# Moving to Berlin from Canada



## Turbineguy

Hello everyone, 
I posted here back in Nov of 2010 about this and after sorting things out here (non work related) things are underway. All my paperwork has been submitted by my employer and I am told the visa should be granted within the next couple of weeks. I would like to ask a few things:

1. I am supplied a place to live for the first month from my employer but I would like to start looking around. Does anyone have any good sites to search for apartments and english would be nice if possible!!

2. Are there groups of Canadians that get together from time to time in Berlin as friends or a support group?

That is it for the moment unless someone has other info I may use. Thanks
Mike


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## James3214

Hi Mike, 
For apartments try sites like
Mietwohnungen Berlin: Wohnung mieten in Berlin bei Immobilien Scout24
or to start with share places (or for a certain period)
http://www.wg-gesucht.de/wg-zimmer-in-Berlin.8.0.1.0.html


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## Turbineguy

Thank you James,
I just had word today the visa has been granted so I am waiting for the relocation group to contact me then get things going. I anticipate being there 1st of October give or take a few days. Octoberfest here I come!! I remember the last one I was there for woohoo!!!!:clap2:


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## James3214

Turbineguy said:


> Thank you James,
> I just had word today the visa has been granted so I am waiting for the relocation group to contact me then get things going. I anticipate being there 1st of October give or take a few days. Octoberfest here I come!! I remember the last one I was there for woohoo!!!!:clap2:


Good. Please let us all know how you get on. I think you will miss the Oktoberfest. It is actually held in Sept. The dates for 2011 are Sept 17th-Oct 3rd. Best go straight away when you arrive then!
Oktoberfest.de - Hotels, Tickets, Beer - everything about the world's biggest fair | Oktoberfest.de - The Oktoberfest Website

Good luck with the move.


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## brianwells

Hi

The suggestions above are good ... I just wanted to add that you should be very careful with accommodation advertisements on sites like CraigsList. The advantage is that many are in English, the disadvantage is that some are scams. Studenten WG is also good, just search for it.

Good luck!


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## ExpatInBerlin

Hi,
My Canadian girlfriend moves to join me here in Berlin before the year is out... And i have lived here for about eighteen months. I am European, lived longer than six months in many parts of europe, love germany but every time i live here i find it tough to settle. I thought i would give you a heads up on some experiences to prepare yourself for.

Finding an apartment is tough. I spent five months in a hotel before moving into Central Homes apartment, basically business apartments for long midterm stays, until i can find a proper place to live. I just needed to provide proof of employment, advance cleaning fee and first months rent. They ask for two to four weeks notice when i move out, however months later and i find myself here writing to you... 

Someone above recommended immobilienscout website, i find that excellent. You wont be able to do much until you get here as you must email or phone to find out when there is an open house. On two occassions i found myself as being one of more than 15people waiting outside to view an apartment.

If your company is going to pay for a months aprtment, i guess you wont be low income. You will not be able to rent apartments that are WSB. I dont know its translation, but its reserved for folk with lower incomes. I have seen some nice places only to find i could not apply.

Landlords will want three months deposit (kaution), a months rent, and agency fee's can equal upto another three months rent. If yout company does not pick up that fee, it can hurt. The alternative is looking for apartments that are provisionfrei, meaning rented directly from landlord.

As one other poster points out, craigslist is unlikely to help. I tried, got friendly email from some chap with an excellent story about being an american with wife and child and having had to relocate out of germany to the uk. Rent was fine, photos, all sounded real. Even a UK telephone number. A quick search on google for the UK telephone number led me to find similar stories for properties in paris and barcelona. I guess it was a skype number being picked up in nigeria as the chap wanted money transfered via western union even though i have a UK bank account. Other examples exist, just realise, online is not nesscessarily someone in Berlin.

Plan to view as many apartmenrts as you can. Register in Berlin, then get a schufa credit check, plus your work contract and if possible first paydlip. Lanlords look for this. Oh, and a copy of your id. If you dont like that arrangement, you will struggle to find a home. If you rent in canada, get a letter from your last landlord who says you were a good tenant. It all helps. I know you will say, you are new to the country, no need for credit check. Your landlord does not know you. It builds the case that you are who you say you are.

I had a surprising turn of events. One week ago i viewed 5 apartments and did another ten drive bys... This is where i had a street address but no appointment to view. I choose one apartment, 765euro "warm". Yesterday i got told that the landlady decided that she would rent to a couple who earned less than me! I can afford more, true, but with my girlfriend comming over without a work permit, the cost would have been perfect, however, its not to be.

Today i did another ten drives, an appointment to view tomorrow one apartment and another two on wednesday.


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## ExpatInBerlin

Oh... Get your drivers license newed since i believe yours expires every five years... You might be close to a renewal.

Monthly transport tickets cost 74 euro and you can bring another person with you at any time during weekend and after 8pm monday to friday... At least, this is what i am told.

Fahrplan or something for your iphone, or public transport applications for your nokia phone are great free apps to help you get around town.

Germany is a great country. Berlin is a great city. Let me be one of the first to welcome you!


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## ExpatInBerlin

I should add... Warm rent means some bills are included, Kalt rent means the bils are all yours.

I have found warm rent rarely includes electricity. In an apartment with elctric heating, warm usually means hall and elevator costs, water and sewage... I suspect your electric and heating can cost about a hundred euro, maybe 120 average payment monthly.


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## Nononymous

For an apartment, beware of the rental agencies (Coming Home, Home Company, etc.) because they will charge you a steep commission (Immobilienscout is an aggregator, some listings may be Provisionfrei, most will not). On the other hand, if you have a good relocation package, that might be paid for. 

Getting an apartment in your name (with a Mietvertrag - rental contract) can be difficult, especially if you're a foreigner and therefore likely to leave in a few years or stink up the place with your filthy Canadian maple syrup and Molsons. Also you may find them very, very unfurnished (no lights, window coverings, kitchen cabinets or appliances). You may be better off looking for a long-term furnished sublet to get yourself through the first year, while you find your feet and figure things out.

As for the rest of the bureaucracy, hopefully you've got a good relocation service. It's not too bad once you get the hang of it.


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## Turbineguy

Thank you very much for all this great info!! I don't know or think the company will cover any additional fees or charges for rentals. I do know the "Relocation" group of the company will help us in getting an apartment, they are also taking care of all shipping. My belongings will arrive a month after I get there. I am flying out this coming Thursday and I think the place they are putting us up in is in Siemenstatt. I am sure my spelling is wrong sorry for that. My drivers license expires in 2013 so I am sure I will be back in Canada for a visit by then. I will be looking for a place big enough for 2 as well a partner (working) will be sharing with me. Because we have a job that travels 90% of the time I am not sure what kind of a place to look for considering we will never be there!! Sounds strange I know but being based in Berlin is a job requirement. I don't mind because I very much like Berlin and have had nothing but good times there, then again that was looking through tourist eyes!! I am not opposed to a credit check if that is what needs to happen, and I own a home here so a landlord letter is impossible. Again for much of this I am hoping my company Siemens will be there to lend a hand when needed. Have a great day everyone and thanks again for this info.


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## ExpatInBerlin

Turbineguy said:


> ...I am flying out this coming Thursday and I think the place they are putting us up in is in Siemenstatt. ....


I am a little early, but let me be the first... "Welcome to Berlin!" for whatever length of time you spend here, enjoy!


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## Nononymous

Turbineguy said:


> Thank you very much for all this great info!! I don't know or think the company will cover any additional fees or charges for rentals. I do know the "Relocation" group of the company will help us in getting an apartment, they are also taking care of all shipping. My belongings will arrive a month after I get there. I am flying out this coming Thursday and I think the place they are putting us up in is in Siemenstatt. I am sure my spelling is wrong sorry for that. My drivers license expires in 2013 so I am sure I will be back in Canada for a visit by then. I will be looking for a place big enough for 2 as well a partner (working) will be sharing with me. Because we have a job that travels 90% of the time I am not sure what kind of a place to look for considering we will never be there!! Sounds strange I know but being based in Berlin is a job requirement. I don't mind because I very much like Berlin and have had nothing but good times there, then again that was looking through tourist eyes!! I am not opposed to a credit check if that is what needs to happen, and I own a home here so a landlord letter is impossible. Again for much of this I am hoping my company Siemens will be there to lend a hand when needed. Have a great day everyone and thanks again for this info.


Couple of points. If work travel involves regular flying, be aware that the airport is moving from Tegel out to Schönefeld next year. 

Mitte, Prenzlauer Berg and Kreuzberg are the obvious expat neighbourhoods. Where to live is a complex question, depends on where you work. 

I'm not totally up to date on this, but you may need to get a German drivers license within six months if you are a resident. If there are exchange agreements in place with your province then hopefully it's just a written test.

Hopefully your relocation people can guide you through the various processes and give you recommendations. If they are covering moving and startup costs they may also cover commission from a rental agency - worth asking.


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