Apartment #4
I should have titled this post, "and another one bites the dust". So we went to see this place today, 6 rooms with 2 balconies and 2 storage rooms and while it was nice inside (not as nice as the photos make it look though), but all I can say is no, no, no. Let me put it politely. I did not click with the owner of that flat at all.
So we left. And went for lunch. And whispered to one another in the cafe about more important things like forgetting the whole apartment search and going up to England to buy a house. I'm not even kidding. We are like that, we go on vibes and feelings and cosmic stuff sometimes. Like maybe this is all some kind of sign?
And then we were walking home and there, on a street we pass by so frequently, was a sign with not one but TWO apartments for rent, one directly over the other one. One with 4 rooms and one with 5. We took down the number and called 5 minutes ago. We're seeing both places in 15 minutes. I'll let you know how it goes...
Who knows? Perhaps Hannover wants us after all?
Comments
Good luck with the newest prospects!
can't wait to see what happens today!
About not "clicking" with the landlord: Usually you only see him twice. Before moving in and when moving out. Or three times, if you don´t pay the rent and meet up in the court room :-)
I just can not get over the low price for that apartment! Here in HH it would cost 1800 Euro if it was in a nice quarter like Ottensen, Eimsbüttel or Winterhude. In areas like Eppendorf or Harvestehude (more upmarket) the place would be even more expensive. Maybe I should convince my man to move?!?!
If you really are considering the UK: Good Luck! My sister in law has been living in and around London for 11 years. And she has nothing good to say about finding nice properties. And my own London-experience with finding an apartment in 1997 was horrid, to say the least.
For the money you want to spend on rent in Hannover you`d get a one bedroom flat with a tiny bathroom if you´d be hunting in London
Don´t worry. The right place will come. Where ever it may be!
england and london is full of beautiful apartments/houses if you ever decide to move away
our last landlord was horrid and we just dreaded each and every interaction with him, even though it was only every once every 3-4 months. I agree, that can be a total deal-breaker. Good for you for knowing your limits.
This place was cheap when it came to the base rent, but the monthly heat bill was high at 450 per month (here heat is calculated based on the year before and split into 12 months so it's not like it's 450 in the winter and 150 in the Summer, it's 450 each month) so with NM + Heat it was around 1750, Euros per month and then with cable and electric, about 2000- Euros.
I get paid in US Dollars so that is 2,900 USD per month. I don't earn Euros so I always have to convert the rents so they're not THAT cheap.
anyway...good luck!
maybe you should read "Bestellungen beim Universum" by Bärbel Mohr ;)
Im following your apartment hunt, have you thought about maybe going for a newer property as the heating would be more efficient and the energy rating better too. Plus it may also be cleaner, while apartment hunting before I saw lots of older places however as they were previously rented they tended to be abit grubby looking, old carpets, toilets and kitchens. It was so obvious they were not cared for as much compared to places where the owners lived themselves.
All things nice...
Good luck!
WHen we first moved to Luxembourg we didn't have a great landlord and at first it didn't seem to matter but to make a long story short, we are still waiting for the remainder of our 5,000 Euro deposit for "retouching paint on doors" (we moved out in September)! Our new landlords are incredibly sweet, kind and generous and FAIR. We've had them over for brunch and we even exchanged Christmas cards. They really want us to be happy in our apt. As I'm sure you know, 'good will' is so important with landlord-tenant relations and if you feel like the landlord is not on the same page as you then GOOD FOR YOU for going with your instincts and not pursuing the place!
GOOD LUCK!
The right one will turn up somewhere
Alison
and of course if you don't like the landlord, that causes stress that is just not necessary! You are right to follow your gut on that.
crossing my fingers for you
I'm an Oregonian and transplanted to Hamburg four years ago. It's always quite fun to read about your similar experiences in relocating to Germany, the apartment hunt not excluded. Nearly four years ago I went through the same thing and I must encourage you to continue to follow your heart and intuition. During our search everything fell mysteriously into place and the fit was perfect. There is not a week that goes by that my boyfriend and I don't express how happy we are to be where we are.
Again, you and T will know when the fit is right. Sometimes you think it's hard to hear your heart when you have looked at so many places, but you will know if you listen.
Best of luck and thanks for continuing too make me smile as I see you encounter so many of the same things here in Germany . It's nice to know I'm not alone so far away from home.
Liebe Grüße aus Ahrensburg (near Hamburg),
Emily
We don't live in Germany so things may be different, but we did recently move to Belgium and finding somewhere to live DID take a while, the best part of two months and we went to see a lot of places. Our problem was that landlords were always suspicious of us because I am the sole earner, self-employed and foreign - there was always another prospective tenant who was a safer bet for them. But we found somewhere in the end, and it was in fact the nicest of all the places we saw! So don't feel too disheartened yet.
London is a great place to live but I have to say that in my experience finding a flat to rent is unrelentingly horrible and I hope I never have to do that again, so I would caution you against thinking it might be an easy option. Buying might be more pleasant though...
Anyway, I have my fingers crossed for you and your perfect flat finding each other soon!
Maybe you can help me with a doubt I have: why do germans don't use shower curtains (I just saw it in the pictures and I see it a lot in german magazines). I don't think that's very practical! :D
One potential deal ended up with my husband ripping up the unsigned rental contract and throwing it out the real estate office window after reading that the renter had snuck in a 7% annual rise in rent over three years. We had already hired the moving company.
Looking for an apt. in Germany is tough, expensive and tricky. But you guys are savvy. You'll find the right place.
Good luck with your hunt...and thanks for all of these nice pics of our "old home area". It´s nice to see all of the places we loved so much...I´m sure Hannover "wants you"!