5 Simple Steps for finding a flat in Berlin

1. Firstly if you are starting a new job or internship in Berlin, I would highly recommend that you fly out at least one week before you start. 

I started looking for a flat in Berlin roughly a month before my internship, which began in September. I soon found out that very few people were willing to Skype me from my house in London and a face-to-face meeting and flat visit was generally preferred, to make sure that the two parties had a good chemistry and that the potentially new tenant (me) was not a psychopath. Makes sense really.

 2. Get an Air Bnb whilst you look for somewhere more permanent! 

 

After receiving no reply from one air Bnb host and getting rejected by another, I lost a lot of hope in finding a flat. I was new however to Air Bnb and as many of you may know, without a review of your account by a former host it is likely that as a guy, a girl may not want to let you stay with them. Third time lucky though and I was fortunate to have a whole apartment free to myself for a week. Staying in an Air Bnb whilst looking for a flat is definitely something I would recommend. Check the host’s reviews before you book your room, but more often than not, Air Bnb hosts are generally extremely friendly folk, who are more than willing to help you during your stay. This is a great way to network with local Berlin residents and gain useful local knowledge of the city. Plus if you’re lucky enough, they might know someone who has a spare room!

3. WG-gesucht and immobilienscout24


Whether you are looking for a room in a flat share or a single room for yourself, the two sites given above are a great place to start. However I found that my first week in Berlin was quite stressful and the numerous daily errands left me with little time to apply for new flats. Thus uploading an interesting add of yourself to these sites, highlighting both your interesting and personal qualities, can significantly increase your chance of being contacted by a tenant.

To my knowledge the most successful adds briefly outline who you are and what you’re doing in Berlin, your interests and what sort of flat you are looking for. This gives people renting their rooms a chance to pick you personally from a bunch of other people, and will heighten your chances of finding somewhere. I would however recommend including something that expresses your unique interests. Stating you like music, sport and food is ok, but hundreds of people will likely write the same and it won't help you stand out amongst the crowd. Expressing your passion for Middle Eastern cuisine or your love for Chet Baker however makes the ad more personal and will give the tenant a better idea of who you are.

4. Create a draft email. 

 
From my experience writing emails to tenants can be extremely tedious and petty at the best of times. By creating a template letter of 1. Who you are and where you are from 2. What you are looking for i.e. 1 bedroom fully furnished apartment, andn your search for a dream flat. Goodluck and get looking. 3. Your interests and hobbies you can save time and energy and make your application process more efficient. You can then tweak each email so that it targets the specific ad accordingly. For every 20 emails you send, you may only receive around three replies, but that is the world of Berlin Flat hunting!
  
5. Be alert to new emails and keep your phone on!

This may seem obvious but making sure you are alert to new emails and calls is extremely important so that your dream flat doesn’t slip through your fingers. I learnt the hard way after someone sent me a reply email at 7am asking me to come and view the flat two hours later, which I unfortunately missed. I have since kept my phone by me at all times and checked my email every 30 minutes. This is the level of urgency we're dealing with people. 


What Not To Do

6. My last bit of advice is mentioned on a lot of flat share sites already, but it is important to note anyway.

No. 1 Rule – Do not transfer any money before you have A. met the landlord / person renting B. Seen the Flat and C. signed and agreed to a contract. I have been contacted by a lot of spam and fake accounts that email you in the hope that you will send them the first months rent.

Anyway I hope that these few simple steps can help you in your search for a dream flat. Goodluck and get looking.