10 tips for looking for a new apartment

The search for a new apartment is often tedious and frustrating nowadays, because affordable living space is becoming increasingly scarce and the competition is unimaginably high, especially in large cities and metropolitan areas. The landlord is free to choose his future tenant from a large number of applicants, which of course increases the demands on the tenants. But how do you manage to get hold of a beautiful and affordable apartment despite all the hurdles and convince the owner or the broker of yourself?

BOXIE24 answers the most important questions for you and has also put together 10 valuable tips for you to greatly improve the chances of receiving an acceptance from the landlord.

Looking for an apartment? The 10 ultimate tips from BOXIE24

1. Use all channels: read the paragraph about the different ways to find your apartment. Online, newspaper, student union and your private network should be searched.

2. Show initiative: You can also post search ads on online portals. You can also print out your search query and post it in supermarkets and other public notice boards.

3. Be quick: if you have found your apartment with all the appropriate criteria and an acceptable price, the most important motto is: be quick! You won’t be the only one who discovered the apartment. Sometimes hundreds of applicants get in touch just a few hours after an apartment has been put online. Don’t waste time and call directly to personally request a viewing.

4. Prepared documents: bring all the documents you need to sign a contract with you when you visit: last 3 salary slips, a rental debt exemption certificate from the current landlord, a Schufa information and, in the case of apprentices or minors, a guarantee from the parents. Often this is also very helpful with students because the landlord receives one more security. If you can get a letter of recommendation from your previous landlord, that is also a good sign for the new landlord. You should also prepare a brief application in which you describe your name, age, current professional situation and your family circumstances. You should always have your identity card with you.

5. Adjust search criteria and requirements: if you cannot find what you are looking for after weeks of searching, you should reconsider your criteria and requirements. Is my desired price compatible with my desired location? Do I really need 100 m2 and a roof terrace? Experience shows that very few people end up living in the area in which they were initially looking. Sometimes it is enough to increase the monthly rental budget by a few euros and you will find what you are looking for.

6. Collect information: in order to improve your negotiating position, it makes sense to collect as much information as possible in advance: how long has the apartment been empty? How expensive is the square meter price compared to the surrounding area? Has the price already been corrected?

7. First impression – good impression: if you have been given a viewing appointment, you should know how important the first impression is. Dress properly, arrive on time and bring all documents (see 4.) with you. You should also think of suitable questions so that you do not silently walk through all the rooms. For example, you could ask if you have access to the basement, how big it is, how far it is to the next bus stop and and and. There are many options here. Just show yourself from your best side and collect sympathy points. In addition to the income, this is crucial for the landlord. He is interested in a tenancy that is as stress-free as possible.

8. Keep in touch: even if you haven’t won the bid, you should ask the landlord or broker whether he has any more rental apartments in his portfolio for which he is looking for tenants. You may be able to be put on a waiting list. It is often worthwhile to just ask again.

9. Search-offer listing: if you want to save money, have nothing against doing household chores or gardening, this is an option for you. More and more seniors are taking in young people free of charge and in return they help with the household or in the garden. A possible guideline: one hour of help per month per square meter of living space. Wisdoms and interesting stories are free on top.

10. Home swap: you shouldn’t ignore this option either. Register online at Tauschwohnung.com and upload information and good pictures of your apartment. You might find the right swap!

Rent a property? Preparation is the be-all and end-all

There are countless guides and tips circulating on the World Wide Web on how to successfully complete an apartment search and then rent your dream property. But in most guides, one important point is forgotten: preparation and a careful schedule. In any case, you have to plan enough lead time, because from the start of the search to moving into the new apartment can often take weeks or months. In principle, you should therefore start your research at least 3 months before you plan to move.

At the beginning of the planning phase you should think about the demands you have on your new apartment. Because preparing to look for an apartment is half the battle. So think about the following key data: quiet or central residential area? Balcony or no balcony? Bathroom with or without a window? Access to a garden or not? How many rooms do I need and what living space?

If you are looking for an apartment or a property to rent, you should always remain realistic and adapt your preferences to your budget: rents are at record highs in all German cities and accordingly you should always lower your requirements a little and not expect too much. Better to experience a positive surprise than simply not finding what you are looking for.

Looking for an apartment – what should I do with my household effects during the transition period?

There is often a transition period when moving from an old home to a new apartment, which many tenants do not consider in their planning. Sometimes this time is bridged with friends or relatives on the sofa or in a guest room, but many cannot offer more than a place to sleep and some space for a bag with clothes because they do not have that much living space available themselves. So where do I put the furniture and fittings while I wait for the keys to my new apartment to be handed over or my new apartment is still being renovated?

BOXIE24 offers the ideal self storage solution for everyone who has already found their apartment but cannot yet move in, or who are still looking but have to get out of their old apartment.

• Inexpensive storage space with flexible contracts without notice periods and without a deposit

• Pick-up service: we pick up your stored items – you don’t have to worry about transport

• Delivery service: we deliver your warehouse to your new apartment when it is ready to move into

Looking for an apartment – you will find it here

In order to be able to prevail against a competitor, you have to find an offer for a property to be rented. This search can be tedious and time consuming, but that’s just part of it.

You have the best chances if you diversify your search: use different channels and portals to find suitable apartment offers and to expand your search radius.

• Online housing portals

As with most problems, the Internet is often the first port of call when looking for an apartment. Take a look at the major housing portals such as Rentola and similar and enter your search criteria so that you only receive suitable suggestions. Here you can quickly get a feel for the current market and current prices. In addition, the different portals on offer may differ.

• Newspapers

Many people no longer even think of opening the newspaper when they are looking for an apartment and want to rent a property. But the old-fashioned medium of the newspaper can sometimes be exactly the right choice: apartments – for example from older landlords – are advertised here that you cannot find online. If you are still fast now, the chances are very good. So get the local newspapers you need in the city you are moving to.

• Student union and notices

Students looking for an apartment should contact the student union at your university or college. Here you get a lot of information and a good overview. Cheap dormitory places are often given out here, if that’s an option for you. In addition, you will often find a notice board at your teaching facility on which you can also find advertisements for apartments. So keep your eyes open! However, you could also use online portals like Student Housing Australia. 

• Facebook

There are many apartment groups for all cities on Facebook. Join these groups and you may find what you are looking for here. Not everyone thinks of this possibility, but often it is mainly these Facebook groups that are sought after.

• Network and vitamin B

When looking for apartments, it is often not considered that friends, family and other acquaintances do not even know that they are looking for an apartment. But sometimes that can be exactly the right way to go: spread the word that an apartment is being sought, you might get positive feedback. Perhaps you know someone who knows someone who is currently looking for a new tenant. In this way, you can often bypass the application process and get your new property relatively quickly and easily.