared apartment)
WBS: Wohnberechtigungsschein (subsidised housing)
2 Zi.-Whg: (apartment with 2 rooms)
2 ZKDB: (apartment with 2 rooms and kitchen, hallway, bathroom)
Zi: Zimmer (rooms)
Wfl.:Wohnfläche = living area
EBK: Einbauküche (built-in kitchen)
KN: (kitchenette)
KM: Kaltmiete (cold rent)
WM: Warmmiete (warm rent; the cold rent plus bills)
NMM: Nettomonatsmiete (net rent, excluding bills)
zzgl. NK: (plus extra charges such as heating, electricity, etc.)
kalt: (heating extra)
K: Kaution (deposit)
Nachmieter: (taking over an existing lease)
MVZ: Monatliche Vorauszahlung (rent in advance)
Prov.:Provision (commission)

Zara Patterson writes for WayToStay.com, an online bookings service specialising in short-stay Berlin apartments and rentals in other top European cities.

WayToStay.com focuses on quality, value and direct bookings. Each Berlin apartment has an equipped kitchen, home comforts and maybe even a balcony or city views.

Photo credits: Michele Carloni