How to Find an Apartment in Germany as a Foreigner

The German rental market is not like most others. Vacancy rates in Munich, Frankfurt, and Berlin sit below 1%, so landlords can afford to be picky. The person who gets the apartment is usually the one who showed up most prepared, not the one who applied first.

If you’ve never rented in Germany before, a lot of this will feel backwards. That’s normal. Here’s what you’ll need to get your head around.

Where listings actually are

Most people end up on ImmobilienScout24 or ImmoWelt. Set up search alerts immediately — good apartments in cities disappear within hours, sometimes within minutes. WG-Gesucht is the main platform for shared flats (Wohngemeinschaft, or WG) if you’re not looking for a whole apartment.

One thing that surprises people: a lot of apartments are never listed publicly. They go to someone who called a local Hausverwaltung (property management company) directly. Once you know which neighborhoods you want, it’s worth calling or emailing property managers in those areas, not just waiting for listings to appear online.

The documents landlords want

This is where most foreigners get tripped up. German landlords want a full dossier before they’ll even invite you to a viewing. You’ll typically need:

A SCHUFA report — Germany’s credit check system. You can get yours for free at schufa.de once per year. If you’ve just arrived and have no German credit history, some landlords will accept a credit report from your home country plus a letter from your employer.

Proof of income — the last three payslips, or a signed employment contract if you’re new. Landlords generally want to see that your income is at least three times the monthly rent.

A Mietschuldenfreiheitsbescheinigung — a letter from your previous landlord confirming you left with no outstanding rent. It’s a mouthful, and most people don’t know to ask for it until they need it. If you’re still in your current place, request it now.

A copy of your ID or passport, usually a recent bank statement, and sometimes a brief self-introduction letter (called a Selbstauskunft). Bring everything, even if they don’t ask for all of it.

What the rent actually costs

The advertised rent is almost never the full number. Most listings show Kaltmiete, the base rent without utilities. Add 20-30% for Nebenkosten: heating, water, building maintenance, sometimes internet. When you compare apartments, compare warm rent (Warmmiete), not cold rent.

The security deposit (Kaution) is capped by law at three months of cold rent and must be held in a separate account. You get it back at the end, minus any legitimate deductions.

One thing that changed in 2015: the landlord pays the estate agent fee, not you. If anyone asks you to pay a Maklergebühr, they’re breaking the law.

When to use a relocation agency

If you’re moving a family, relocating for a job that starts on a fixed date, or you don’t speak German, the process gets much harder. You’re competing with local applicants who can answer a landlord’s call immediately, view apartments on short notice, and negotiate in German.

A relocation agency handles that. They know which landlords are foreigner-friendly, which neighborhoods have the best school access, and they can represent you in viewings before you arrive in the country.

The honest downside: it costs money, and the quality varies a lot. Ask specifically what’s included. Some agencies just send you a list of links, which isn’t worth much.

Planning a move to Germany? Talk to our team about how we can help.