1. Expect smaller apartments and houses

In Germany, space is a premium; therefore, most apartments and houses are much smaller than in the US. Consequently, you should not bring a lot of furniture and belongings, as German houses have hardly any storage space.

If you need a more spacious house, this is associated with sharp rent increases.

In larger cities like Stuttgart and Tübingen, renting a storage room is often a viable and affordable solution. This could be a potential relief for temporarily storing furniture and other things.

2. There are few properties for rent

The real estate market in Germany is very competitive. As real estate agents, we sometimes receive over 100 applications for a lovely apartment in a good location. The demand for houses is also high. Unfortunately, there have been too few properties for rent in our region for years.

Therefore, you should plan enough time for the real estate search. It is often easier to find a new place to live in the suburbs of Stuttgart and Tübingen than in the city itself.

One important document you’ll need is a Schufa credit report, which provides information about your credit history and is often required by landlords as part of the application process.

3. The rents are relatively high but vary considerably

In the city center and popular urban areas, rents are often significantly higher than in the surrounding areas. If you are looking for a new home outside the city, you can save money and still get to the town quickly.

4. Composition of the German rent

The rent for a home in Germany is composed of several elements. It’s important to understand the distinction between ‚warm rent‚ and ‚cold rent ‚. The cold rent is the basic rent for the house, while the warm rent includes all additional costs you must pay the landlord each month, such as heating, water, taxes, and administrative fees.

Electricity costs are often not included in the rent. In Germany, tenants usually have to register with an electricity provider themselves. The easiest way is to talk to the previous tenant and take over his contract.

5. Rent is paid monthly from a bank account

Therefore, you should promptly open a German bank account at a bank of your choice. This is relatively uncomplicated, as most bank employees speak English very well.

6. It is common to pay two times the monthly rent before bills as a deposit

The deposit is usually paid directly to the landlord as security after signing the lease. The renter gets the deposit back when they leave the property at the agreed-upon time.

However, the landlord can withhold part of the deposit to pay for any repair costs which may be necessary.

7. Where to look for a new home?

You can find most real estate listings on major real estate portals such as Immobilienscout24 or Immowelt. Nestoria offers a good overview of the listings on all portals.

Sometimes, you can find real estate offers in local newspapers like Stuttgarter Zeitung.

8. Air conditioning and ventilation

Especially in rural areas and suburbs, there are no air conditioners in the apartments and houses. Only very modern homes in the center of Stuttgart have central cooling.

At the same time, German houses are well insulated to keep as much heat as possible and save heating costs in winter.
This is due to the history of Germany. In the past, there were always harsh winters and not-so-hot summers.

However, due to climate change, the winters are mild, and the summers are getting hotter. This leads to the problem of moisture collecting in insulated houses in the summer, and mold can form.

Therefore, it is essential to open the windows and ventilate several times daily, especially in summer.

Many leases even oblige tenants to open the windows regularly to avoid mold.

9. Registration at the Citizen’s Office

The law requires you to register in person at the city’s citizens‘ registration office within two weeks after you rent an apartment or house. In Stuttgart, you can do this at the Bürgerbüro (Citizens‘ Service Center), which has an office in each city district.

You need to bring your identity card or passport to the Citizens‘ Service Center. You also need a written confirmation from your landlord, which you will usually get at the rental appointment.

You can find more information and help with registration here.

10. Registration for utilities

Depending on the lease contract, you may have to register for utilities, such as electricity, gas, water, telephone, and internet.

You can always ask your landlord what is included.

11. License fees for radio and television

To use TV and radio, you must register with the German Licence Fee Center (Rundfunkbeitrag). The forms are available at the Citizens‘ Service Centers or online at rundfunkbeitrag.de.

12. Internet

In Germany, it is common for the tenant to sign a contract with an Internet provider and pay for the connection himself. It is worth comparing prices here.

It may also be possible to take over the previous tenant’s connection.

In furnished apartments, however, an Internet connection is usually included.

13. What do you do with waste?

In Germany, the benchmark is to separate household waste by type. If you live in a rented apartment or house, sufficient waste bins are provided.

The cost of rubbish collection is included in the ancillary costs on top of the rent.

14. The German Sweeping Week „Kehrwoche“

In Germany, there is no cleaning service, especially in smaller apartment buildings; instead, the residents clean the stairwell and other common areas.

Usually, a schedule indicates which resident is responsible for cleaning in a given week.

In winter, residents often take turns clearing snow in front of the house.

15. The people in Stuttgart and Tübingen

Finally, I want to write about the locals in this region.
People from many different countries live together in Stuttgart and Tübingen. The people there are cosmopolitan and friendly.

Things look different in the surrounding smaller towns and villages. Often, solid village communities have formed, and many residents have lived there for generations.

The villagers‘ younger people speak English fluently and are very friendly and welcoming.

The older generations mostly prefer to remain anonymous, and it takes a long time to make a connection. Many people in the 50-and-over age group also speak very little English.

Old German tradition

You should know that it was common practice in the past not to talk much to people you don’t know. This old German behavior is not meant to be unfriendly, but one does not want to hold up the other person with small talk. Many older people still follow this German tradition.

Germans also dislike talking about private things with people they hardly know. It would help if you did not ask too many questions during the first small talk. Keep it light and easy.

But if you approach your neighbors in a friendly way and are willing to get involved in the community, you can make friends for life among the Germans.

Life in the German community

People in Germany are very community-oriented, which is a good trait. Still, sometimes Germans are not very friendly if you break a rule in their eyes.

You may be nagged if you use a bike lane as a pedestrian or don’t separate your garbage correctly.

But on the other hand, Germans are also very helpful. The neighbors are there for you if you go on vacation and need someone to water your plants. Or you are approached if you have lost something on the street. People often stand on the bus to offer an old lady her seat.

You will see, after some time, you will feel at home here and will have made new friends.