Drive By...
So I did a little drive by yesterday (well not really, I have no car so a walk by) of the apartment that we will look at this weekend... perfect location. Right near everything, including the weekly farmers' market. I can't wait to see it inside but I just have a bad feeling because we don't have a family yet and the landlord wants someone with kids. I cannot lie to people or bring kids I don't have or put a pillow down my blouse, it's not my style. But the neighborhood... swoon. So nice. And my friends live right around the corner on the same block, in fact three families that we are close to live in the same block. And there is a grocery store, post office, and public transportation nearby too. I guess if it's meant to be, it will be... We shall see!
Comments
I know how you feel!! My German husband and I moved from NYC to Bremen last year and had to go through the whole exhausting process. Luckily for us, when we found the perfect apartment with everything (by the water, shops, fabulous views, near the center and public transport) we fit right into the building "profile" i.e couples with no kids. The delight at having your perfect apartment cannot be overstated, it makes moving to a new country a whole lot easier. I'm crossing my fingers for you!
Maybe you don´t need to lie because the landlord is inspired by you...!
Kind regards
Wiebke
Fingers crossed for you. I never minded this process in the UK, but flat-hunting in Brazil was so disheartening (especially after the tenth one on the same day!)
We wrote one when we had little chance of getting a place because we had no money, told a little bit about ourselves, how we loved the apartment, and then even put one of our wedding pictures on it (cheesy, I know!), but it worked!
I don´t want to defend the "german way" (it took us over a year to find a place in Hamburg), but I feel some of the "murmur" comes from people who have no comparisons to make...
Also - I find myself repeatedly wondering why the big push to say they want couples w/kids? Are they trying to help all the couples who get rejected b/c nobody wants kids (we saw so many places that said NO kids whatsoever)? Do they want community for their kids? Do they want 'understanding' when neighboring kids are noisy?
I think there could be good and bad reasons for this question and think you should try to find out.
Also - don't be afraid of your American accent. Everybody we met during house hunting thought it was so fascinating - in a good way. Also, you've been living in Germany part time for so long, and now want a perm. spot, so they shouldn't worry you'll ditch them to go back to the US. I think that's a good 'selling point' on your part. Make it known!
But since I got married in 2001, I lived in a restored barn that my friend "handed down" to me when she moved out and then I found a carriage house for rent that was gut renovated in a town where there was no competition (country living) and that is where I lived until moving to Germany. It's been many years, since the late 1990s since I looked for rental property but remember back then it was brutal. I started looking on craigslist and going on go-sees in Boston in 2006 and 2007, but that was so horrible I gave up and stayed in New Hampshire.
I guess I didn't think Hannover would be competitive, it's not exactly the hot spot of Germany and is certainly not NY/Boston/Paris or London... which is why I'm a little surprised!
Why are these people so eager that the couple has kids? Very strange indeed. Do you have to prove that you´re married as well?
Definitely talk up the nursery aspect! Good luck!
I'll keep my fingers crossed.
I think I am getting that itch....but I fear my freedom being swept away!....Oh I must hurry before old age hits. Anyhow, that neighborhood sounds too cute...maybe you could post pics of the streets...
Jen Ramos
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I hope you get the apartment you want!!! Good luck!