One of the most stressful parts of moving to Germany is the process of finding accommodation. Other than the obvious fact that we need a house for ourselves, it is necessary to have an address of correspondence for your city registration, your communication with the university or employer and many other administrative matters.

There are many options that are available on the German market: Single room apartments, single room shared apartments, studio apartments, fully furnished apartments or rooms, a full flat, houses, etc.. Shared apartments or rooms are usually cheaper than a single room or renting your own flat.

For professionals, it is wisest to get yourself a flat or a shared housing through your colleagues or personal network. Some employers also provide their own platforms or forums where colleagues share housing offers. 

If you are moving to Germany from abroad, we usually recommend booking a furnished apartment for the first 2 to 4 months of your stay in Germany. That way you can avoid scams and find out in which area of the city you would like to live in before settling for a long-term apartment.

Ask for this document before booking a place to stay

Before booking a furnished apartment or short term stay, make sure to ask the landlord or service provider if they can provide you with a so-called "Wohnungsgeberbestätigung". You will need this document to register in Germany (“Anmeldung”), a mandatory step before you can open a bank account, apply for a tax id and your residence permit.

List of websites to find housing in Germany

Unfurnished long-term apartments:

Note: The offers on these websites are public and usually receive many requests within minutes after they go online. You need to be really quick and have all your documents for the apartment application ready.

• ImmoScout: https://www.immobilienscout24.de/

• Ebay Kleinanzeigen: https://www.ebay-kleinanzeigen.de/

• https://www.immowelt.de/ (only available in German)

• https://www.meinestadt.de/ (only available in German)

• Berlin, offers by major local housing associations: https://inberlinwohnen.de/ (only available in German)

Fully furnished rooms: 

• Spacest: https://spacest.com/ (filter for “You can take up residence”)

• HousingAnywhere: https://housinganywhere.com/ (filter for "Registration possible")

• spotahome: https://www.spotahome.com/ (look out for "Registration / Anmeldung" possible in the landlord policies)

• Homelike: https://www.thehomelike.com/ (filter for "Certificate of residence")

• Wunderflats: https://wunderflats.com/ (look out for “Landlord's confirmation of residence (Wohnungsgeberbestätigung)” under “Services”)

Shared flats

• WG gesucht: https://www.wg-gesucht.de/en/

• WG Suche: https://en.wg-suche.de/

+ Join city-specific groups on Facebook

Student housing: 

• Berlin: https://www.stw.berlin/en/housing.html 

• Munich: https://www.studentenwerk-muenchen.de/en/student-accommodation/ 

• Aachen: https://www.studierendenwerk-aachen.de/en/housing.html 

  -> (Pro Tip: Google “Studentenwerk” + the city you will move to to find your local student union)
  

What are your favorite websites to look for accommodation in Germany? Drop us an email to hallo@hallogermany.com.

Looking for more?