Finding Affordable Flats In Berlin
The flats Berlin has to offer are your best bet for sticking to your budget in a city where the U.S dollar is no longer king among currencies.
Berlin is a fascinating city. Since the fall of communism in the former East Germany, the city has once again become the center of the German Republic. It is recognized as one of the most interesting metropolis in Europe, perhaps even the world. Additionally, is not only a symbol of the reunification, it is also a mecca for nightowls and a melting pot for great architecture, culture, and modernism.
So, when in a city as deeply entrenched in history as Berlin, stretch the value of your dollar by staying in an apartment instead of a hotel. Finding an apartment is not a problem. The flats Berlin offers range from the dirt-cheap to the reasonably-priced.
Among the types of flats Berlin ads frequently advertise is the WG-Zimmer. WG stands for Wohngemainschaft. In this flat type, a group of people share one apartment, which comes with a kitchen, a bathroom, and occasionally, a living room. Within the WG, each flatmate gets a room. Only the kitchen and the bathroom are communal.
Other flats Berlin visitors could avail of range from one-room studios to the more elaborate and pricey apartments. There are two important things to pay attention to when looking for an apartment. Often, tourists are confused by the term, “One Room.” One Room flats, Berlin style, consist of one room plus a kitchen and a bathroom. Most Westerners assume “One Room” means one bedroom and a living room. As explained earlier, such is not the case.
The second thing you have to remember is that majority of the flats Berlin landlords offer come unfurnished. This could pose a big problem for people who decide to stay in the city at the spur of the moment, or are staying for a short time only. If either of the two is true of you, then the best recourse open to you is to go through an agency. You’ll have to shell out more bucks, naturally, but you will be able to enjoy fully furnished flats. Another alternative is to look for a place to room-sit. There are many flats Berlin students leave empty because they have to go home or travel somewhere. You can find many flats like these. All you have to do is look for magazine and newspaper sections marked “Auf Zeit.” Or, you could visit Holiday4You and check out their listing.
The prices of flats Berlin landlords put on the market vary. A room within a WG located in central Berlin can fetch somewhere between 150 and 250 Euros a month. A flat, on the other hand, will cost you between 300 and 400 Euros a month. Often, it’s possible to get your landlord to lower the rent. However, you should carefully note what you are haggling over. Check what the price includes. Sometimes, a student may have extras, such as a washing machine or a refrigerator. Check if your rent already includes use of these appliances. As with all business transactions, one can never be too careful.