Looking for an apartment? Get into your new home with these 10 tips!

The search for a new apartment is often tedious and frustrating these days, as affordable housing is increasingly scarce and competition is unimaginably high, especially in big cities and metropolises. Landlords are free to choose their prospective tenants from a large number of applicants, which naturally increases the demands on tenants. But how do you manage to get a nice and affordable apartment despite all the obstacles and convince the owner or the real estate agent?

BOXIE24 answers the most important questions for you and has also compiled 10 valuable tips for you to greatly increase your chances of getting landlord confirmation.

Looking for an apartment? The 10 ultimate tips from BOXIE24.

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

Renting an apartment? Preparation is key

Looking for an apartment – you’ll find it here

Looking for an apartment? The 10 ultimate tips from BOXIE24

1. Use all channels: read the section on the different ways to find your apartment. Online, newspaper, student union and your private network should be searched.
2. Show initiative: you can also place search ads on online portals. You can also print your search and post it in supermarkets and other public notice boards.
3. Be quick: when you have found your apartment with all the criteria and at an acceptable price, the most important motto is: be quick! You won’t be the only one to have discovered the apartment. Sometimes hundreds of applicants contact the the landlord just a few hours after a apartment is put online. Don’t waste time and call immediately to request a viewing in person.
4. Prepared documents: bring with you all the documents you need to sign the contract when you visit: last 3 salary slips, proof of exemption from rental debt from the current landlord and, in the case of students or minors, a parental guarantee. Often this is also very useful with students because the landlord gets security. If you can get a letter of recommendation from your previous landlord, it is also a good sign for the new landlord. You should also prepare a short application describing your name, age, current occupation and your family situation. 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 live in the area they were initially looking for. Sometimes it is enough to increase the monthly rental budget by a few euros and you find what you are looking for.
6. Gather information: to improve your negotiating position, it makes sense to gather as much information as possible beforehand: how long has the apartment been vacant? How expensive is the square metre price compared to the area? Has the price already been corrected?
7. First impression – good impression: if you have made a viewing appointment, you should know how important the first impression is. Wear appropriate clothes, arrive on time and bring all documents (see 4.). Also think of suitable questions so you don’t walk silently through all the rooms. For example, you can 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 possibilities here. Just show your best side and collect sympathy points. Besides income, this is crucial for the landlord. He is interested in a lease that is as stress-free as possible.
8. Keep in touch: even if you did not win the bid, you should ask the landlord or estate agent if he has any other rental apartments in his portfolio for which he is looking for tenants. You could possibly be put on a waiting list. It often pays to just ask again.
9. Search offer: if you want to save money, have nothing against housework or gardening, this is an option for you. More and more senior citizens are taking in young people for free and in return they help with housework or gardening. A possible guideline: one hour of help per month per square metre of living space. Wisdom and interesting stories are on top for free.
10. Home swap: you shouldn’t ignore this option either. Register online at Tauschwohnung.com and upload information and good photos of your apartment. You might find the right swap!

Renting a house? Preparation is key

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

At the beginning of the planning phase, think about your requirements for your new apartment. Because preparing to look for a apartment is half the battle. So consider the following key details: 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 kind of living space?

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

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

The search for a new apartment is often tedious and frustrating these days, as affordable housing is increasingly scarce and competition is unimaginably high, especially in big cities and metropolises. Landlords are free to choose their prospective tenants from a large number of applicants, which naturally increases the demands on tenants. But how do you manage to get a nice and affordable apartment despite all the obstacles and convince the owner or the real estate agent?

BOXIE24 answers the most important questions for you and has also compiled 10 valuable tips for you to greatly increase your chances of getting landlord confirmation.

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Looking for an apartment – you’ll find it here

To overcome a competitor, you need to find an offer for an apartment to rent. This search can be tedious and time-consuming, but that’s only part of it.

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

• Online housing portals

As with most problems, the internet is often the first point of contact when looking for an apartment. Check out the major housing portals such as immoscout24 and the like and enter your search criteria so that you receive only suitable suggestions. Here you will quickly get an idea of the current market and current prices. Moreover, different portals may differ in the offer.

• Newspapers

Many people no longer 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 just the right choice: this is where apartments – for example from older landlords – are advertised that you cannot find online. If you are quick then the chances are very high. So get the local newspapers you need in the city you are moving to.

• Student union and notices

Students looking for an apartment can contact the student union at their university or college. Here you will get a lot of information and a good overview. Moreover, cheap dormitories are often issued here, if that is an option for you. In addition, you will often find a notice board at your educational facility on which ads for apartments can also be found. So keep your eyes peeled!

• Facebook

There are many all-city apartment groups on Facebook. Join these groups and you might find what you are looking for here. Not everyone thinks of this possibility, but Facebook groups in particular are often used to look for new tenants.

• Network and vitamin B

When looking for housing, it is often not thought that friends, family and other acquaintances do not even know you are looking for an apartment. But sometimes that can be exactly the right way: tell them you are looking for an apartment, and you might get positive feedback. Perhaps you know someone who knows someone who is currently looking for a new tenant. This way, you can often bypass the application process and get your new home relatively quickly and easily.